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What the hell is Nica Noelle?

On Memorial Day weekend I found myself make the winding drive from neon-tinted Hollywood to Sun Valley, an elevated outpost of LA’s infamous pornography mecca. I’m intrigued but apprehensive at what lies ahead- the set of Trans-Love 3, a porn flick straight from the mind of Nica Noelle, a performer turned director who (funded by ABN) runs Transromance (a porn outfit focusing on, you guessed it, trans-actors), Girl Candy (lesbian porn), and Hard Candy (straight porn AKA mainstream pornography).

Porn isn’t my thing. As a lesbian, I find the girl-on-girl dick fodder at best laughable and at worst an insult to my sexuality. Straight guys fetishizing lesbians and reducing gay women to inane, exhibitionist fuck puppets makes my blood boil and interferes with my ability to live life as a normal person on the reg. Even from a non-gay perspective, mainstream pornography doesn’t appeal to any of my senses and it sure as hell couldn’t get me off.

Still, when Nica Noelle’s publicist reached out, I couldn’t say “yes” quickly enough. Porn as a product might not appeal, but porn as a (often derided) profession and subculture seems fascinating. Like most sex work, pornography as an institution of entertainment doesn’t phase me – it’s a gig, and a well-paying one at, that with tons of perks. If someone enjoys the work and can handle the downside, then by all means carry on. You do you. What interests me about pornography is the culture, the people who do these extraordinary things to get strangers off, the ones who take society’s bullshit and throw that puritanical nonsense in the gutter by living a life outside the formula.

The set of Translove 3 is a sprawling beige McMansion situated on a hillside cliff and shows no outer signs of being a set, much less a trans-porn set. I smoke a heavy drag, collect my notes, and bounce inside ready and excited for whatever lays ahead. At work, Nica Noelle doesn’t exude “lady smut-peddler” so much as “mild mannered librarian.” She’s dressed head-to-toe in gauzy white cotton, face free of makeup and signature reddish mane push aside in loose, natural curls. We make our way to a spare bedroom, sprawl informally on the bed, and begin chatting. I’m pleased to find Nica is an excellent conversationalist: witty, self-aware, and prone to sarcastic asides and passionate gesturing.

Originally, Nica’s publicist reached out to me to write about an upcoming Nica Noelle project: a porno version of the life of lesbian supermodel Gia Carangi. However, as the conversation progresses, we find ourselves talking more about Nica Noelle’s complex and often downright hostile relationship with the feminist pornographers.

“I’m not a feminist. I never claimed to be a feminist. I care about how people are treated, but I’m not going to preach to you in my porn.” Nica Noelle states this coldly and clearly, like people do when they’ve been asked to repeat themselves one too many times. After being identified as a feminist pornographer one too many times, Nica even wrote a Huffington Post article clarifying that she makes porn for people, not just women. In the article, Nica Noelle states that “that “feminist porn” has a dirty little secret… the reason that we’ve ascended and our movies now often dominate sales charts, is largely the support of – brace yourselves – men. Yes, those same male porn fans we’ve long vilified and condemned for their interest in porn, those men whom we’ve recklessly referred to as “perverts” and “scumbags,” have secretly, often with a great deal of shame, spent their hard-earned money supporting adult film and keeping all of us “feminist porn directors” working.” As a feminist, it saddens me to hear such an intelligent and successful woman dismiss feminists as man-haters with no sense of humor or grasp on reality.

As an objective observer, I can see how frustrating it must be for her to see “feminist pornographers” diss male consumers while happily taking their money. Nica explains to me, “So many men are offended by porn that is degrading, where the man is some sort of grunting neanderthal, they find it very offensive … And a lot of those guys watch girl-girl porn because they don’t have to see someone be degraded. The male sexual psychology is very broad, and I think we’re always selling them short. There’s this misconception that all men want to see is barbie dolls and sleaze, and now that women have come in a taken over porn has become this very wonderful, rich with feeling thing and it’s just not true.” I really respect Nica Noelle for standing up for male fans, and find myself examining my own attitude towards men who consume girl-on-girl porn a little more closely. I don’t mind men privately fantasizing about lesbians, but I do mind not being able to kiss a girl in public without men sexually harassing me based on those fantasies. There’s got to be some sort of middle ground, and that middle ground has got to be based on mutual respect, not to mention boundaries.

Nica’s views on porn and gender don’t seem particularly out there or offensive to me, so I’m surprised to find the amount of hate directed to her from the self-designated “leaders” of the feminist pornography movement. After Nica Noelle tweeted “I agree that prostitution should be legal, but it’s not, so I’m not down with condoning it,” Bianca Stone actually called for a boycott of all Candy productions. Courtney Trouble and Nica Noelle got into a prolonged and, frankly, silly sounding Twitter tiff over whether or not porn=prostitution. Call me old school, but I believe feminists should support female colleagues, regardless if they hold the same views. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Bianca Stone and Courtney Trouble, Nica Noelle’s most vocal critics, are also her professional competition.

After hearing about the massive cluster-fuck that seems to entail the politics of female-driven pornography, I had a bit of an eureka moment. “Aha” I thought “she’s just a savvy businesswoman who saw a demand in pornography that needed to be filled. She’s not trying to make a statement, she’s trying to make money, and good on her for that. There are plenty of feminists attempting to make a statement out of female sexuality, Nica Noelle is a woman using her work experience to create and run several successful businesses. And why should she have to be anything more? Successful business men aren’t just celebrated, they’re lionized for making profit. No one expects male pornographer to be making some sort of broader sexual/cultural statement, why do we expect a female pornographer to? Because there must be some sort of emotional or intellectual motivator for a woman who couldn’t possibly be motivated by something as crass as money? Because we still need to sugarcoat fucking with a delicious sprinkle of sexual politics? It reminds me of high school, when the popular boys were expected to just be affably attractive and the popular girls were honor students who played two sports and president of at least one extracurricular. Women who succeed financially are supposed to be motivated by some broader good for society or at very least to make their family proud. God forbid we do it for ourselves. God forbid Nica Noelle create porn for consumption and profit rather than for the well-being of women. By simply making the choice to stand alone, Nica Noelle has made herself enemy #1 to the self-appointed leaders of the feminist pornography movement. It’s a classic herd mentality: If you’re not with us, you’re against us. If you don’t agree with us, you’re fighting us. If you’re not helping us, you’re hurting us. Conform or leave. There’s something deliciously ironic about feminist pornographers eagerly crucifying a woman whose greatest offense is ‘she should agree with us but she doesn’t.'”

Alas, the ever-contrary Nica Noelle quickly shoots down my badass businesswoman angle. “It never had anything to do with money. It’s artistic and it is moral, but moral in the sense it’s about being a human, not about being a woman or a man. It’s not about politics. It doesn’t have to do with any of those trappings. Human beings like to watch other human beings have sex.” At this time I’m a bit confused. Nica Noelle just has spent a great deal of time dismissing the morality of feminist pornographers, but professes to create moral pornography. I suppose for Nica Noelle, “feminism” means “just for, by, and to women.” Therefore, the morality of her films differs because it is about genderless humanity. To each her own. Nica Noelle seeks to combine realistic sex, human morality, and erotic art into her work. “This is the approach that I felt for myself was missing… Everybody told me I would fail. [Candy Studios] happened because I wasn’t approaching it as a business and I wasn’t afraid of failure.” And boy, were those critics wrong. Nica Noelle’s Candy studios have become wildly successful, and her schedule is packed with shoot upon shoot.

Nica may vocally distance herself from feminist pornographers, but she cheerfully accepted a 2013 Feminst Porn Award for Steamiest Romantic Movie. Like any smart business owner, Nica Noelle doesn’t let personal opinions cloud business savvy. It’s a tad hypocritical, but then against many artists who rail against establishments or mindsets are still more than happy to accept critical acclaim. If Satan himself called me up to give me a writing award I’d be like “Yeah, boo, where you at?”

Nica Noelle describes herself as “reclusive” with mostly long distance relationships and friendships. She might be a loner in her personal life, but on set I’m actually moved by the warm, family like atmosphere on set. Since Nica Noelle is about to have her tonsils removed, the crew of Translove 3 brought her cake and champagne to say goodbye for a few weeks while she heals. It’s absolutely adorable. No one ever buys me cake. But whatever. I’m not jealous.

After finishing our interview, I spend the next five hours watching (porno) magic get made and getting to know the cast and crew, all of whom I quickly learn to adore. Sarina Valentina, the starlet, is one of the most exquisitely beautiful women I’ve ever met and naturally exudes bubbly joy. Jimi King, the videographer, patiently answers all my questions with a sweet and surprisingly shy smile. Joshua Darling, a talented photographer, looks like a smooth talking insider but acts like an irreverent badass. We all bond during shooting when over-zealous lovemaking causes Sarina to bleed a little, and I get to teach the entire set how to insert a tampon. It was a group effort and absolutely hysterical.

All together Nica Noelle, Sarina Valentina, Jimi King, Joshua Darling, and the entire Candy crew leave me exhilarated, inspired, and dying to come back for more. Let’s hope I’m still invited. I was told next time there would be lesbian nuns, and I’m very interested in watching that particular magic be made. For academic purposes of course.

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