Posts Tagged: Fashion

Performing Gender in Japan Pimpernelzuka Julie Tarney

Performing Gender in Japan

I introduced Naomi Waxman, social media manager for My Son Wears Heels, last fall. She’s currently spending a month in Japan with her family. Today’s post is her latest contribution to... read more →

April 10, 2015
Julie
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Gay, straight or questioning, kids should dress as they feel. Dress As You Feel Image Resized Vert Julie Tarney

Gay, straight or questioning, kids should dress as they feel.

My jaw dropped the first time I saw the illustration my friends at the It... read more →

May 15, 2014
Julie
6 Comments

The day I fell in love with Jean Paul Gaultier. Jewel Eye Crop Vert Julie Tarney

The day I fell in love with Jean Paul Gaultier.

The iconic cone-bra outfits Madonna wore on her 1990 Blond Ambition tour just might be top fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier’s best-known creations. But it was the cone-shaped “falsies” he... read more →

February 21, 2014
Julie
6 Comments

My son was six years old when I introduced him to Liberace, Elvis and Hendrix. Hj Me Johns Wedding Julie Tarney

My son was six years old when I introduced him to Liberace, Elvis and Hendrix.

(This piece also appears on HuffPost.) On a sub-zero February morning in 1997, I stopped at my son Harry's bedroom door. I wanted to see if he was dressed for... read more →

February 10, 2014
Julie
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My son’s eye for fashion. Hj Brooklyn Nightlife Awards Vert Crop Julie Tarney

My son’s eye for fashion.

My son made his world debut twenty-three years ago via triple E-section. (I had morphed during pregnancy from a petite, one-hundred-pound woman to a 150-pound inflatable of myself.) Shortly after... read more →

September 5, 2013
Julie
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My Son Wears Heels

2 weeks ago

Maybe you’ll be as wow-ed as I was by this portrait of queer icon Agosto Machado, the latest addition to the Legends of Drag archive and published on Wussy. And the interview article by co-creators Harry James Hanson and Devin Antheus moved me to misty-eyed reverence and admiration for this Downtown NYC legend. I met Agosto when she was honored guest at the NYC AIDS Memorial‘s Legends of Drag Revue honoring Pride Month and HIV/AIDS Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day. I felt humbled in her presence…as if I were meeting an ancient deity spirit. And that was before I’d seen the installation she and Devin Antheus had created in the reflecting fountain at NYC AIDS Memorial Park. Her 1960s desire was to “liberate everyone.” And she had no qualms about asserting her difference to that end. And what joy to learn that the downtown queens always felt safe around the Hell’s Angels.Don’t miss chance to be immersed in Agosto the artist, the mystic, the Warhol star, and the truest of friends. 📸 Harry James Hanson🌺 Devin Antheus #agostomachado #legendsofdrag WUSSY MAG #draglegend #dragicon #dragroyalty #draghistory #queerhistory #lgbtqhistory 👑
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Agosto Machado, Legend of Drag — WUSSY Mag

www.wussymag.com

Downtown NYC legend Agosto Machado photographed and interviewed for the Legends of Drag archive.

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My Son Wears Heels

2 months ago

Here’s some very GOOD new that didn’t get much attention over the weekend. "Gender identity is real. The record makes this clear." ~Federal District Court Judge Robert Hinkle That’s what Hinkle wrote in his decision Thursday, upholding a permanent ruling in Florida last month that BLOCKED RESTRICTING ACCESS to gender-affirming care for trans adults and completely banned care for transgender minors. Here’s what else he wrote:“Some legislators plainly acted from old-fashioned discriminatory animus,” as he cited examples of lawmakers who called trans people “mutants” said that trans identity “is just ideological or made up or wokeism,” and said that the bill “saves trans people” and “recognizes who they are in the eyes of God.”And there’s more!“In time, discrimination against transgender individuals will diminish, just as racism and misogyny have diminished. To paraphrase a civil-rights advocate from an earlier time, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. In the meantime, the federal courts have a role to play in upholding the Constitution and laws.”While I applaud Judge Hinkle’s moral, ethical, and constitutional ruling, I’m also celebrating with the trans folks in Florida, and their families. May we all be able to make the healthcare decision that are right for us. #transgenderrightsarehumanrights #transhealth #ProtectTransKids #lgbtqia
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mysonwearsheels

Maybe you’ll be as wow-ed as I was by this new p

Maybe you’ll be as wow-ed as I was by this new portrait of queer icon Agosto Machado, the latest addition to the Legends of Drag archive and published on wussymag.com. And the interview article by co-creators Harry James Hanson and Devin Antheus moved me to misty-eyed reverence and admiration for this Downtown NYC legend.

