Tranny Awards Changes Name to Transgender Erotica Awards

BURBANK, Calif. —— Grooby Productions announced that the TS adult industry event, the Tranny Awards, will be rebranded as the Transgender Erotica Awards (The TEAs).

“We started the show as an online event for a bit fun and never anticipated the interest and growth of the show to become the main annual event for trans women and men in the adult industry,” Grooby Productions owner Steven Grooby said. “When we named the show the Tranny Awards in 2007, the climate was different and the usage of the word tranny was appropriate as a catchy title in an online porn event.

"While I personally believe, within the context of porn, that tranny has its place as a descriptor in the same way many words have their place only in porn, I do understand why some people have become frustrated with its usage here."

The change in name was made in the interest of being inclusive in all areas of transgender erotica and to broaden the mainstream appeal of the show, Grooby explained.

“The acronym works especially well since T is used within the community and we're going to have some fun with the promotions. The after party, for example, will be [called] The TEA Party," Grooby added. “I'd like to thank the extended trans adult community for their input and feedback over the last few months. We will be producing a show that the whole transgender adult community can be proud of.”

When the Tranny Awards launched in 2007 as an online-only competition, there were only a handful of categories and Grooby sponsored all of the cash prizes.  

As interest grew, it expanded into an actual live event, hosted at a several different nightlife venues in the L.A. area, before moving to a full-scale theater in Glendale. The event now feature more than 20 categories, including special awards sponsored by other industry companies, many of which include donated cash prizes.

Last year the event expanded its categories to include Best FTM Performer, with support from sponsors like Buck Angel and James Darling. This year also marked the premiere inclusion of the Voluptuous Diva category, awarded to the best BBW TS performer of the year.

This year’s event, hosted last month at the Beyond the Stars Palace in Glendale, also saw a 25 percent jump in attendance from last year, with nearly a 300 percent increase in livestream viewership, Grooby told XBIZ.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

XBIZ Miami's Host Hotel Sold Out, General Registration Now Open

Guest rooms at XBIZ Miami’s exclusive conference venue, Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beach hotel in South Beach, are now completely sold out.

Leana Lovings, Aria Banks Front Latest From Reality Kings

Leana Lovings and Aria Banks star in the latest release from Reality Kings, titled "Synchronized Scissoring."

Penthouse Names Lennon Elizabeth April's 'Pet of the Month'

Penthouse Magazine has named model Lennon Elizabeth as Pet of the Month for April.

Bella Spark, Kelly Collins Star in Finale of VMG Cross-Site Feature 'Bang and Burn'

Bella Spark and Kelly Collins star with Vixen Media Group exclusive Jason Luv in the final installment of the cross-site spy feature "Bang and Burn."

Jade Kimiko, Cecelia Taylor Headline 'Women Seeking Women 199'

Jade Kimiko and Cecelia Taylor topline “Women Seeking Women 199” from Girlfriends Films.

Adult Industry Educational, Networking Platform 'Imperfectly You' Launches

Imperfectly You, an educational and networking platform for adult industry workers, has officially launched.

Segpay to Launch News Network for High-Risk Merchants

Segpay has announced that it will launch the Segpay News Network (SNN) on April 15.

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Kaela Luna Makes Her TransAngels Debut

Kaela Luna has made her TransAngles debut alongside Parker Savage and Harrison Feels in “Jackhammering Kaela.”

Adult Time Marks April Fool's Day With 5 Satirical Releases

Adult Time is marking April Fool’s Day with the release of satirical scenes from five of its series.

Show More