Jeanne Silver

There's not enough discussion about sexuality and disability. It's usually just about masturbation. Here, you can please yourself but what about sex with another partner? Or people with two disabilities? I dated another amputee briefly -- when somebody touches you with their stump, it's not a natural feeling. People have to be really comfortable with it. My kid's dad, when we started going out, he didn't want me to take my leg off at all. All the education out there is like, "Here's how to get yourself off, because you're disabled and not attractive at all." Show less «

[on returning to porn] There's a niche for me still, for bizarre kinks, but it's never going to be the same. We were the originals. My era is over. I still get disability groupies, or devotees as they're called, from the online groups trying to Skype with me and asking me to rub my stump for them. Maybe when I'm really hard up for money, I'll think about it. Show less «

People are still uptight about the disability thing. Having an amputation is a hard pill to swallow, particularly later in life. I grew up with it so I don't see myself as being different. I get up, I throw my leg on, and I go -- I even puked in my leg once. It was next to the bed. The next morning I forgot, put my leg [on], and was like, "Ew!" I've even taken my leg off and thrown it at people -- I joke about it a lot. I'd like to let people with disabilities know that they can have fun with their lives: Don't be afraid to experiment. Stop putting it in the closet. Show less «

I made [adult] films until I was 26 or 27. I stopped because I was beginning to age -- it was going from film to video, and rates were changing. It just wasn't the same, and I was ready for something different, so I quit and started bartending. I dealt drugs for awhile. When I was 29, I got pregnant and that sealed it. This wasn't going to be my life. At seven months pregnant, I left New York, moved around a bit, and eventually settled down back in Arizona, where I'm from and dedicated the next 21 years to just being a soccer mom. Show less «

[on her daughter Irene Silver finding out about her past in porn] My daughter didn't find out until she was 20 or 21. She researched "one legged stripper" on the Internet, and then calls me up and goes, "Hey mom, you ever hear of Long Jeanne Silver?" I hung up the phone on her. When I called her back, she said, "Well it's pretty cool, you've got a Wikipedia page!" In my day, we didn't think of the Internet or how far things would follow you, but I'm glad it's out in the open. Show less «

After getting inducted into the Legends of Erotica Hall of Fame, I started getting invited to conventions, and we re-released Long Jeanne Silver (1977). I was shocked at how many fans would approach me. People with disabilities would say, "You changed my perspective on being disabled and that it's OK to feel sexy." I recently did an expo called Cinema Wasteland and there was a young man who was also an amputee. He asked to have a picture, stump to stump, and I actually did it. I'm one of the people who made him feel comfortable about it. Show less «

[reflecting on her career in porn in the 1970's] I had, like, iron balls. Stupid, crazy, very adventurous, didn't want to be told that I couldn't do anything. Very sexual. Show less «

[reflecting on her porn career] I was treated well. I made my own decisions; it was my body and my survival technique. I wasn't forced into doing anything. I was approached with the idea, and all I would have to say was, "No, I'm not doing that." I was young but I was independent and supporting myself. Show less «