SassySays.com Sassy with @WillamBelli and @THEEEDeltaWork at the Season 4 Premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race in Hollywood. January 24, 2012
SassySays.com - Drag History Month - January 11, 2012 - Calpernia Addams
Calpernia Addams (born February 20, 1971) is an American Author, Actress, Musician and a Spokesperson for transgender rights and issues.
Addams grew up in Nashville, Tennesee. She served as a Field Medical Specialist with the Navy and Marine Corps. During her last year in the military she came out as a transgender woman. Addams chose the name “Calpernia” from the William Shakespeare play Julius Caesar (a variant spelling of Caesar’s wife Calpurnia) and its appearance on a tombstone in the film The Addams Family.
In 1999, while working as a performer, Addams began dating PFC Barry Winchell. Word of the relationship spread at Winchell’s Army base where he was harassed by fellow soldiers and ultimately murdered. Winchell’s murder and the subsequent trial resulted in widespread press and a formal review of the U.S. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) military policy, ordered by President Bill Clinton.The case became a prominent example used to illustrate the failure of DADT to protect LGBT service members. Addams’ and Winchell’s romance and the crimes of their abusers are depicted in the film Soldier’s Girl, released in 2003. Addams was portrayed by Lee Pace. A subsequent New York Times article, “An Inconvenient Woman”, documented the marginalization and misrepresentation of transgender sexuality even by gay rights activists.
With Winchell’s death Addams left Nashville to move first to Chicago and then to Los Angeles.
In 2002, she formed Deep Stealth Productions in Hollywood with Andrea James. Deep Stealth creates educational and entertainment material around gender-identification issues and the experiences of differently-gendered people. Addams and James coached Felicity Huffman for her Academy Award-nominated performance as a transgender woman in the film Transamerica.
At the Sundance debut of Soldier’s Girl, Addams met Jane Fonda, whose son Troy Garity had played Winchell. Fonda suggested Addams mount an all-transgender production of The Vagina Monologues. The production was to contribute funds and help raise awareness of violence against women; it became the subject of the 2006 documentary Beautiful Daughters.
A reality show series entitled Transamerican Love Story, featuring Addams choosing among eight suitors, debuted 11 February 2008 on Logo TV.
In April 2008, Addams performed alongside Fonda, Glenn Close, Salma Hayek, Alicia Keys, and others in a tenth-anniversary production of The Vagina Monologues at the Louisiana Superdome.
In May 2008, PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) chose Addams as PFLAG’s spokesperson for their educational campaign, This Is Our Love Story. Addams said, “I hope This Is Our Love Story will help young transgender people as they come out. By seeing the happy, confident woman I’ve become, I hope I can act as a role model for these young people at a critical moment in their development.” Addams writes a blog on gender issues for Psychology Today.
Addams has released a single entitled “Stunning”, available on iTunes.
For More Information: www.Calpernia.com
SassySays.com - Drag History Month - January 8, 2012 - Jackie Beat
International drag superstar Jackie Beat has been entertaining audiences across the world for over two decades with her razor-sharp comedy and hysterical song parodies. Her hilarious music videos on YouTube are huge hits that have been seen by millions of people. Her one-woman show “Jackie Beat Is A Whole Lotta’ Love” ran a record 18 months at NYC’s premiere cabaret, Fez, and she returns to The Big Apple every year with her award-winning, standing-room-only holiday show. Jackie’s stand-up has been featured in comedy clubs across the country and on Comedy Central, VH-1 and MTV. She was a staff writer for the WB comedy series “Hype!”, has written for the Sci Fi Channel and was one of US Magazine’s Fashion Police top cops. Her scathing song parodies have been featured on America’s Top Forty with Ryan Seacrest, The Howard Stern Show, Much Music TV, Yo on E! and PerezHilton.com. She has appeared on many TV shows such as “Sex and the City” and in several movies including “Flawless” with Robert DeNiro, the festival hit “Wigstock The Movie” and the camp cult horror favorite “Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver.” Jackie has also been in many off-Broadway productions, performed on countless cruises ships, toured with Roseanne Barr as her opening act (including a 7 week run at the New York New York in Las Vegas!), enjoys a sold-out 8-week run in Provincetown every summer, and is lead singer of the popular electro-rock band Dirty Sanchez, who toured with My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult. Their debut CD on Hypnotic Records is available in stores now. For More: www.MissJackieBeat.com
SassySays.com - Drag History Month - January 7, 2012 - Rollerena “Queen of Studio 54”
Exclusive Rollerena interview with Sassy & Samara for VivaLaRiviera.com!
SassySays.com - Drag History Month - January 7, 2012 - Rollerena “Queen of Studio 54”
Roller (A)rena (the A is silent) came into being on the evening of Saturday, September 16, 1972. Born in Gravelsnatch, Kentucky in 1948, the boy who became Rollerena came out in 1961. He would hitch hike or take a bus to Louisville and became the “bluegrass* belle” of three counties as a teenager. In April of 1966, at the age of 18, he registered for the draft and graduated from High School in May of 1967. He served in the artillery infantry in Vietnam and returned to the states in September 1969. Late in 1969 he worked on Wall Street spent New Year’s Eve of 1969 in Times Square.
