Apollo Moon: Trans-masculine porn star Forest Harader dies aged 26 after being in intensive care

Known to loved ones as Forest Harader, Moon had been in intensive care since November 27, though the cause of death has not been disclosed.

The Los Angeles-based performer’s declining health became public when his family posted on the community-support platform Meal Train, seeking donations. The fundraiser, which has raised over $15,000 (£11,800), says: “On November 27th, the Harader family received the unexpected and devastating news that their son/brother Forest was hospitalised on life support. His parents will be taking an extended leave from work, and they, along with his sister Risa, can use any and all the support you can give during this difficult time.”

Apollo Moon was celebrated as a “trailblazer” in the trans and sex-worker communities, making an impact as a person of colour in a predominantly white industry. Friends and colleagues have shared heartfelt tributes to honour his memory. Adult performer Gwen Adora expressed her sorrow on X/Twitter, writing: “Forever in peace, may you dance among the stars.”

Fellow content creator Cher Mii also paid tribute: “Sitting here listening to all the silly audio messages we used to leave each other, still in disbelief. I love this man dearly. There is so much I could say, but words would do little justice in properly conveying the depth of this loss.”

Moon’s last tweets showed his love for the trans community. In a tweet posted on November 25, he wrote: “Being trans brought me so much joy and there was nothing in this world that made me happier than sharing that experience with my community.”

Trans-masculine or transmasc in short, is an umbrella term that describes people who were assigned female at birth and identify with masculinity.