Queer Community Mourns Death of Sophie Anderson

Late yesterday, media outlets reported the death of Sophie Anderson;

"Sophie Anderson, who passed away at age 36, is often regarded as a porn legend and a rising gay icon. Having worked in the adult film industry for almost a decade, she started making mainstream movies in 2018 when her comedy videos with Rebecca More, age 43 – also known together as The Cockdestroyers – went viral," writes Instinct.

The news was confirmed by More on Instagram, writing that she was "devastated...We shared some amazing times together and that's how I'm going to remember her.

"The bubbly, funny, kind hearted soul who was outrageous on the outside but also so gentle behind closed doors."

The two worked together with Netflix to create LGBTQ+-inclusive sex education videos, helping to destigmatize HIV and educate the public about PrEP, reports Pride.com.

"Although they ultimately parted ways following an online falling out in 2021, the duo was widely embraced by the queer community and even inspired a girl group name on RuPaul's Drag Race U.K.," reports Them.com. "Meanwhile, audio clips of Cock Destroyer were featured on King Princess' 2019 track 'cock destroyer.' Anderson was a fierce supporter of queer and trans people, teaming up with Netflix to create a 2020 LGBTQ+-inclusive sex education video which covered everything from PrEP to douching."

What made the pair gay icons was defined by Dazed in a 2019 interview with Anderson:

"Naturally, the pair became internet sensations and gay icons overnight – thanks to their peroxide blonde hair, giant breasts, and bright red oversized lips, as well as their openness and positivity around being sexual beings. That's without even mentioning Sophie's ultimate bop, 'Driving for Dick'."

"I have a real positive outlook on everyone being exactly who they want to be – gay, straight, bisexual, be who you are," Anderson said in the Dazed interview, before going on to add: "Over the years, my confidence sexually has grown and grown and I want to show the younger generation who might struggle that, 'Babes, don't give two fucks what people think and just be yourself'."

But her death is tinged with tragedy: "Anderson's passing comes just two weeks after her boyfriend, fellow porn star and former footballer Oliver Spedding, died at 34. Only two months prior to that, Spedding had started an online hoax suggesting Anderson had died, which had to be debunked via a welfare check by the Suffolk Police. No cause of death has been given for either of them at this point."

Them added: "Over the years, Anderson was vocal about her usage of breast implants as part of her persona, previously telling Dazed, 'My dream was to have the most fake-looking breasts in the U.K.' Earlier this year, Anderson said she was dealing with health issues after one of her silicone breast implants."

After news of Anderson's death broke, fans and collaborators took to social media to share tributes to the late star.

"So incredibly sad to hear of the passing of darling Sophie Anderson," Drag Race U.K. alum Divina De Campo wrote on X. "She was outrageous but she was also incredibly sweet and a continuous advocate for those in the LGBTQ+ community and her industry. A genuinely sweet soul. Rest in peace darling."