He started roller skating to work in 1970 (this was regular roller skates, not in-line rollerblades which became popular on the streets in the 1980s and 1990s). He was 5 feet 11 inches and 128 lbs, he practiced at 79th Street and Fifth Avenue. He was given the nicknamed “Rollin’ Skeets”; he wore a visor, umbrella on his head, a backpack and a little horn at his waist for foot traffic. In 1971 he was in the Gay Pride Parade as “Rollin’ Skeets.”
On September 16, 1972, he went into an antique store on Christopher Street put on a bathrobe-like gown, a 1950s hat, a straw basket and skated up and down Christopher Street. He went into a bar, “the whole place went absolutely wild!” “A crowd gathered like they were awaiting Glinda landing in Oz.” This was the birth of “Roller Arena the Fairy Godmother”. She made her debut as “Roller Arena” in the 1973 Easter Parade. Her skating was limited to well-heeled neighborhoods, gay spots and chic haunts like Studio 54. She collected thirty 1950s hats, costume jewelry earrings, and 15 pairs of rhinestone glasses. October 15,1979 “Roller- Arena” changed her name to “Rollerena.” In 1980-81 Rollerena became a cartoon subject in “Rollerena” published in The New York Native, by Mike Thomas. The creator of Rollerena did not consider himself a drag queen; instead she became the character of a Fairy Godmother. As Rollerena became more and more well known people began to request her presence at various events. She had a post office box, a friend as business representative, post cards, began skate dancing at the popular discos, and was in many newspaper articles and TV and radio talk shows.
Rollerena went by the names Rollin’ Skeets in 1970, Roller Arena Fairy Godmother in 1972 and Rollerena Fairy Godmother in 1979. Various newspapers gave different spellings to the Fairy Godmother and these spellings are used in the Finding Aid as they appear in the articles, they include: “Rollerina”, “Roller Rena”, Rolla-Reena”, “Rollerarena”, “Roll-Arena.”
For more check out this article on Rollerena in the NYPress: http://www.nypress.com/article-16374-when-being-a-freak-was-chic.html
SassySays.com - Drag History Month - January 6, 2012 - Jackie Curtis
Jackie Curtis was born in New York City. He performed as both a man and a woman throughout his career. While performing in drag, Curtis would typically wear lipstick, glitter, bright red hair, and ripped and torn dresses and stockings. Curtis pioneered this unique style, a combination of trash and glamour which prompted assertions that Curtis inspired the “Glitter rock” or “Glam Rock” movement of the 1970s.
“Jackie Curtis is not a drag queen. Jackie is an artist. A pioneer without a frontier”, Andy Warhol said of his associate. Primarily a stage actor, Curtis debuted at the age of 17 in Tom Eyen’s play Miss Neferititi Regrets. Curtis began to write his own plays immediately after this experience, often featuring famous transsexuals, such as Candy Darling and, later, Holly Woodlawn, both of whom appeared in his productions, which enjoyed successful runs at La Mama and were well-reviewed. Curtis’ work was inspired, in part, by the Playhouse of the Ridiculous. As writer and lead actor his plays include Glamour, Glory and Gold, which also starred Candy Darling, Melba LaRose, Jr. and Robert De Niro in his first appearance on stage, playing several roles; Vain Victory, Amerika Cleopatra featuring Harvey Fierstein; Femme Fatale, with Patti Smith, Jayne County and Penny Arcade; and Heaven Grand In Amber Orbit with Holly Woodlawn.
Andy Warhol and his director Paul Morrissey cast Curtis and Candy Darling in Flesh (1968) and, with the addition of Holly Woodlawn, in Women in Revolt (1971); a comedic spoof of the women’s liberation movement.
Jackie Curtis made two more movies during the 1980s. Drug addiction, however, had taken control of his life, eventually leading to his death of heroin overdose at the age of 38.
For more info please see: www.jackiecurtis.com
SassySays.com Drag History Month - January 1, 2012 - The Unsung Queens of The Stonewall Riots.
In the summer of 1969, the New York gay activist movement was born when a group of gay New Yorkers made a stand against raiding police officers at The Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in the Village. In those days, gay bars were regularly raided by the police. But on June 27, 1969, the patrons of The Stonewall Inn had had enough.
Soon, beer bottles and trash cans were flying. As the police raided the bar, a crowd of four hundred patrons gathered on the street outside and watched the officers arrest the bartender, the doorman, and some of the Drag Queens.
Police reinforcements arrived and attempted to beat the crowd away, but the angry protesters fought back, lead by the Drag Queens who had, had enough.
By 4AM, it looked like it was over. But the next night, the crowd returned, even larger than the night before. For two hours, protesters rioted in the street outside of the Stonewall Inn until the police sent a riot-control squad to disperse the crowd.
The following Wednesday, approximately 1000 protesters returned to continue the protest and march on Christopher Street. A movement had begun.
Due to the lack of historical recordings, exact facts and names are difficult to confirm. Some are more solid than others. However to any of our “Fore-Drag Mothers” whose names has been left out or forgotten in history. Today we remember you and your bravery in the face of adversity. Thank you, you will never be forgotten. Happy Drag History Month!
SassySays.com January is Drag History Month So Everyday in January I will post a photo of a transgender person who changed the world. I did this for Drag History Month once before so please check out my Facebook Album Here:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.232802947711.140484.554907711&type=3
As I will not repeat these previous ground breakers. I will continue with 31 more mavericks and will still have plenty for years to come! Please send any suggestions to: SassTronica@gmail.com
Thank You, The Library is Open… Sassy Says.
