In the name of the Daddy, and of the Son, and of the Hole Ghost. Gaymen. The Priest-Turned-87 Year-Old Gay Pornstar

For almost 30 years, Norm Self lead a life that would make Frank Capra jealous. A Navy veteran of the Korean War, Self was married to his wife for almost three decades and a Christian pastor, as well. But along the way, Self came to the realization that he wasn't such a norm after all, and that he was gay. Not only that, but he found sex to be one of the most freeing and spiritually enriching experiences.

Norm retired from the clergy when he came to the realization that he was gay and spent the next 20 years exploring his sexuality and coming to grips with who he was at his core. In his journey, he found that not only did he love having sex with men, but he felt that it brought him closer to what he believes is God.

In 2017, at the young age of 83, he decided to dip his dick into the chrism of porn, an experience he said he absolutely loved. As Self said to HuffPo back in 2018, his work in porn films was part of a larger hope that “sex-negative norms are removed from our society’s vocabulary and replaced with the implicit message that our birthright is to enjoy erotic joy and bliss." Preach, brother! "We are going to have sex anyway so why not make it a liberating and bonding experience instead of hiding it away in the shadows?" Amen.

He doesn't love the term "porn" for the films he makes. But so many people grow up "in a sex-suppressive society where everything outside conventional norms/mores is labeled 'porn' in order to suppress it," he told HuffPo. And so of the term "porn star" he says, "I’m happy to wear the label." That’s what’s badass about Norm: he exists outside of society's definitions, labels, and boxes. What's more, he finds joy in that.

He also has no plans to slow down! "[I’ll keep doing it] until the sex-negative norms are removed from our society’s vocabulary and replaced with the implicit message that our birthright is to enjoy erotic joy and bliss. We who have experienced that owe it to our sisters and brothers to share that good news with all who will hear it!" he told HuffPo.

In addition to his work in porn, Self also began to practice with—and eventually teach—The Body Electric. According to The Body Electric's website, they are a non-profit organization whose mission is to offer "expertly guided educational experiences grounded in the erotic and its integration with the sacred, to foster transformative personal, relational, and communal healing."

Norm self-identifies as a "sacred intimate" and although he retired from being a pastor in the Christian mythology tradition, his experiences have lead him to become a minister once more, preaching the healing powers of sex as part of his life's mission. Norm doesn't only do work with Body Electric; he is also a minister with Moon Hearth Ministries, where he is once again listed as Rev. Norm Self. According to his ministry page on Moon Hearth, "Norm offers 1-on-1 sessions in Sacred Intimacy, Tantra, and Personal Growth at a private home in Asheville, NC. He also offers spiritual guidance and sex & intimacy coaching via phone, which are geared toward applying Tantra as a spiritual path for personal growth, intimate relationships, and day-to-day living. Sessions, whether in person or by phone, are an opportunity to share of yourself from your heart, receive guidance and feedback for your life's path, and to discover or re-discover the ecstatic connection between your sexuality, your spiritual awakening, and your sense of purpose."

He truly loves the idea that sex is not only carnal in nature, but also philosophical, as well; existential. In this video from HimEros.TV, Self talks about his life philosophy and how it relates to sex. "The French word for 'orgasm' is 'le petit mort' - 'the little death'," he says. "'I die to this uptight and anxious being.' And that is the metaphor, or an analogy, for that ultimate surrender into what "is" —the truth of what really 'is.' And if we can get loose from moral, a priori judgements— judgements before the fact—and get into testing it out and see, 'does it work?' then we wouldn't have to worry about all the rules and regulations." Goddamn I like the way you think, Norm.

Norm is proof that no matter what the age, no matter what the life journey, it is never too late to declare who you are in this Universe, and how you want to express your Self. There is no normal way to do it, so you might as well do it in a way that enriches you. And if you'd like to see some of his porn work, here ya go: