IS IT ALL OVER MY FACE?

TAKE THAT TO THE BANK

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I have to say that right now, I am having a nice little love fest with the one and only Miss Tyra Banks.

I have followed this woman's career since I was in college at Parsons and she had just started walking the runways of Paris. She made a huge splash during her premiere season in Paris booking 40 odd shows in one week - unprecedented at the time for any model, black or white. Tyra has done what NO OTHER MODEL in history has ever done - she's built an empire as a supermodel, actress, tv host and big shot producer.

One of her hugest successes is the iconic AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL. It doesn't matter that most of the girls would never have a chance in hell of getting booked by anyone on Seventh Avenue - what matters is the drama, the humor, the ridiculousness and the dream that she provides every week.

To top that off, she launched her hit eponymous talk show. She has become the de-facto esteem-booster for young, female America. Her appeal spans all races and economic groups and it is her intelligence, humor, wisdom, her self deprecating humor and yes, her beauty that keeps 'em coming back for more. It is actually her corny side that I love the most - I love the fact that she may pick POPEYE'S chicken over Le Cirque. She embodies an accessible, Americana glamour that folks just love. Tyra can serve face, hair and drag with the best of them, but she truly is one of the great natural beauties of our time. Skin, bone structure, almond eyes, bee stung lips, and body-ody. Werk sis.

Years ago, I hung out with Tyra at a pizza joint in the village and was invited by her to a party celebrating one of her Sports Illustrated covers. What struck me then, and is consistent now is the humble, funny and sweet spirit that is at her core. I look at her with the same pride and giddiness that I felt when Halle won her Oscar or when Barack won his nomination. She really inspires me, gets me to thinking, makes me laugh and I can truly say that I am so proud of her and her accomplishments.

Here is a clip of Tyra's cover and editorial shoot for the September issue of Harper's Bazaar where she channels Michelle Obama, soon to be first lady of the U S of A:

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Coal rimmed, swan neck - Erykah Badu meets Gloria Vanderbilt serving plantation couture
Italian Vogue - July 2008
Shot by - Steven Meisel
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Big hair, bodacious bod
Covering the New York Times Magazine, June 1, 2008
shot by: Ruven Afanador

BOOK REVIEW: AS NATURE MADE HIM

I just finished reading the most amazing, riveting, emotionally challenging, heart wrenching, yet full of hope book that tells the true life story of David Reimer, who in his early life was raised as 'Brenda'. At about 8 months old, identical twin brothers Bruce and Brian Reimer were taken for medically necessary circumcisions. Bruce, the oldest twin, went in 1st for the procedure which resulted in the complete burning off of his penis. Because phalloplasties were not performed during this time, the decision was subsequently made to raise him as a girl who would later receive hormone treatments and a medically constructed vagina. They castrated him to stop the development of testosterone and 'Brenda' was born.

His parents only wanted the best for him and followed the advice of Dr. John Money, the leading sex doctor of his generation. He strongly believed that 'nurture' far outweighed 'nature' in the development of a child's sexual/gender identity. Until the age of 14, Brenda always felt like a boy trapped in the body of a girl even though she never had a real vagina which she adamantly refused. At 14, in the words of Venus Extravaganza, she "...went back to being a man." She adapted the name David as a testament to her strength and fortitude to overcome the giant which was her gender issue. David would become a loving husband and father of 3 step-children.

The gross arrogance of medicine and Dr. Money who only used the Reimers to prove his theories is appalling and scary. David's case proves that for him and, ultimately most people, sexual identity and sexual preference are hardwired by nature. Not enough dresses, makeup or even the lack of a penis and testicles could make him a girl or attracted to men. Nature vs. nurture is not completely black and white - both sides are relevant and one doesn't exclude the other. There are instances of boys who were molested by men and then became unsure of their sexuality. But for the most part, kids identify with being gay are what they are from the get go, as most gay people will attest.

I hope this teaches people to listen to children, who can sometimes tell and show us the truth in the simplest of ways if we could just put ourselves and our own agendas out of the way. Brenda did for 14 years with hardly anyone paying attention. All of this was to prove a test that ultimately failed - a wasted childhood.

Love and care for ALL children, even those that have gender and sexual identity issues - they deserve acceptance for who they ARE, not for our expectations. Gender identity and sexual identity are not always concurrent which accounts for the vast range of multi layered gender and sexual expressions (IE straight cross dressers, ultra butch gay men, sissy straight men, butch straight women, etc). It is the ignorance of this fact that allow people to easily discriminate, to hate and to demonize people who challenge 'the norm' yet are completely natural and true to themselves. Accept people for who they are.

THE ANTI-VOGUE

......or, WHEN VOGUE GOES WRONG. Youtube star Jayon22 (DaddyYoutubes) is the Christiane Amanpour of the Ballroom scene - he is the roving reporter on the frontlines documenting the fiercest, bloodiest battles that the kids serve up in Boston, Atlanta, NYC and beyond. He captured these unfortunate yet hilarious performances that will have you cacklin':

STARS OF VOGUE - and I don't mean Anna

One of my absolute favorite forms of artistic expression is the Art of Vogue. When I am in NYC, I brave the late start times, the dragging out of the evening, the unfairness of some judging and the super late ending times of Balls because the amount of creativity is astounding. I am not a participant in the Ballroom community because the thought of me voguing or doing drag is both hilarious and scary all at the same time - I am much more of a sponge on the sidelines soaking it all up. I am all for trying new things, but me trying to walk Butch Queen up in Drags - Banjee Girl Realness (a boy in drag trying to look like a home-girl) would incite a stampede to the exit. Equally frightening would be me trying to contort my body while voguing - child, I would end up in a body cast in traction somewhere.

But, I have a profound respect for the people who have mastered the many different expressions of the ballroom. The amazing talent of some of the participants absolutely rival those of professional dancers, rappers, models, designers, entertainers, makeup artists and comedians. As far as Vogue goes, two of my favorites happen to be from the same house - The House of Ninja. These clips are not the most recent, but explain why these two are at the top of their game.

Danielle Ninja is one of the most popular and most talented natural women in the ballroom scene. She is a professional dancer as well, having performed with Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Omarion and many other stars. But in the ballroom, Danielle is a big star in her own right.

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Javier Ninja is an absolutely amazing performer. He is most noted for his 'Hand Performance' and 'New Way Vogue'. His inventiveness, precision and flexibility are in a class unto themselves and he keeps the legacy of the legendary Willi Ninja very much alive.

WORDS OF WISDOM

The first entry in my ongoing WORDS OF WISDOM series come from the iconic Dorian Corey, star of the classic documentary PARIS IS BURNING. Dorian Corey - drag Diva, house mother, showgirl extraordinaire, NYC legend, alleged murderess, designer and seamstress - was the griot and font of wisdom of the ballroom scene. Her words and spirit will forever be remembered. May she rest in peace. The clip where she is applying her showgirl makeup is at once hopeful and heartbreaking - hopeful because we have a shot; heartbreaking because she is no longer here and because some people never give themselves a chance. I hope she left this world knowing that she made her mark and inspired others. The READING clip is just plain ole' funny! Her delivery is classic - she was a born STAR.