Transsexual (aka TS, trans, but NEVER tranny or she-male) content is prolific – and profitable – in markets around the world, which may seem surprising because of the reputation it still holds in many cultures — especially in the U.S. But studios like Trans 500, which has risen to the upper echelon of the TS porn ranks, have taken pride in introducing this taboo to new fans while giving current consumers what they want. And much of that success comes from understanding who watches and who is willing to pay for and take it home on DVD.
Pure Play Media has supported and distributed Trans 500 content for years and it remains one of our top sellers across the board because it is niche content for a mass market. It’s a studio that takes great care in production, lighting, editing and packaging and gives fans something that’s worth paying for — and spend top dollar.
To make a great TS scene, you have to walk a fine line understanding how to appeal to your core audience but make sure not to overdo it in one particular area. -Josh Stone, Trans 500
“Some customers were hesitant to stock Trans 500 at first because of its higher price tag, but when we educated them on the studio’s reputation and stance within the industry, they understood they’d be crazy not to have it on their shelves,” Pure Play Media Sales Representative Mike L. said. “Our customers trust us and know we never lead them astray, and it didn’t take long for them to see significant increases in their bottom lines solely because of the took a chance on Trans 500.”
It might come as a surprise to some, but TS content like that from Trans 500 is made for the same demographic that shells out money for lesbian orgies and first-time teen anal: straight men. There’s a wide (and complicated) school of thought around what makes a straight man attracted to a womanly body bestowing a penis, but that gray area may be one of the reasons why it’s so popular: there are no labels, no rules, no restrictions, just a beautiful feminine form that also has a phallus.
TS porn allows men who don’t identify as “gay” to eroticize or pornographically dabble, if you will, playing with a penis in a harmless and heterosexual way: there’s no physical touching, sucking, or what have you; these men are merely watching it happen on screen and allowing it to play to their curiosity in the safety and judgment-free zone of their own homes/bedrooms/wherever. And ideally turning them on to the point of repeat purchase.
And that’s what Trans 500 specializes in, successfully riding the content trends while also introducing and inspiring new angles. Trans 500 producer Josh Stone says his team strives to remain creative and unexpected by implementing plots and scenarios that aren’t normally found in the TS genre. This attention to detail has helped the studio connect with a very discerning consumer and establish valuable brand loyalty.
“To make a great TS scene, you have to walk a fine line understanding how to appeal to your core audience but make sure not to overdo it in one particular area,” Stone says. “For example, many straight men are actually turned off by seeing a TS performer take a more active role in the sex scene, while others prefer that the biological male performer take a passive position. There are so many boundaries you can explore in a TS scene — and this topic of discussion could go on for days! — but in the end, you just have to create and maintain balance.”
Trans 500 also stays ahead of the game by scouting fresh and exciting new talent from around the world — especially in Latin America — who’ve never been on camera before, which keeps fans on their toes. And the studio’s reach continues to expand as its distribution grows stronger every season.
“Transsexual porn — male-to-female, in our case — is niche but is becoming more popular and acceptable in this country as people become more educated and open about their own sexualities,” Stone said. “It’s already an established and acceptable genre in South America and Europe, and the U.S. is well on its way to being more TS-friendly. There are a lot of people just discovering this genre as though it were brand new, which is especially motivating for us and our retailers, and means there’s a lot more success and excitement to come from Trans 500!”