I met Agosto when she was honored guest at the @nycaidsmemorial’s Legends of Drag Revue honoring Pride Month and HIV/AIDS Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day. I felt humbled in her presence…as if I were meeting an ancient deity spirit. And that was before I’d seen the installation she and Devin Antheus had created in the reflecting fountain at NYC AIDS Memorial Park.

Her 1960s desire was to “liberate everyone.” And she had no qualms about asserting her difference to that end. And what joy to learn that the Downtown queens always felt safe around the Hell’s Angels!

Check out my #linkinbio to be immersed in Agosto the artist, the mystic, the Warhol star, and the truest of friends.

📸 @skirtsuit
🌸 @antheus_

@legendsofdrag @wussy #agostomachado #legendsofdrag #draglegend #dragicon #dragroyalty #draghistory #queerhistory #lgbtqhistory 👑

Here’s some very good news that didn’t get muc

Here’s some very good news that didn’t get much attention over the weekend. (Duh.)

“Gender identity is real. The record makes this clear.”
~Federal District Court Judge Robert Hinkle

That’s what Hinkle wrote in his decision Thursday, upholding a permanent ruling in Florida last month that BLOCKED RESTRICTING ACCESS to gender-affirming care for trans adults and completely banned care for transgender minors.

Here’s what else he wrote:

“Some legislators plainly acted from old-fashioned discriminatory animus,” as he cited examples of lawmakers who called trans people “mutants” said that trans identity “is just ideological or made up or wokeism,” and said that the bill “saves trans people” and “recognizes who they are in the eyes of God.”

And there’s more!

“In time, discrimination against transgender individuals will diminish, just as racism and misogyny have diminished. To paraphrase a civil-rights advocate from an earlier time, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. In the meantime, the federal courts have a role to play in upholding the Constitution and laws.”

While I applaud Judge Hinkle’s moral, ethical, and constitutional ruling, I’m also celebrating with the trans folks in Florida, and their families. May we all be able to make the healthcare decision that are right for us.

#transgenderrightsarehumanrights #transhealth #ProtectTransKids #lgbtqia

A beautiful repost to close out International Nonb

A beautiful repost to close out International Nonbinary People’s Day! Shoutout and thanks to @transpainter for reminding us that kids are smarter than most adults when it comes to understanding gender. 💛🤍💜🖤

“We were talking with the kids about being nonbinary and kept coming back to this: there are many acceptable ways to be nonbinary.

“Here are the examples from our kids tonight:

“Some non-binary people have cats and some have dogs and some have no pets at all.

“Some nonbinary folks have long hair, some have short hair, some have pink, and some have no hair at all.

“Non-binary people can be tall or short, young or old, dads or moms or zookeepers or teachers.

“Some non-binary people really like pizza and some are vegan.

“Some non-binary people wear pajamas all day long and some of them are librarians.

“Some non-binary people live on farms and some of them drive boats.

“All non-binary people are non-binary if they say they are.

“You don’t get to tell other people what their gender is. Everyone gets to decide for themselves.

“None of this is too complex for our seven and four-year-old. It really shouldn’t be for anyone else.”

🎨 @transpainter

#nonbinary #nonbinarypeoplesday #nonbinaryisbeautiful

After a momentous, monthlong June celebration of Q

After a momentous, monthlong June celebration of Queer Joy, July usually feels like a letdown. And this year is no exception. But I feel GREAT knowing there are LGBTQ+ Pride events happening around the world every month of the year except December! That means A LOT of visibility as thousands of people take to the streets year-round to celebrate the truth and beauty of queerness and honor the transcestors and gay liberationists who took a stand in 1969 (and before) against police brutality and violence. So this month I’m with you San Diego, Bristol, UK and Cologne, Germany!!

Here at home, I get to relive the energy that comes with celebrating the expansiveness of LGBTQ+ folks by sharing some of my favorite Pride March 2024 marcher photos. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌈

#queerjoy #nycpride #nycpridemarch #nycpridemarch2024 #pridemarch #lgbtqrights #lgbtqrightsarehumanrights #beyourself

Finding Monday pm motivation where it’s availabl

Finding Monday pm motivation where it’s available any day of the week — reliving the Pride Baby Tea Brunch scenario! 💃🌪️💃🏻
Also sending mega congrats to the super fine Superfine for their 2nd NGLCCNY grant!! 🎉 And cheers to the super fab last weekend of Pride Month brunch bunch. 🌈

#BabyTeaBrunch @tylerjashley @charleneincarnate @superfinedumbo @nglccny

Mx Viv walked on stage Friday night looking like S

Mx Viv walked on stage Friday night looking like Sharon Stone in “Casino,” only shimmeringly more glamorous and delivered decades of queer nightlife in a brilliant “NightShade” set with one of the best bands around. Loved the show so much, decided at last possible hour to go back tonight. It’s last weekend of Pride Month after all!! Moon in Capricorn had last 2 tickets waiting for me and Cap twin @jascall56 . ✨💕✨

On my way to do my job 🌈🦄🩷🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

#BabyTeaBrunch @superfinedumbo 💃🏻💃

It was “Night of a Thousand Rebas” at another

It was “Night of a Thousand Rebas” at another smokin’ Campfire Queer Storytime in my neighborhood tonight. 🔥 I wish it could have lasted all night, @justinelizabethsayre ‘s painted bricks, Joanie on guitar, Rocky Mountain Oysters, and all. ♥️

Belated Happy Bday, Dusty!

#reba #fancy #reddress #doesheloveyou #queerart #performanceart @duddylynn @heather_maria_acs @joanmarcydrago

The New York AIDS Memorial’s 2nd annual Legends

The New York AIDS Memorial’s 2nd annual Legends of Drag Revue on June 5th, honoring Pride Month and HIV/AIDS Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day, is SOLD OUT! But you can still witness the breathtaking talents and timeless beauty of the @legendsofdrag queens via the FREE LIVESTREAM from the Whitney Museum! On Zoom with advance registration link in bio. Virtual show starts at 7p ET.

Trailblazing performers include Emcee Linda Simpson, Simone, Ruby Rims, Egyptt LaBeija, Princess Diandra, Lawanda Jackson, and special guest Agosto Machado — all icons who paved the way for the drag renaissance of today. 👑

@nycaidsmemorial @whitneymuseum @lindasimpson #simone @rubyrims @egypttlabeija @hrhpd @lawada_jackson #agostomachado
And TY sponsors! @trixiecosmetics @bcefa

#pridemonth #legendsofdrag #draglegends #dragicons #dragroyalty #draghistory #queerhistory #lgbtqhistory #pride🌈

Meet Ronnie and Reggie, a gay Humboldt penguin cou

Meet Ronnie and Reggie, a gay Humboldt penguin couple at the London Zoo. I share their portrait this first Monday of LGBTQ Pride Month as a reminder that, no matter where you look, our world is full of queerness! Queerness that urges a celebration of diverse identities. And it’s not just humans and penguins. The very nature of nature is queer!

About 1.500 animal species have gay relationships, including lions, orcas, monkeys, bottlenose dolphins and, as we most recently learned, humpback whales.

And so many species that challenge the gender binary. There are male seahorses who give birth, clownfish that change gender based on social hierarchies, and species like worms and rose plants that have both male and female reproductive organs.

Just this March, the NYT reported on an evolutionary biologist from New Zealand who was on a bird-watching vacation in Columbia when he spotted a green honeycreeper. The songbird had shimmering green feathers — the classic marking of females — on its left side, and iridescent blue feathers — the coloring of males — on its right side. This rare biological phenomenon of half-male, half-female is known as bilateral gynandromorphism. So much for the gender binary!

Queerness busts all the beliefs that have been imposed on society and nature. For us humans, queerness abounds in chosen family and a community of allies that foster inclusion, support, personal growth and joy.

Let’s all celebrate queerness, right alongside Mother Nature. Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

📸: @zsllondonzoo

#LGBTQPride #PrideMonth #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA #queer #community #chosenfamily #diverstyandinclusion #DEI

Happy Birthday, Grace Jones! 🌟🎉💫

The Mother’s Day my kid Harry was 12, he handed

The Mother’s Day my kid Harry was 12, he handed me an envelope with M❤M written on the front. I unfolded a sheet of paper to find a typed poem titled, “The Joy of Having a Mother.” I was blown away. Harry had begun writing poetry, and I’d asked at the beginning of the school year if he’d write one for me. I didn’t know if he’d actually do it, and I certainly didn’t expect one about me.

