He also thinks the market is here to stay. Unlike many of the heterosexual gay porn stars in the documentary, he doesn’t believe any 100 per cent straight man would have sex with another man on camera. Porn star Eddie Stone, a genuine gay actor, says he was intrigued at the opportunity to have sex with straight men, but found it was much the same as doing a scene with another gay man. He believes the genre’s popularity suggests an “internalised homophobia” in the gay community, where men who talk and act in a feminine manner are a turn-off.ĭavid also thinks it’s surprising because the gay community is always trying to fight the stereotype that homosexual men are chasing straight men or trying to “convert” them. So why are so many gay men watching? “Are we being fed something,” asks David. It looks like this business is here to stay. “For many of them, they’re in otherwise monogamous relationships with women who support or even encourage that they do this,” adds David. They’re exhibitionists who enjoy the attention and like creating a fanbase. Others are relaxed about being on a spectrum. Anyone questioning their identity might be safer doing it away from a camera, particularly in the age of the internet. The director thinks that logic requires some “mental gymnastics”. They can explore their sexuality while justifying it as simply a way to earn money. Plus, most heterosexual porn focuses on women’s bodies, with the plethora of lesbian scenes performed by straight female actors seen as far less controversial.įor some heterosexual gay porn stars, there’s also an element of curiosity, David’s documentary reveals. The financial aspect isn’t there unless you’re a name.” “The motivations are seen as different, that they want to do it anyway. “In straight porn, the guys might only make a couple of hundred bucks,” says David. Stars may work one weekend a month, and spend the rest of the time socialising, going to the gym and holidaying. It’s also flexible, in more ways than just the obvious. It’s far more than their male counterparts in straight porn can make, and more than most 20-somethings earn in a month. Gay porn stars can earn $4000 to $5000 for a just an eight-hour day’s work, or a shoot over a weekend. The number one reason straight men do gay porn is cold, hard cash, says David. So what’s the appeal for these actors and the viewers? And can the performers really call themselves straight?Ĭurtis says the fact he began enjoying the feeling caused him confusion about his sexuality. Calling somebody gay is often used as a derogatory comment.”
“It’s interesting because there’s such a stigma against LGBT people in many places. “A lot of the main studios’ producers are straight men or women,” he said.
He realised this was increasingly reflected in both mainstream movies ( Brokeback Mountain, Dallas Buyers Club) and porn. “It’s not only subconscious cues, it’s promoted as this by the studios: ‘Look at these straight guy f**k!’”ĭavid became aware of the trend for heterosexuals to “go gay” for parts after he appeared in LGBT-orientated supernatural soap Dante’s Cove in 2004 and discovered he was the only “out” gay actor on set. “You’re seeing hypermasculine situations or sometimes professions, a construction worker and so on,” David told.
Popular gay porn websites including (where Curtis works), Men.com, and all offer movies proudly featuring straight actors. I’m a Porn Star: Gay4Pay, which is released internationally on Tuesday, explores why straight men would have sex with other men, and why there’s such a huge market for it. At least half of all male gay porn stars identify as straight, according to Charlie David, a director from Montreal, Canada, who’s made a documentary on the subject. They’re not doing that much any more.”Ĭurtis’ experience may sound extreme, but it’s a common phenomenon. “They let me top the first sex scene I did just to ease me into it. “I thought about it a bit, experimented at home and was like, well that ain’t too bad, I can do that and come back with a pocketful of money, that’d be great. But soon enough, the chance to make even more money became too enticing. Pretty much just like jerking off at home is what it turned out to be.”Ĭurtis was emphatic that he would not do a sex scene. when you have three or four people with cameras, it’s pretty nerve-racking. I’d never been naked in front of anybody other than me and a girlfriend. “It was just, come back here, here’s the studio, get naked. “They made it real comfortable,” he says. THE offer came through Curtis’ MySpace account: masturbate on camera for a gay porn film, and earn some quick and easy cash.Ĭurtis was straight, but as a struggling new graduate in fast-paced San Diego, it was a tempting idea.