By Peter Berton

YNOT – Despite the contention that still surrounds the new dot-xxx adults-only sponsored Top Level Domain, ICM Registry this week reported receiving 80,000 applications during the Sunrise registration period. While nobody knows for sure how many of those registrations will spawn actual websites, it’s a safe bet that more than a handful will. In fact, more than a handful already have.

A number of webmasters sheepishly admitted to YNOT — off the record — that although they philosophically oppose dot-xxx and all it literally, figuratively and potentially stands for, they intended to engage in “defensive registrations” for as many of their most valuable names as they could afford to protect. They did not expect to erect homesteads in dot-xxx, though.

On the other end of the spectrum, other companies and individuals have embraced dot-xxx with enthusiasm. A few even announced their new dot-xxx presences with great fanfare.

We wondered: “Why?” What benefit does the pro-dot-xxx faction see in the domain space? Why are they willing to risk the possible censure of other adult webmasters in order to take part in what amounts to an experiment of grand proportions? What do they hope to gain?

So we asked one. Steven Grooby, founder and chief executive officer of Grooby Productions, is among the pioneers of transsexual adult content for the web. In business since 1996, Grooby and his eponymous studio have established a reputation for progressiveness and business acumen. In late October, after much consideration of the issue, he launched Shemale.xxx. This is what he had to say about that.

YNOT.com: What was your concept for Shemale.xxx?
Steven Grooby: Shemale.xxx was conceived to fit what we think is a gap in the market of transsexual content. We wanted to offer the best quality models, mainly new to the industry or who aren’t over-exposed, photographed by some of the top photographers of transsexual porn and presented for all computers, mobile devices and [internet protocol] TV. The site will combine magazine and social network formats with editorials and interactive features such as members being able to vote on the models and scenes they’d like to see in the future. We’ve put a lot into this site and brand, and we’re looking for a long-term site that will grow and take direction depending on its consumers.

But why did you decide to stake out the territory in the dot-xxx domain instead of dot-com?
When dot-xxx became fact and not just something that might happen, I looked at all the angles and decided I wanted to work with it in some format.

I met with Vaughn Lilley — a fellow northern Englishman — and we were able to work out a deal where [my company could] obtain some of the premium domains that are pertinent to our exact niche. We’ve been in this industry for 15 years and watched it change, and change isn’t always a bad thing.

In the past, you’ve mentioned a personal concern that the term “shemale” is not politically correct. Why did you decide to use it for this site?
“Shemale” is an offensive word to use for transgendered people, but it’s a recognized “porn word” and that’s what we’re doing: selling porn. I wouldn’t ever use it to refer to someone or a group outside the realms of porn, and almost every model working in the industry is confident enough to understand that. I think as a company we’re probably more PC than most of the adult industry in terms of respect for our models and how we present them.

“Shemale” is the word that surfers looking for transsexual porn use. It is the tag that immediately catches the eye, letting understand exactly what is in that site. We’ve released sites over the years using the names shemale, transsexual, T-girl, tranny and TG.

What, if anything, makes Shemale.xxx stand out from your other shemale sites?
It’s an entirely different animal from our flagship [dot-com] sites ShemaleYum and Black-Tgirls, which are aimed at encompassing all different types and tastes within their categories. They feature transgender models of all body shapes and sizes, in different stages of their transition, new models and the stars who’ve been around for a while.

Shemale.XXX is specifically looking for a “type” of model — not only the ones who have had less exposure or have come up through the industry in the past year or two, but the best looking models. These are models who are aimed at the crossover market of a potentially curious mainstream surfer.

The site will have special features like “Make me a TS Porn Star.” That’s exclusive, you-heard-it-in-this-interview-first news, by the way. We intend to take a relatively new model who has appeared on one of our other sites and attempt to make her into the new TS porn star of tomorrow, sponsoring her further transition and getting her into shoots.

The social network and interactivity of this site is much more enhanced than our previous database versions, although the same system will be rolled out on the older sites later on.

What sort of response you have had to the new site? Are people searching out the dot-xxx part of the web for content?
Response from the surfers and members has been excellent so far. The affiliates we’re working with seem to like it also. I think that’s because the content speaks for itself, though. Take a look at it.

I don’t think we’re getting traffic from people searching out dot-xxx yet. If we do in the future it will be a bonus, but we don’t need that to make the site successful.

Do you intend to stake out other key names, like Ladyboy.xxx?
We already have Ladyboy.xxx in development. Shemales.xxx and Ladyboys.xxx will be portals promoting our sites as well as our partners. We may have a few more ideas, but I can’t talk about them yet.

Where do you stand in the Great Dot-xxx Debate? Is it a good thing to have this part of the web clearly designated for adult content, or does it ghettoize protected speech?
I’ve been following much of the debate with a mixture of concern, derision and apathy. While I don’t doubt the [U.S. adult industry trade association] Free Speech Coalition’s heart is in the right place, I’d be happier to see them concentrate on issues that are more problematic to the industry in general.

I think the adult media boycotting or refusing to accept advertising from ICM Registry [the corporation licensed to administer the dot-xxx domain space] are being hypocritical and petulant. They accept advertising from companies that engage in nefarious billing practices or bill for stolen content and companies that damage the industry more than dot-xxx.

I hear the word “ghettoize” getting bandied around a lot, and it has negative connotations. I do believe there needs to be more control than there currently is over web content. Our sites are already blocked from many countries and there are software blocks that keep minors from seeing our sites, but even so, we all know that porn can too easily be accessed by minors on the web.

Dot-xxx, in my opinion, is just another domain extension. If a country blocks it completely, it’s likely our dot-coms are already blocked there, or we’re not able to accept billing from that country anyway.

All of that said, however, I’m not a spokesperson for ICM. I’m not an advocate for dot-xxx. I’m a business person who made a decision about what was best for my company, my employees, my affiliates and the potential customers.