Black porn star lifts lid on racism in gay porn industry
Model and gay porn star Beaux Banks has shared his thoughts on racism in the industry, saying he has had to “work twice as hard” to get where he is today.
The American actor discussed his work in a video interview with Marc MacNamara from amateur fetish website iWantClips.
Asked about whether he thought the industry is racist, he said: “I think what people fail to realise is we don’t set the standard in the industry.”
Pointing to the camera, he added: “You guys do. You guys are the ones that are watching.”
He added: “It’s not really that we are racist—and I say we because I’m a part of that collective—but I’ve never worked with racist people. Racism is in the world already, so I don’t know why people think it’s exempt in porn.”
The 25-year old, who has starred in videos on porn site Men.com, opened up about being raised by a single black mum in America.
Banks discussed his views on racism in the porn industry. (beaux_banks/Instagram)
“I knew I was going to be at a disadvantage being a African-American male,” he said.
“So I knew I was going to have to work twice as hard, and was gonna have to portray myself differently, and watch what I was saying, and what I was doing, ten times harder than anyone else.”
He continued: “Is it right? No, but that’s how the situation was.”
Banks also said that he believed men of colour had to ensure they did not let themselves be cast in roles that portrayed them negatively.
Watch the interview below:
“I couldn’t just go to a whack ass company…who wasn’t gonna put me in the best professional light, and then try to get casted by a professional company,” he said.
Banks added: “Other men of colour, we have to take some responsibility and say: ‘Well, how are we presenting ourselves?’ If we don’t wanna be the gangster, … then don’t go to a low production company and just go get breeded and reduce yourself to something you’re not. I think we limit ourselves.”
He later added: “You know how things are and you sort of have to play your cards right.”
Following the interview, Banks included a link to the Youtube video on his Instagram bio and wrote a tweet about it.
“We had a good time but we also tackled some serious issues. It was a tough question to answer but I give my honest opinion and advice,” he wrote.
In July, gay porn star Bruno Bernal came under fire for claiming he is “not racist” for using the N-word because his current boyfriend is black and he’s slept with a “few black guys.”
And, in November last year, porn awards GayVN Awards were accused of racism after creating a category for the “best ethnic scene.”
