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Gay Porn Star Declines GayVN Nominations, Citing "Racism And Bigotry"

“Why would this category be created in 2017?”

Porn star Hugh Hunter has publicly declined his nominations for the GayVN Awards, citing “racism and bigotry” in the gay adult film industry.

“It now appears as if the GayVN Awards have chosen to make this racism and bigotry more blatant in their return to the awards arena,” Hunter wrote in a letter posted Saturday on Twitter.

My response, “...I am respectfully declining my nominations in all categories...”

Full letter here. pic.twitter.com/CQPxZFRuZ6

— Hugh Hunter (@theHughHunter) November 25, 2017

The GayVN Awards, launched in 1998 and returning for the first time since 2011, honor achievements in the gay porn industry. The ceremony will be held January 21, 2018, in Las Vegas.

Hunter, an active performer in the adult entertainment industry for three years, finds particular fault with the Best Ethnic Scene category that segregates black, Latin, and Asian models.

“Why were these scenes not just included in the best scene category?” he asks. “Why would a gay porn company choose to separate minority groups into their own race at an event that is supposed to celebrate the gay industry in its entirety? Why would this category be created in 2017 when the political climate is so thick with racial divide in this country?”

Furthermore, only three of the 15 men nominated in the Performer of the Year category are non-white.

In addition to declining his GayVN nominations in categories such as Best Daddy, Hunter is calling on members of the gay adult entertainment industry “to stand up against the systemic racism and bigotry in this industry.” He also asks gay porn fans not to support the awards.

“I want to be remembered for stepping forward and starting a movement to eventually end racism and bigotry in this beleaguered industry,” he continues. “For so many we are the educators of sexuality. Let’s be the best educators we can be.”

Since his initial tweet criticizing the GayVN Awards, Hunter says he has received “admonition and pushback.”

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