Preferred pronoun ( s ) : She
Identifies as: Genderqueer, Trans Female, Diva, Woman of Legacy Victory and Truth
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Zodiac: Scorpio
Life's work: Social Justice Education, Theatre Education, Fashion Muse, Cultural Attache', Youth Leader, Community Activist, Socialite, Oral History Raconteur, and Queer Revolutionary Performance Artist
Career:Youth health educator prevention coordinator, at the Center [ On Halsted's ] Youth Program.
Hobbies/ interests; Theatre, Fine Dining, Drag, Fashion, Philanthropy, Vintage Clothing, Spirituality and hanging out with friends Kandice, Chadwick and Georgie.
When did you start questioning gender?:
"My sister took me with her to Payless Shoes in 1993 to pick out stilettos for her wedding. She picked out a pair of "dyeables" and then dyed them ivory. The day she picked them up I saw her put them in the top of her closet. The moment she left I was gliding down the hall in them like they were mine! It was that moment that would forever change my life. I was no longer a little boy. I knew I wanted to be a girl."
What is the best thing about being trans/ gender-variant?
"I have the opportunity to create my own version of what my gender iconography means to me. My gender expression can be feminine, masculine, or somewhere in between depending how I am feeling the morning I get up. One day I will look like Marilyn Monroe and the next day I will look like Janet Jackson."
How do you explain the way you feel about gender to others?
"I tell them I do not fit within the stereotypical binary confines of gender. I feel I am a two-spirited creature who embodies both the feminine and the masculine. Most of the time one doesn't have to ask because my presence speaks for itself."
Windy City Times Presents "T in the Life"
It is no secret that transgender lives and history have been sorely underreported over the years, even in the LGBT press. It is unusual to see stories about transgender and gender-variant people that respect their identities, and even more uncommon to see coverage that lets gender-variant people speak for themselves.
Part of the reason for this, history tells us, is that a small percentage of trans people could safely come out. The other explanation is that historically, the gay press tended to focus on gay issues, and transgender news trailed behind.
Windy City Times has long covered transgender issues, and we have expanded that coverage in recent years to break some major local trans news stories. This year, we're trying to take that a step further.
Each week in our print edition this year, you'll meet a new gender-variant person. They will explain in their own words what being gender-variant means to them and what makes them who they are beyond their gender identity.
Welcome to "T in the Life."
Please consider nominating someone for this feature by emailing editor@windycitytimes.com . Self-nominations will be accepted.
