Buck Angel is an American model, pornographic performer, entrepreneur, and cultural critic.
Although many of Angel’s views on sex, sexuality, and gender are progressive, Angel is considered a prominent transgender conservative for using terms and concepts that have largely fallen out of use. These views have made Angel a favored source among conservative and anti-transgender journalists and commentators.
Background
Angel was born June 5, 1962 in Los Angeles, California. After high school Angel worked as a model but felt disconnected from the world, self-medicating with alcohol and drugs. After identifying as lesbian until age 28, Angel began taking hormones, later opting for top surgery but not bottom surgery. Angel later had a hysterectomy.
Beginning around 2005, Angel began to appear in pornographic films, billed as “the man with a pussy.” Angel earned industry recognition for this groundbreaking career.
Angel eventually moved into sex education, appearing in films and speaking at conferences and schools. Angel has frequently appeared in the media. Angel’s entrepreneurial projects include a dating site, an outreach site for trans men, a cannabis company, and sex toys.
Angel was married to Karin Winslow, a dominatrix who left Angel for filmmaker Lana Wachowski. Angel was then in a one-year marriage to a body piercer that ended in an acrimonious split. Angel later married filmmaker Rachel Mason.
Political views
Angel identifies as transsexual and as a “female who lives as a man.” Most people in the community reject these older terms and conceptualizations. Angel advocates for maintaining sex-segregated spaces like competitive sports and takes issue with the phrase “trans women are women.” Progressive members of the community characterize Angel’s views as transmedicalist and sex segregationist. Angel has been affiliated with extremist group Gays Against Groomers.
These views have made Angel a favored source among conservative and anti-transgender activists. Angel has appeared with or on Fox News, Meghan Daum, Heterodorx, Scott Barry Kaufman, Chloe Cole, Stella O’Malley, Sasha Ayad, Dan Savage, Benjamin Boyce, and Quillette.
References
Bindel, Julie (April 26, 2023). Buck Angel: ‘We never denied our biology.’ UnHerd https://unherd.com/2023/04/buck-angel-we-never-denied-our-biology/
Sahakian, Teny (May 23, 2022). Transsexual pioneer criticizes modern trans activists, says they’re indoctrinating kids: ‘This isn’t a game.’ Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/health/transsexual-pioneer-criticizes-modern-trans-activists-indoctrinating-kids
Reyes, Gabrielle (October 28, 2022). Transsexual activist criticizes trans movement for accelerating ‘far too fast.’ Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/us/transsexual-activist-criticizes-trans-movement-accelerating-far-fast
Asarch, Steven (October 21, 2019). YouTuber ContraPoints Attacked After Including Controversial Buck Angel in Video. Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/youtuber-contrapoints-attacked-after-including-controversial-buck-angel-video-1466757
Resources
Instagram (instagram.com)
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Substack (substack.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)
Twitter (twitter.com)