A well-known porn star with a large social media following has reportedly taken her own life after receiving an onslaught of hateful messages in response to what many perceived as homophobic remark she made.
HollywoodLife reports that August Ames, the stage name for Mercedes Grabowski, was found dead at 23 by hanging in Ventura County, California. The prolific performer reportedly rose quickly in the industry since she began working four years ago. She had over one million Instagram followers and half a million on Twitter.
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— August Ames (@AugustAmesxxx) September 28, 2017
And it was on Twitter, less than a week ago, that Ames publicly complained about being asked to do a scene with a “crossover” actor, meaning an actor who also performs in gay pornography. In California, porn actors are not required to use protection but instead submit to regular STD tests. Ames refused to perform the scene, and later tweeted about it.
whichever (lady) performer is replacing me tomorrow for @EroticaXNews , you’re shooting with a guy who has shot gay porn, just to let cha know. BS is all I can say??♀️ Do agents really not care about who they’re representing? #ladirect I do my homework for my body?✏️?
— August Ames (@AugustAmesxxx) December 3, 2017
The tweet sparked a vocal backlash, with many social media users accusing Ames of anti-gay language.
She attempted to defend herself with follow-up tweets, but the harassment continued.
NOT homophobic. Most girls don’t shoot with guys who have shot gay porn, for safety. That’s just how it is with me. I’m not putting my body at risk, i don’t know what they do in their private lives. https://t.co/MRKt2GrAU4
— August Ames (@AugustAmesxxx) December 3, 2017
The next day, Ames posted her final tweet which said simply, “F*** y’all.”
She was found dead by hanging on December 5. The Ventura County Medical Examiner confirmed to HollywoodLife that the manner of death was determined to be suicide. Friends told the outlet that she had been struggling with depression in the days leading up to her suicide, and that the online bullying contributed to her state of mind.
Ames was originally from Nova Scotia, Canada.
Feature image: Instagram
