(LAS VEGAS, NV) -- Danni Ashe, one of the first bona fide porn stars of the internet, will be honored with the Chaturbate Female Empowerment Award in the GFY Awards, taking place during the Internext Expo in Las Vegas.

The award was created by prominent webcam site, Chaturbate.com, to recognize strong women who've made a major impact in various areas of the adult entertainment industry.

Ashe became one of the most recognizable names in adult content when - as a model and dancer in the early 1990s - she began posting pictures of herself on adult Usenet newsgroups. She built up a loyal fan base before launching Danni's Hard Drive, which later became Danni.com, in 1995. Her unprecedented success led to her inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most downloaded woman in the world - earning her the nickname "The Billion Download Woman".

"Danni Ashe paved the way for every woman who has ever hosted her own website, performed as a cam model or created any adult content of any type for the internet," said Sherri L. Shaulis of AVN. "When she couldn't find anyone to create a site for her, she took it upon herself to learn Html and do it herself. She showed women could have complete control over their content and brand on the internet, paving the way for the likes of Sunny Leone, Joanna Angel and many, many more. She was the natural choice to be the first recipient of this special award."

Penthouse acquired the Danni.com properties in 2006, and Ashe stepped away from the industry. Today, she is still involved with photography: She owns her own photography business in Sedona, Arizona.

Chaturbate COO, Shirley Lara explained why Chaturbate decided to sponsor an award that celebrates female empowerment. "Our business model and the way we look at everything, is different from other companies. We empower our Broadcasters. They're creative, entrepreneurial, yet their achievements in our industry are often overlooked. We wanted to help recognize women who have empowered other women in the industry."

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