“The Joy of Having a Mother” In life we only get one, One who could never be outdone, Somebody who is there forever and always throughout eternity, Somebody not tainted throughout modernity, They are there to help you, and to guide your direction, One who will never face you with rejection, Cherish this someone, This heroine, This champion, Cherish this someone, for who they are, Whether you are near or far, Because they will love you, you not another, And that is the joy of having a mother…”

I still get verklempt. I’d never felt more important as a mother than in that moment. Harry had articulated our unbreakable bond and brought clarity to my role as their mom. But it felt a bit strange; I’d never thought of myself as a heroine or champion before. What I usually recalled were the times I thought I’d failed him. (Thank goddess I’ve gotten over my two Halloween costume-denial disasters!)

We all make mistakes, feel guilty, or wish we’d done a thing or two differently. But here’s what @skirtsuit taught me: Unconditional love and support have no expiration date. We can demonstrate in any moment what it means to cherish our children. We are encouragers, defenders and protectors, full stop.

These decades later, @skirtsuit is my hero. He remains true to himself and still doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. And every once in a while, for no reason at all, he’ll surprise me with a bouquet of my favorite flowers. 🌷

#mothersdaymemories #mothersday #mothersdaylove #unconditionallove #unconditionalparenting #protecttranskids #protecttransyouth

This week marks the 105th anniversary of Children’s Book Week! And I’m smiling hard over this year’s theme — “No Rules. Just Read.” — because I think any child should be able to read what they want, where they want, and how they want.

There are so many colorful stories in print that can help kids in your family — and you — understand that their precious individuality and the uniqueness of others is something to be cheered.

Pictured here are a few children’s book titles in my home library for both young and adult readers, as well as the fabulous 2024 Children’s Book Week poster, created by @sophieblackall 🌟

What are some of your favorite children’s books?

Every Child a Reader #ChildrensBookWeek #NoRulesJustRead #librarians #teachers #schools #reading #kidlit #childrensbooks #lesléaneeman #airlieanderson #jessicalovedraws #toddparr 📚🎈

If you’re lucky, a stunning rare bird will flutt

If you’re lucky, a stunning rare bird will flutter down from the wire and sing their heart out for an entire set. ✨

#justinvivian #chanteuse #glamourisresistance

Ending my week on a high note, the same way it beg

Ending my week on a high note, the same way it began when, Monday, the EEOC issued new rules that strengthen protections for LGBTQ+ workers and clarify guidance in cases of sexual harassment and racial harassment.

That same day, Kansas Republican Rep. Susan Concannon changed her vote on a gender-affirming care ban and sustained the governor’s veto, legalizing trans care in Kansas. (Thank you, Susan!)

As other extreme anti-LGBTQ+ legislation recently failed in Georgia, Kentucky, West Virginia, Iowa and even Florida, where 21 out of 22 discriminatory bills in the last session failed, one might be optimistic that the tumultuous tide of attacks on the LGBTQ+ community is finally turning. And with it, a change in the dismal states map of current widespread anti-LGBTQ+ laws. (See Erin Reed’s latest legislative risk assessment map for transgender adults and youth. And follow her!)

I often take inspiration from personal hero, actor and activist Mariska Hargitay, whose own real-life heroes, according to her Proust Questionnaire in Vanity Fair, are people who overcome.

When she spoke at the AVP Courage Awards in 2017, she reminded everyone that “we all have something in common. Something fundamental. Something completely personal. We all have the same fuel that drives us, which is hope. That’s what keeps us going. Hope. And sometimes hope comes when legislation changes.”

May hope continue to spring eternal this year.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
— Mahatma Gandhi

@useeoc @erininthemorning @antiviolence @therealmariskahargitay #lgbtq #lgbtqrightsarehumanrights #transrights #transrightsarehumanrights #dei #diversityandinclusion #workplaceculture #workplaceequality #workplaceequalityforall #corporateresponsibility #unitedwestand #unitedwewin

In the world of SEO and top Google listings, I lea

In the world of SEO and top Google listings, I learned this week that sometimes random, whimsical content can gain a #1 ranking.

A playful blog post I wrote in 2013 is the top hit of more than 3 million entries for — are you ready? — The Stripper Name Formula!

Is the topic relevant? Is it unusual? Is it popular? Apparently so! Is the piece my most “high-quality content?” Hmmm.

