The GayVN awards, an annual awards ceremony thrown by AVN honoring work done in the gay porn industry, were suspended in 2011 but have returned for 2018 and will be handed out on January 21.

Over the weekend, gay adult film actor Hugh Hunter declined his nominations in all categories, ripping the organization and the gay porn industry in general for racism.

https://twitter.com/theHughHunter/status/931728768938455040

Wrote Hunter: “The gay porn industry has always been a place of veiled racism and bigotry. 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. As I browsed through the GayVN award nomination categories and its endless list of nominees I noticed a category which immediately struck my sensibilities as wrong and, quite frankly, turned my stomach.”

Hunter denounced the GayVN awards for creating a separate category for “ETHNIC” performers, segregating “black, Latin, and Asian” actors to a category of their own.

Asked Hunter:

“Why? Why were these scenes not just included in the best scene category? 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? Why would they call it ethnic? Who uses the term ethnic?”

Added Hunter, who called on other members of the gay adult entertainment industry to stand up against racism and bigotry:

“I want to be remembered for stepping forward and starting a movement to eventually end racism and bigotry in this beleaguered industry. We are members of the LGBTQ family. This family includes all colors of the rainbow and all people from every corner of the world…For so many we are the educators of sexuality. Let’s be the best educators we can be.”

Hunter’s full statement:

https://twitter.com/theHughHunter/status/934423331675295745