<br /><br />Yin Q and Poppy Liu are queer, Asian American film producers who created the series “Mercy Mistress,” based off of Q’s experience as a professional dominatrix.<br /><br />“I have to say when I first walked into a BDSM dungeon, I felt so relieved,” explained Q. “I felt so relieved to be in a space where I knew other people desired the same things. I also felt like my sexual orientation was just freed.”<br /><br />The web series highlights intersecting identities while shattering stigmas about sex work and queerness. Liu plays mistress Yin in the show, who travels a complex path to eventual self-discovery.<br /><br />“I grew up in Minnesota and so a lot of the narratives what I, like, I consumed around queerness where really under, like, a white lens. And so, I never identified with it because I never identified with that narrative,” explained Liu. “I just knew something was like, different or off with me, but I used like, many other different words. And I think that’s a very specific experience of being a hyphenated person and a diasporic person.”<br /><br />The two artists focused on hiring a crew of women, femme, and queer people of color to make the film. They hope that it empowers young, queer femmes to embrace their sexuality and identities.<br /><br /> This video, "<br /> 'Mercy Mistress' Is Changing The Way Queer, Asian Americans Are Portrayed On Screen</a><br /> ", first appeared on<br /> nowthisnews.com</a>.<br />
