Young man applies artistry in all facets of his life
Garrett Kinsley is a model in adult entertainment. • Photos submitted
By Tom Victoria
Garrett Kinsley is an artist in every facet of his life, whether it be career path, creativity and, even, a model in adult entertainment.
He is an award-winning performer with an adult entertainment company. The Washington, D.C., 21-year-old stressed doing such work is a positive experience for adults who enjoy doing it.
“We are exploring our sexuality,” Garrett said.
He said his work is sexual liberation as well as being comfortable in one own’s skin no matter the body type.
“Where it’s okay to be okay with your body,” Garrett said.
As with many people, he outgrew the awkward years.
“I wasn’t the cutest person growing up,” Garrett said. “I had these glasses. I looked like Harry Potter.”
After eventually realizing he was gay, becoming more comfortable with who he was, he discovered there was a world of adult entertainment in his late teens.
“I said I would really love to do that,” Garrett said. “I said I need to dive into this.”
After hitting the legal age, he entered the field.
“I always sort of knew I’d end up doing it,” Garrett said. “I would see people like me online getting praised for their bodies, and I always wanted to be celebrated for my body. I remember telling my theater teacher I would probably end up doing adult entertainment and, sure enough, I did. I applied a few months after turning 18, three years after telling my theater teacher.”
He joined Helix Studios at 19.
“Applying was mostly a joke just to see if I’d get in, which I did after receiving a text hours later asking me when I’m available,” Garrett said. “However, at the time I was not in a good mental state and I had a lot of extracurricular activities, fraternity business and forensics tournaments. I was on a scholarship for forensics, speech and debate, so I had to do it. That demanded a lot of my time.
Garrett enjoys being able to express himself in his work.
“Fast-forwarding a year later, I had a lot fewer extracurriculars and forensics going on because I decided to cut back and focus on school. When Max Carter asked me a second time to join, I happily accepted. I thought, hey, why not, I love my body, I have free time, and I can continue my schoolwork while traveling across the country, having new experiences, meeting people who were like me and seeing out opportunities that come my way.”
Helix employs models covering a range of body types.
“It is very validating to see someone who looks like you do something you feel is not meant for you,” Garrett said. “Representation matters whether it be by race, gender, body type, kink or even socioeconomic status. I remember growing up in East Tennessee where being small-framed and gay are not desired and not represented. Knowing I am setting an example for people behind me to follow was what pushed me to be authentically me. Someone has to break the mold. I hope I am that for someone.”
Garrett said the work entails positive dealings with online clients of the studio.
“We have to feel connected,” he said. “I want to like you.”
Garrett stressed it is healthy for adults to seek such fare.
“It is completely normal for people to view and watch adult entertainment,” Garrett said. “We are curious creatures. While trial by fire is needed, it’s a good way to learn about other niches/desires by viewing them beforehand. I watched entertainment because I had nowhere in my small Bible Belt hometown to see gay things happening, unless it was the notorious gay penguins at the Gatlinburg Aquarium. Entertainment gave me a way to feel understood and normal. It also gave me the willpower to want to be in an area where being gay was normalized and not taboo.”
Garrett savors the travel aspect of his job.
Production plays a role in the product.
“Some movies we film in Las Vegas either in our places or renting studios,” Garrett said. “Other movies, we have traveled around different cities: San Diego; Arizona; Lake Arrowhead, California; or in Florida, staying in nice places and doing some wild activities. I have not filmed for any other studio besides Helix Studios, so I can only speak on what we do. We use a lot of natural light, maybe with one or two lights, depending on the time of day, lighting or amount of people. Most models tend to their own costumes because we use our own clothes and makeup to cover slight blemishes. We have used costumes before like singlets and suits that were of course Helix branded for 'Helix Academy,' Halloween costumes for 'A Halloween Story,' and vampire outfits for 'Quiet on Set.'”
Garrett’s work has been recognized in the field.
“Helix won Best Group Scene at the GayVNs, which I was so happy to be an integral part of,” he said. “That scene was so much fun to do because it was my first movie, and only my third month working in the industry. Winning gave me a big push to do even better as well as our company.”
Garrett also had numerous nominations, including best actor, best supporting actor and best feature.
Coinciding with blossoming looks, the stunning model also developed a shredded physique after accepting his frame was lean.
Garrett also is a poet.
“I’ve toned up a bit,” Garrett said. “I started working out a year after joining the entertainment scene. It was mostly to keep my body in check and improve what I had, but I’ve always wanted to gain muscle and weight because my past with eating disorders made it even harder for me to keep on weight without freaking out. I experienced skinny shaming a ton where I grew up, and I learned to love my body for what it was. Once loving my body, I found that toning and gaining muscle made me feel better about my body and made me happier with who I was staring in the mirror every day. I like to go 3 to 4 times a week for 1 to 1.5 hours. Some weeks, I’m lucky to go once.
“However, I now find that the gym is a place of concentration on yourself and disconnection from the world. When I’m there, I’m in my music world, working at my pace and getting in touch with myself. I’m not on my phone, wasting time in the parking lot planning dinner after or thinking about what’s stressing me out. When I’m there, I’m in the zone and it’s go time because this is for me. It took a while for me to appreciate the relaxation the gym brings and to learn how to turn off my brain and just focus on the reps ahead. If I had any advice on how to start, I’d say just getting there is important. Making yourself go is hard. Even if you’re there for 30 minutes, at least you’re building that routine and comfortability with the gym.”
But his job is only one facet of his life.
“I am finishing my Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Microbiology and a minor in Public Health Advising,” Garrett said. “I am not too sure where to turn next, but I am truthfully exhausted. Doing school during peak COVID-19 killed my drive which was so sad because I love learning! I am taking a year off to get involved in industry work, become a dental hygienist and improve my professional resume. My goal is to begin Dentistry Schooling by Fall of 2023.”
He explained he enjoys interacting with people and is attracted to the artistry of such dental work as teeth realignment.
Garrett also is a poet, drawing upon significant life experiences.
“I started writing poetry March of my freshman year,” he said. “I was going through mental health issues, sexual assault, relapsing on my ED, and I didn’t know where to turn except for to myself. Poetry allowed me to find a way to express my emotions in a way I can better understand myself and what I was needing. I’ve always written, but I’ve never written poetry until then. Learning to cope with multiple points of trauma at once is never easy. It is something that you take day by day and you learn to deal with it as you go through life. Those issues, while smaller now, will always be carried on the shoulders of those who’ve dealt with them. Healing is never definite. It is a constant journey. I now have over 100-plus poems written, some published, but I am working on publishing my own poetry collection in 2022.”
Garrett supports causes such as Black Lives Matter and the Progressive political philosophy.
He advised others to pursue what they truly want to do in life.
“You have to love what you do,” Garrett said. “It doesn’t feel like work. You have to look at yourself. If you are struggling, you have to think about where your happiness is coming from.”
Garrett said once that purpose is found, there is only one route to take.
“You have to go for it,” he said. “Make your choice and run with it. If I had any motivating words to leave anyone with, it would be to start with yourself. Starting with yourself is putting yourself as a priority in all things you do. This can be your physical health, mental well-being or self-love. Whatever you do, never forget about yourself and what you stand for.”
The link to Garrett's Instagram, which has a link to explicit material, is: https://www.instagram.com/garrettkinsleyx/