LOS ANGELES, CA — The original visionary, the provocative filmmaker and the XXX industry’s first TS contract girl all took home prestigious trophies. It was a big night for leading porn studio Evil Angel, a pioneer in transsexual entertainment, at the 10th annual Transgender Erotica Awards, presented March 11 in Hollywood.

Glamorous Aubrey Kate, signed by Evil Angel as the first TS contract star in XXX history, won two significant awards: Best Hardcore Performer and the Fan Choice Award. The company’s Aiden Starr was named Best Scene Producer. And Evil Angel founder John Stagliano was recognized as Best Industry Professional, a lifetime achievement award honoring his studio’s decades of commitment to creating excellent TS porn.

Taking the stage to receive his award, Stagliano thanked hardworking trans performers and Joey Silvera, Evil Angel’s principal producer of TS content over the years. “It’s an absolute honor to be here,” said Stagliano. “Things were different when I started, but we’ve really come a long way. Thank you!”

Ms. Kate, the newly crowned Best Hardcore Performer, expressed gratitude, hope and appreciation for individuality from the stage. The subject of “Aubrey Kate: TS Superstar” said, “I hope my Evil Angel contract is just the beginning, and it opens new doors for all trans performers.” Kate also took the Fan Choice Award, and not for the first time. “The Fan Choice Award was the first award I ever won performing, so winning that again, along with the Hardcore Performer award, made me so happy that fans are still loving me, from the beginning until now,” said Kate after the show.

Ms. Starr’s Best Scene Producer recognition was based on her body of work over the past year. That included “Transsexual Addiction,” starring Kate; “Hot For Transsexuals 4,” a 2018 Best DVD nominee; and the bestselling “Aubrey Kate: TS Superstar.” (Yesterday Evil Angel released Starr’s new “My TS Girlfriend,” featuring trans luminary Venus Lux, on DVD and VOD.) “I am exceedingly honored to receive the Best Scene Producer award,” said Starr. “I wasn’t expecting it! It’s a wonderful feeling to be recognized by the TEA Show.”

Commenting before the ceremony, Stagliano lamented the lack of transgender erotica in his early years as a pornographer, and he addressed the risks of presenting TS erotica when that had never been done by a major porn studio. “The question was, ‘Will videos with trans performers sell?’ We didn’t know for sure, but our gut told us this was something that had to be done.” He added, “Anything forbidden gains extra sexual value.” Stagliano summed up his esteem for transgender culture: “It has been our honor over the years to help trans performers express their unique art form. We thank the trans community for having the courage to come out, to be real, and to face the hostility of backward people.”