Karen Dior
Encyclopedia
Karen Dior was an American
transgender
adult film performer
, director
, singer
. She was best known as a pioneer in popularizing adult films involving transsexual
people.
, Dior moved to Los Angeles
at the age of 21 and began working in a beauty salon and performing in drag
shows in West Hollywood
bars. In 1989, she began appearing in bisexual
and transsexual adult films. She performed in approximately 120 adult films, most of them under the Dior name. She also performed under the names Geoff Dior, Rick Van, Geoffrey Karen Dior, Geoffrey Gann, and Geoff Gann.
In the 1990s, Dior transitioned into mainstream film and television roles. Her first mainstream role was as Loni Anderson
's stalker in the 1992 TV movie The Price She Paid. Other mainstream work included guest appearances in on the television series Xena: Warrior Princess
, Head Over Heels
, and Veronica's Closet
.
in 1995 and later worked as an AIDS activist. After leaving the adult film industry, Dior worked as writer and released her autobiography, Sleeping Under the Stars, in 2001. That same year, she released an album (under the name Geoffrey Karen Dior) S E X, and was a member of two bands, the Johnny Depp Clones and Goddess. She also earned a Ph.D.
in philosophy in religion and became an ordained minister.
On August 25, 2004, Dior died of hepatitis
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
adult film performer
Pornographic actor
A pornographic actor/actress or a porn star is a person who appears in pornographic film. Most actors appear nude in films...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
. She was best known as a pioneer in popularizing adult films involving transsexual
Transsexualism
Transsexualism is an individual's identification with a gender inconsistent or not culturally associated with their biological sex. Simply put, it defines a person whose biological birth sex conflicts with their psychological gender...
people.
Life and career
Born Geoffrey Gann in MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Dior moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at the age of 21 and began working in a beauty salon and performing in drag
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
shows in West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
bars. In 1989, she began appearing in bisexual
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
and transsexual adult films. She performed in approximately 120 adult films, most of them under the Dior name. She also performed under the names Geoff Dior, Rick Van, Geoffrey Karen Dior, Geoffrey Gann, and Geoff Gann.
In the 1990s, Dior transitioned into mainstream film and television roles. Her first mainstream role was as Loni Anderson
Loni Anderson
Loni Kaye Anderson is an American actress who played the role of Jennifer Marlowe on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.- Early life :...
's stalker in the 1992 TV movie The Price She Paid. Other mainstream work included guest appearances in on the television series Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
, Head Over Heels
Head Over Heels (UPN TV series)
Head over Heels is a 1997 TV series, that aired briefly on UPN.Jack and Warren Baldwin are two brothers who take over the operation of "Head over Heels", a South Beach, Florida, video dating service founded by their mother....
, and Veronica's Closet
Veronica's Closet
Veronica's Closet is a sitcom which aired on NBC from September 25, 1997, to June 27, 2000.The show starred Kirstie Alley as Veronica “Ronnie” Chase, the head of her own lingerie company.- Season one :...
.
Later years and death
Dior contracted HIVHIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
in 1995 and later worked as an AIDS activist. After leaving the adult film industry, Dior worked as writer and released her autobiography, Sleeping Under the Stars, in 2001. That same year, she released an album (under the name Geoffrey Karen Dior) S E X, and was a member of two bands, the Johnny Depp Clones and Goddess. She also earned a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in philosophy in religion and became an ordained minister.
On August 25, 2004, Dior died of hepatitis
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
.
Actor
- Single White Shemale (1992)
- Mystery Date (1992)
- A River Made to Drown InA River Made to Drown InA River Made to Drown In is a 1997 drama film starring Michael Imperioli, Richard Chamberlain, Ute Lemper and James Duval. Directed by James Merendino, Merendino had his name removed and the film is credited to Alan Smithee...
(1997) - Xena: Warrior Princess (1 episode, 1997 - "Here She Comes... Miss Amphipolis")
- Head Over Heels (1 episode, 1997)
- Veronica's Closet (1 episode, 1998)
- Zigs (2001)
Director
- I Dream Of Queenie (1997) "Produced and Directed"
- Genderella (1998)
- Playing the Odds (1998)
- Getting Personal (1999)
- Bi Athletes (2000)
- Bi-Dazzled (2001)
- Leather Temptation (2002)
- Bi-Sluts (2001) "2001 AVN Bisexual Nominated Adult Film"