Chelsea Poe has made an indelible mark on the adult entertainment industry as a pioneer, advocate, and creative force. With a career spanning more than a decade, she’s not only created groundbreaking content but has also been an outspoken voice for inclusivity and representation within the industry. In this candid interview, Chelsea opens up about her journey—from her roots in a small Dutch-American town to becoming one of the most recognized trans performers and activists in adult entertainment.
Can you introduce yourself and your work for those who might not be familiar with you?
I’m Chelsea Poe, and people may know me from my BDSM porn, queer porn, or as the first trans God’s Girl. I’ve worked with transsensual and other mainstream trans porn companies. In 2021, I won the Ynot Cam Award for Best Trans Cam Performer for Cam4.
Where are you originally from, and how did that influence your journey into the adult industry?
I’m originally from a small Dutch city in Michigan named Holland. I grew up honestly thinking most Americans lived around windmills, tulips, and had long Dutch last names. Moving to California to start working in porn quickly showed me otherwise. A few years later, I screened my porn in Amsterdam and completely fell in love with a city that embraced both sex work and everything I grew up around back in Holland. Connecting my work with my culture and the history of Dutch sex work has been incredibly special to me.
How did you get started in the adult industry?
I started camming in 2011 in my hometown, then took the leap into performing porn in 2013. Shortly after, I moved to California to pursue it full-time. It’s been a wild ride that’s taken me to places I never expected. I got to travel the world in my 20s. The industry has come a long way since then, and I’m thrilled to have been part of that positive change.
Has porn played a role in your self-discovery, particularly regarding your sexuality?
Absolutely. Porn was a significant part of my self-discovery, especially regarding my sexuality. I always knew I was into kinkier things, but seeing Princess Donna’s work on series like Public Disgrace really helped me understand that kink and fetish were central to my sexuality. That’s when I started embracing the term “queer,” because my sexuality is more about chemistry and dynamics than gender or physical attraction.
How has the industry evolved since you started, particularly for trans performers?
When I entered the industry in the 2010s, it was very openly transphobic. The first award show I attended was named “The Tranny Awards,” and slurs like “tranny” and “shemale” were extremely common. Back then, trans performers could only work for trans-specific companies. I worked to change that, pushing for trans inclusion and starting a petition to remove slurs from cis-owned companies. The backlash was intense, but in the long run, it helped remove those slurs and made the industry more inclusive.
Is it easier or harder for trans performers in the industry today compared to when you started?
It was harder back then for trans performers, but today, whether you’re a cis woman or a trans woman, you have to hustle non-stop to make it in the industry. It’s more of a level playing field now, but it’s still essential for trans performers to call out mistreatment, whether on set or elsewhere, to make things better for the next generation.
How does porn compare to other industries when it comes to inclusivity?
Porn is unique in that it’s one of the few places where trans people can compete against cis people and win awards without it being a big news story. In any other industry, like sports, there would be endless debates, but in porn, trans inclusivity is normalized. I faced a lot of hate early in my career, but now porn is one of the most trans-inclusive spaces.
What changes have you seen in the types of roles or opportunities available for trans performers?
The industry is night and day different now compared to when I started. Today, I get to make whatever content I want, and being trans doesn’t limit what I can do. In 2013, trans women were only working with a few niche sites, often using transphobic tropes. Now, there’s much more freedom and opportunity.
How did coming out as trans affect your early career and personal life?
I came out as trans very young, at a time when many people didn’t even know what being trans was. In the 2000s, it was still classified as Gender Identity Disorder. It wasn’t until the “trans tipping point” in 2014, when Laverne Cox appeared on Time magazine, that more people started understanding what trans people were going through. In the Netherlands, I feel most at ease with my identity—as a trans woman, in a lesbian relationship, and as a sex worker. The protections there offer a peace of mind that’s hard to find in places like the U.S. or the UK.
Who were some of your inspirations when you started, and what impact did they have on your work?
I was really inspired by the queer porn and alt porn movements, especially performers like Sasha Grey and Stoya. I wanted to bring what they were doing into trans porn. I wanted to make extreme porn, speak out for what I believed in, and do it on my own terms. My goal was to create content for the trans and queer communities while also having mainstream crossover appeal.
What types of content do you focus on creating today?
When I moved to California, I started working at the Kink Armory, so BDSM has always been a focus. I did queer porn for companies like Crash Pad Series and more mainstream content for Mile High and Devils Film. When I began producing my own work, BDSM was the first thing I wanted to create, and I’ve been doing it for the last eight years.
How do you come up with ideas for your films?
My ideas often come from fantasies I still want to live out or a specific aesthetic or location that excites me. For example, The Public Debasement of Chelsea Poe was a 1000% fantasy of mine since I saw Princess Donna’s Public Disgraceseries when I was 19. My film Chelsea Submits 3: World Tour was inspired by wanting to shoot while traveling in Asia, the Netherlands, and California. My film XOXOX was designed to be shown in theaters at European film festivals.
What message do you want to convey through your work?
I want to show that trans women can do anything cis women can in porn. My biggest influences were two cis women—Stoya and Sasha Grey—which gave me a unique perspective as a trans woman in porn. While many of the trans performers I started with were influenced by older trans porn that didn’t resonate with me, I wanted to shoot more extreme content like bondage and gangbangs. This helped my work stand out.
How do you keep your work fresh and avoid burnout?
I think pushing yourself to keep coming up with new concepts and chasing your actual sexual desires is key. You need to think of yourself as a “sexual athlete,” constantly evolving. This mindset helps you not only keep your work fresh but also prevents burnout.
Has activism and advocacy always been central to your work?
Early in my career, activism was much more central to my work. I wanted to make the industry a place where I felt comfortable, which led me to push for the removal of slurs and advocate for trans inclusion. Now, with those changes in place, I can focus more on just performing. I know trans people see themselves in my work, and that’s an honor. But they’re seeing me being me, not because of any specific petition or campaign.
How has camming played a role in your career?
I’ve been camming for so long that I don’t really remember a time before it. Camming allowed me to get to a place where I could perform in porn, and it set me on this 13-year journey around the world. As a young trans woman from a small town, camming gave me opportunities no other medium could have.
What lessons did you learn during the pandemic?
The pandemic forced me to confront my work-life balance, which was terrible in my 20s. Before that, I was non-stop—camming, shooting, or traveling for conventions and awards shows. I had to go to the ER for exhaustion at one point. Therapy helped me process emotions without being a workaholic, and COVID gave me the chance to be in one place for the longest time since high school. It helped me find balance as a performer and as a person.
What challenges do sex workers face in maintaining boundaries, especially in the U.S.?
In the U.S., maintaining boundaries as a sex worker is hard because society often tells you your job isn’t real. You worry about losing your PayPal or facing housing discrimination. When I return to the Netherlands, it’s different. There are more protections for sex workers, and spending time with my Dutch sex worker friends strengthens my boundaries. In camming, it’s less about a strict “No” list and more about setting expectations for clients, especially those with low funds or who waste your time.
What type of porn do you enjoy watching personally?
I watch the kind of porn I shoot—heavy on BDSM and humiliation. I love Chanta’s Bitches, Public Disgrace, and Strap On Squad. I’m really a humiliation slut at my core, so whenever I see that in porn, it gets me super wet.
Have you ever faced threats or harassment in your career?
Yes, I’ve faced threats and harassment. I’ve had bodyguards in the past who gave me lists of things I should and shouldn’t do. It’s crucial to know your cam site has your back and is doing everything it can to protect you. It’s also important for cam sites to continuously improve their safety measures for workers.
What’s a performance that stands out in your memory?
One scene I’ll never forget is my first gangbang in my first film, Fuck Me Like the Whore I Am, for Trouble Films. It was my dream scene, and I was really nervous going into it. But once I got started, it was such an exhilarating experience. It felt like I was finally breaking into the type of content I had always wanted to shoot, and it was a huge milestone for me as a performer. That scene was the moment when I felt like I was fully in control of my career and embracing my sexuality in the most powerful way.
What advice would you give to new performers entering the industry?
My biggest piece of advice would be to always stay true to yourself. Don’t feel pressured to shoot things you’re not comfortable with or that don’t align with your personal boundaries. Also, learn how to handle your own business—whether it’s social media, marketing, or understanding how to protect your finances and personal information. It’s also essential to build a solid support system with other performers and stay educated on the resources available to you, especially in terms of your rights and safety as a sex worker.
What do you think the future holds for trans performers in the adult industry?
I think the future for trans performers is incredibly bright. As society continues to evolve and people become more accepting and open-minded, I believe we’ll see more and more trans performers crossing into mainstream genres. We’re already starting to see a shift in the narrative, with trans performers not just being relegated to trans-specific categories but being embraced in all types of porn. I hope that trend continues, and that trans people feel empowered to tell their own stories and express their sexuality on their own terms.
What’s next for you in your career?
Right now, I’m focused on continuing to make the type of content that I love—BDSM, humiliation, and queer porn. I also want to expand my work beyond the screen, possibly into more advocacy and education for both performers and audiences. There are still so many stories I want to tell and fantasies I want to explore, and I’m excited about the freedom I now have to do that on my own terms. Eventually, I’d love to take on more of a mentoring role in the industry, helping new trans and queer performers navigate their own paths in a way that’s safe and empowering.
What was your most memorable moment in the industry?
One of my most memorable moments was getting my first AVN nomination. I was celebrating my friend’s 21st birthday in Boston when the nominations were announced at 3 AM Eastern time. We were out partying with her soccer team and roommates, closing down a bar in South Boston. When I found out I got my first two nominations, the whole group freaked out. I remember her roommate, in the thickest Boston accent, saying, “You’re a porn star now!” It was such a surreal moment, a big career milestone in the most unexpected, fun setting.
How did your first screening in Amsterdam shape your connection to your heritage?
My first screening in Amsterdam was a life-changing experience. Growing up in a Dutch community, I hadn’t fully realized how much of my upbringing was shaped by Dutch culture until I got there. Walking through the city, I saw houses that looked like my family’s, and the people on the street reminded me of my relatives. The openness about sex work, without the shame I grew up around, was eye-opening. The screening of my film to a room full of trans and queer Dutch people was a beautiful experience, and it made me feel connected to my heritage in a way I hadn’t before. It deepened my understanding of myself and where I come from.
What advice would you give to both trans and cis performers alike?
The best advice I can offer is to make as much happen organically as you can. Start creating your own content, build up your experience, and develop a solid catalog so that when opportunities come from companies, you’re prepared. It’s important to have a foundation so that if a company stops casting you, you can keep your career going. The entertainment industry is filled with ups and downs—it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You might have an incredible year, followed by slow years, but that’s just the nature of the business. Having that base and taking control of your content can help you weather those times.
Chelsea Poe’s career in the adult industry is marked by her determination, her activism, and her desire to push boundaries—not only in her performances but also in how the industry treats trans performers. From humble beginnings in a Dutch-American town to becoming an internationally recognized figure in queer and BDSM porn, she continues to evolve both as a performer and an advocate. Through her work, Chelsea challenges norms, inspires change, and embodies the power of self-discovery. As she looks to the future, she’s determined to keep paving the way for the next generation of performers while staying true to her passions. Chelsea Poe is not just a performer; she’s a force of transformation in the adult industry.