I find it all more hilarious than anything else, but I’ll let you be the judge while having a bit of midweek fun in the process. See link in bio. 👆🏼

#dragname #dragnameformula #mysonwearsheels 👑

Despite the day of the week, March 31st is Interna

Despite the day of the week, March 31st is International Transgender Day of Visibility! 🏳️‍⚧️ So please take some time today to honor and celebrate the lives of all trans people. They are our friends, family, neighbors, colleagues and clients. Transgender, nonbinary and gender expansive people deserve, as do all humans, to live safely and thrive, free from bias, discrimination and acts of violence. This is where you and I come in. Because trans allies must also be visible, today and every day.

There are currently FIVE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-EIGHT anti-trans bills being considered in FORTY-ONE U.S. states, FIFTEEN of which have passed, and FORTY-FIVE national bills. As extremist anti-trans bills across the country have broken records four years in a row, those numbers are expected to grow.

But guess what? You don’t have to live in a state to call its governor and voice your opposition to anti-trans legislation that’s targeting the most vulnerable among us.

Below, thanks to Trans Legislation Tracker, are the states and number of current anti-trans bills. Each governor’s phone number can be found at the National Governors Association website (nga.org)

STATE & NUMBER OF BILLS
Oklahoma 60
Missouri 44
South Carolina 32
West Virginia 30
Iowa 28
Tennessee 27
Mississippi 19
Idaho 18
Kansas 17
New Hampshire 17
Wisconsin 17
Minnesota 16
Florida 12
Kentucky 12
Virginia 11
Wyoming 11
Arizona 10
Georgia 10
Ohio 9
Michigan 8
Utah 8
Illinois 7
North Carolina 7
Alaska 6
New Jersey 6
Hawaii 5
Nebraska 5
Rhode Island 5
Washington 5
Alabama 4
Indiana 4
Louisiana 4
Pennsylvania 4
Maryland 3
Oregon 3
New Mexico 2
New York 2
South Dakota 2
California 1
Massachusetts 1
Vermont 1

Together we absolutely can make a difference.

Brilliant Illustration: @thefoxfisher

#TDOV #TDOV2024 #TransDayOfVisibility #TransRights #transrightsarehumanrights #lgbtq

Happy Birthday, dearest darling @skirtsuit 🩷🎈🧡🎉 I am overjoyed, thankful beyond words and forever proud to be the birth mom in your fabulous multiverse. Not only do I still learn from you, Harry James Hanson, you’re hella fun to be with. Can’t wait to see all you’ll be creating this year! 🌟💫
P.S. Couldn’t resist a pic from your first bday. 💛🎈💛

@skirtsuit #skirtsuit #mysonwearsheels #proudmom

So fabulous catching up with powerhouses Jean Lam

So fabulous catching up with powerhouses Jean Lam MacInnes and Ashley Brundage at OutLeadership’s Q1 Member Council Meeting!

The evening’s Fireside Chat among Jean, Alphonso David and Todd Sears, affirmed that DEI and ESG are “trains that have left the station.” Even with the current wave of anti-DEI backlash, more companies than not, are NOT backing away from their commitment to a diverse workforce and board that reflect the clients and customers they serve.

Wise words from Alphonso: Policies should never be created based on fear; they should be driven by facts. And there is a clear business case for diversity and inclusion based on facts, including innovation and an improved bottom line.

And as Jean put it: There is no one better to confront DEI backlash than the diverse populations that have been dealing with it their whole lives. if companies are pulling back on DEI, how committed were they in the first place?

@outleadership @mizuho.americas @globalblackeconomicforum #greece DEI #DEIB #DEIBA #DEILeadership #ESG #CorporateResponsibility #diversityandinclusion #diversitymatters #standforhumanity

The kid’s in the news again. This time from a hi

The kid’s in the news again. This time from a historical perspective. Thanks to interviewer Miss B.J. Daniels, even I learned of a few past escapades!

And I couldn’t be more proud of @skirtsuit’s advice for the next generation:

“Take care of your friends. Don’t fret about being judged, those people feel threatened by you because they lead boring conformist lives. Rigid identity categories have limited usefulness. Just vibe, baby!!”

Story: https://bit.ly/hjhanson24
📸: Jean Dunk

@wislgbtqhistory #lgbtqhistory #queerhistory #nonbinaryhistory #draghistory #lgbtqia # beseen🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

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