Queer Ancestor Spotlight: Angie Xtravaganza
The House of Xtravaganza, founded in 1982, is one of the most famous houses to emerge from the New York City ballroom scene. Originally founded by Hector Valle as an all-Latino house, Xtravaganza is now primarily composed of African American and Latino LGBTQ+ folks. Although Valle may have been the founder, an early member of the house would rise to leadership as “house mother” and shape its future , a Puerto Rican trans woman named Angie Xtravaganza.
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: Flawless Sabrina
Mother Flawless Sabrina was a New York City-based American LGBT activist and drag queen. She was one of the first widely known drag queens in the United States, and was considered a pioneer for the transgender and drag communities.
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: The Lady Chablis
I am so very excited to share a spotlight on The Lady Chablis! She is not only an iconic figure, but also part of the rich cultural legacy of one of my favorite cities - Savannah, GA - and my favorite book - Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
The Lady Chablis, also known as The Grand Empress and The Doll, was born in Quincy, FL on March 11, 1957. Chablis did not prefer to go by any labels other than “The Lady Chablis” and did not personally identify as a drag queen. Through exposure in John Berendt’s best-selling 1994 book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and subsequent film adaptation Chablis became one of the first trans performers to be introduced to a national audience.
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: Chevalier d'Éon
Charles-Geneviève-Louis-Auguste-André-Timothée d'Éon de Beaumont, usually known as the Chevalier d'Éon, was born in October 1728 in Burgundy to a minor noble family. Due to their androgynous physical characteristics and natural abilities as a mimic they served as a French diplomat and spy in England and Russia. For the first 49 years of their life they appeared publicly as a man but after 1777 lived as a woman.