| Shelley Lubben | |
|---|---|
Shelley Lubben in 2011 |
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| Born | May 18, 1968 Pasadena, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Roxy, Shelley Lynn Moore |
| Occupation | Nonprofit Executive Director |
| Known for | Former pornographic actress turned anti-pornography activist |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
Shelley Lubben (born May 18, 1968) is an American former pornographic actress who performed under the stage name of Roxy.[1] After she left the sex industry, Lubben became a born-again Christian and anti-pornography activist.[2] She is the Executive Director of the Pink Cross Foundation, which reaches out to women and men in pornography and speaks in public forums, sharing about the hazardous working conditions that she experienced in the porn industry, which include her personal experiences contracting genital herpes and HPV, which led to early cervical cancer.[3][4]
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Lubben was born on May 18, 1968 in Pasadena, California. In an interview with Howard Stern and Deseret News, Lubben stated that she was sexually abused at the age of nine, worked as a prostitute from age 18 to 26 to support herself and her child.[3]
She entered the adult film industry, while working as a prostitute, when she was 24 years old. During her time in the sex industry, she contracted herpes and HPV, which led to cervical cancer.[2][5][6] During and after her life in the sex industry, she battled alcohol and drug addictions.[2][7]
An overview of Lubben's life has been featured in the documentaries Traffic Control[8] and Out of the Darkness, the latter of which has been selected to be the opening film for the John Paul II Film Festival 2011.[8]
During her pornographic career, which lasted from 1993-1994, Lubben appeared in "about 30" hardcore movies. Lubben has stated that the sex acts that women perform on film sets are physically harmful (including anal and uterus hemorrhaging), and psychologically traumatizing.[9]
In February 2011, Lubben became the subject of a documentary entitled, The Devil and Shelley Lubben, created by porn industry advocate Michael Whiteacre. According to Mark Kernes of adult industry trade journal, AVN, the film disputes Lubben's experiences in pornography and the trauma she says can be traced to those experiences.[10][11]
| Pink Cross Foundation | |
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| Website | |
In 2005, Lubben initiated an aggressive online marketing campaign, utilizing social networking Web sites in order to reach out to the sex industry. In 2008, Lubben established a faith-based organization called the Pink Cross Foundation.[9] The group concentrates on outreach to and evangelism of those in the porn industry, especially performers, and offers support to those wishing to leave the industry.[9][12] The organization solicits donations online and offers an online support forum for individuals that are addicted to drugs, sex, and pornography. When Lubben identifies interested individuals, she sends care packages filled with religious literature, Bibles, Christian music, local grocery and department store gift cards, and other spiritual and practical supports.[13] A secondary focus of Pink Cross is outreach to individuals seeking recovery from pornography addiction. Pink Cross attends pornography conventions to educate fans about how porn is not glamorous and also reaching out to porn stars and letting them know they have options.[14]
The organization also lobbies against pornography and the adult entertainment industry.[15] Lubben supported California legislator Charles Calderon in his effort to tax the pornographic industry by speaking to lawmakers about her experiences.[16] Lubben indicated that the scenes on the set of a hardcore porn film often involve a woman and several men who are doing "degrading acts" to the woman.[13][17] Lubben describes the scene of a hardcore porn film as devoid of intimacy, and describes it as "all mechanical and beastly". She further writes that "women are vomiting off the set, and most of the actors are doing drugs and alcohol."[13] In June 2010, she spoke to U.S. House and Senate members and their staffs in Washington DC about the damage that was done to her body from her time in the porn industry.[18] She continues to be outspoken regarding the illegal and hazardous working conditions in the industry, with sexually transmitted diseases being a workplace safety issue and public health concern.[19]
Shelley Lubben has been a guest on numerous TV and radio shows where she often shares her story and talks about the negative effects of pornography. Some of the programs and documentaries she has appeared or been featured in include:
In January 2011, Lubben released a rap/hip hop album with the proceeds going to the Pink Cross Foundation to help women and men recover from porn. The first single, titled "Killer Fantasy", features the message of a porn star speaking to the porn fan about the truth behind the adult industry.[29]