Page 42 - AVN March 2018

FEATURE | GAYVN AWARDS
FEATURE | By Brady Jansen
Top, presenters Wes Meyers, Shawn Reeve and Wesley Woods.
Bottom, performer Sean Zevran addressing the audience on issues
of race and diversity in gay adult entertainment. Later that evening,
Zevran won the Performer of the Year trophy. Photos by
JFK/FUBARWebmasters.com
Above from left, presenters Levi Karter, Jake Jaxson and Liam Riley; Christian Campodonico and Michael DelRay; Devon Franco, Jay Phillips of iWantEmpire and Dakota Payne.
fetishizing racial minorities. This is something that’s
been an issue not just in porn, but the gay community
in general. At least one performer even went so far as
to boycott the GayVN Awards by declining all of his
nominations. This has always been a controversial topic
in our industry and the LGBT community, one with mixed
feelings that we’ve always struggled to address. At first, I
thought following suit and declining my own nominations
might be the right thing to do to get people’s attention;
that it would help spark a conversation about racism in
porn and the gay community.”
Zevran noted that he felt the decision to pool the
categories only scratched the surface of the problem, so he
reached out to GayVN to get their perspective on things.
“It was heartwarming to discover they care as much
about this issue as do the people of color in our industry
and in our community, hence why I was given the
privilege of speaking to you all this evening. … Personally,
as a biracial performer, I’ve been very fortunate in this
industry. I owe my success to my wonderful fans and
all the talented people with whom I’ve had the honor
of working, but let’s be real: the darker or more Asian
or ‘ethnic’ you appear in this industry, usually the more
challenging it is; the less work you’re given, the less
chance you have of standing on this stage.”
Too often, Zevran said, black and Asian performers—
and black and Asian members of the community in
general—are either shunned or fetishized.
“The truth is, we don’t all share the same experiences
in this industry and our community. We don’t all get to
celebrate sex with the same feelings of joy and kinship,
and it’s important that we recognize this and that we
continue to talk about it in a meaningful way. Now, I
don’t know whether my words tonight will have made
a difference … but I do know this much: here, tonight,
in this room, there is power. We have some of the most
powerful names in the gay porn industry, both performers
and producers alike. I know many of you personally. I
speak with you often. We’re all friends. The art we create
has an impact on our fans and consumers. It has an impact
on our community—the LGBT community. Whether
we like it or not, our art is about more than just having
an orgasm. It defines a community and a culture. As we
continue to create art, I ask that we all remember this, and
that we take pride in it.”
After his win for Performer of the Year and the end of
the show, Zevran reflected on the award and his emotions
for the night.
“It was totally unexpected … and I wish my second
speech would have been as good as the first, because I
really have a lot of people to thank. Because it’s never just
about the performers—it’s the directors, the companies,
the team that’s on set with you that really makes you
shine, because if you don’t have that, you’re not gonna
make it. It takes a team … I owe them everything.”
Zevran’s moving speech was preceded by another
highlight of the evening, when Rios took the stage to
introduce a legend into the GayVN Hall of Fame.
“In 1985, Rick Ford founded an upstart company with
a penchant for military men. It was then that All Worlds
Video and the now famous moniker of ‘Dirk Yates’ were
born. The prolific director created a massive library. … All
Worlds Video skyrocketed even farther in the early 1990s,
when news outlets picked up the story that Marines from
Camp Pendleton were appearing in Yates’ amateur porn
movies. Now, more than 30 years later, he’s still going
strong. He remains to this day one of the most generous
and caring men I know, and I am proud to call him my
friend. For all of you who love a man in a uniform, please
stand up with me and give a salute to this year’s inductee
into the GAYVN Hall of Fame, Dirk Yates.”
After a short but sweet speech that followed his
standing ovation, Yates was emotional backstage (where
his presence had Sister Roma star struck, mouthing “Oh
my God, Dirk Yates!” as the inductee stood feet away from
her). Yates reflected on what the honor meant—wearing a
sequined camouflage blazer, arguably the most fitting and
catching outfit of the night.
“I’ve had such good luck, it’s just been amazing to get
the straight guys and later do feature and things with
Chi Chi and lots of good directors, but my favorite is the
amateur military solos. I’m really proud and thankful. I’m
really excited,” he said. “It’s the end of such a great career.
I’m really in love with the business and my life that I’ve
had, so I’m just so proud of this, I feel really blessed.”
Yates noted that until this night, he didn’t fully
comprehend the true magnitude and influence that his
work has had on the industry—and immediately got the
jacket put together as soon as he found out about the
honor.
“It’s just amazing. Things have changed a little, and I
still get a little prudish—I’m from the old school. But this
is a new generation and I’m just so proud. My nephew is
taking over and he’s far better—he’s a straight kid, but
he’s much better,” Yates smiled. “So we’re not done yet!”
Yates wasn’t the only one shimmering in a sequenced
blazer, as Micah Brandt—a trophy boy along with Taylor
Reign—lit up the evening with his jacket and his smile,
42 | AVN.com | 3.18