Trans in Entertainment and the Arts — Trans Media Arts
Hello all! Welcome to the November version of…The Trans Media Arts Column. The Holidays are in full swing and so the happenings in the TG world. So get ready for a real tasty meal with all the fixin’s. Don’t fill up on appetizers because this news is no turkey and the pumpkin pie is waiting for dessert.
Thousands of people lined the streets of Dupont Circle in Washington DC for one of the city’s most anticipated annual events – the 17th Street High Heel Race. It is the 30th year of the race and has been held annually on the Tuesday before Halloween. The pre-race parade and celebration kicked off at 7 p.m. while the much- anticipated high heel race itself started at 9 p.m. The event has grown in popularity over the years as many participants and spectators dress up in wild, extravagant and decorative outfits for a night of fun. The event supports the LGBT community.
The Queen himself, Elton John recently purchased 4 of Magnus Hastings pieces to add to his art collection. Elton is a huge lover of drag and has expressed his love for it for many years. Hastings, the acclaimed photographer behind Why Drag?, revealed that the flamboyant Mr. John has purchased four of his portraits — featuring Dulce De Lece, Paige Turner, Mutha Chucka and Drag Race All Star Ginger Minj. You can find all of the incredible art from Hastings here.
The first Trans Punk/Hardcore music festival happened this weekend in Southern California. It was dubbed Transgress Fest, and took place Saturday, Nov. 12, at the LGBT Center in Santa Ana. There was an after-party at the Che Cafe in San Diego the following night.
The Annual SF Transgender Film Festival 2016 was also this past week. The festival screens films that promote the visibility of transgender and gender variant people and challenge the mainstream media’s negative stereotypes of our communities.
Ed Wood the Musical announces its official intent to create an inspiring show that follows the life and achievements of one of Hollywood’s most iconic movie makers, Ed Wood. To find out more visit the musical’s fundraising site.
Speaking of monsters, this is an older video by Queens of the Stone Age called Monster in Your Parasol, but I have always thought it was compelling and somewhat funny. A man dressed in drag “cleans up” the neighborhood for a small fee.
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Outspoken: A Decade of Transgender Activism and Trans Feminism is a new book by Julia Serano that provides an insightful overview of where transgender activism has been, and compelling analysis of where it should head in the future.
China has their own version of Oprah, and she is transgender. Jin Xing, a former male ballet star and army colonel, draws 100 million viewers a week and was the first person to publicly to undergo Gender Reassignment Surgery in her country.
The second iteration of Trans Hirstory in 99 Objects, an ongoing series of exhibitions organized by Chris E. Vargas, Executive Director of the Museum of Transgender Hirstory & Art is now open. The exhibit gathers archival materials and works by contemporary artists that narrate the history of transgender communities. It runs from August 13, 2016 — June 04, 2017. Admission is free.
GLAAD’s annual “Where We Are on TV” annual report was released. The LGBTQ-focused annual report — now in its 21st year — found record highs for transgender characters as well as black series regular characters on the small screen during the 2016-17 broadcast season. That’s factoring in original series on broadcast, cable, premium cable as well as streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.
Ahh, so filling but so satisfying. Sit back and watch the game and ignore the dishes. The fairies will clean them up. Now it’s time for that pumpkin pie! See ya next month and remember to look for those big holiday movies.
Category: Music, Transgender Community News, Transgender Fun & Entertainment