Monday, November 7, 2016

It's not easy being queen...

It’s now a week into November, official 1/3 of the way into my reign as Queen of Burlesque and I sit here at the computer wondering what I have to show for it. 4 months ago, after unexpectedly being crowned, I remember sitting at this same computer, in my hotel room in Las Vegas, feeling terrified. I remember being afraid to go out to the Sunday afternoon pool party because I was drowning the worst case of “impostor syndrome” that I had ever experienced. And now, 4 months later, I would love to report that I am enjoying my reign and embracing this title, but that would not be truthful. If I am to be perfectly honest, the last 4 months have been emotionally some of the hardest for me, and I have been so scared to talk about it because I am terrified of coming off as ungrateful. I am so afraid that I am letting people down.

I never won shit growing up. I was poor and not popular by any means. I was not Prom or Homecoming queen and pretty damn sure I was never even nominated. I was a theater kid who only got cast in the background roles, if I was even cast at all. I was pretty much invisible in high school and don't really have anything to show for the time I spent there. I was pretty much a loser all around. Yet, in spite of this, high School was not horrible for me. Even though I was on no one’s radar, I was lucky to have a few close friends who got me through the tough times, same as I do now. But ultimately, being invisible meant that no one could see how broken I was. And if no one could see me, then I was safe. Well… I don't feel invisible anymore, and as a result, Ive never felt more vulnerable.

Being crowned Miss Exotic World, Reigning Queen of Burlesque by Reigning Queen 2015 Trixie Little at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2016. Copyright: John-Paul Bichard for 21st Century Burlesque Magazined caption
Winning the Queen of Burlesque title is the biggest accomplishment of my life. The fact that my image is on display at the Hall of Fame is really unbelievable. It is something that I dreamt about, but never thought that would happen, especially only 4.5 years into my career. I am still finding my voice as a performer and at times, worry that people are looking at me under a microscope, wondering what I am actually doing, questioning if I am actually deserving, waiting for me step up to the plate. But I don't know how to step up because I honestly don't know what the fuck I am doing. And even though I know that most of this is in my head, because that's unfortunately how anxiety works,  it can be just as damaging and paralyzing, if not more so.

Photo by MC Newman Photography

Looking back, many people commented on my reaction to winning the title that night. I'm sure that those joyful 2 minutes on stage were the absolute best moments for me. I was in a state of pure, authentic bliss…until everything began to sink in. What are people thinking? How is Perle going to take the news? How is Jeez doing? What are the other contestants feeling? Did I deserve it? Did I only get it because I’m black? I didn’t know, but the thoughts just kept rolling in and they honestly have not stopped. It seems that every time I accomplish something special, something happens to steal the little happiness that I was able to muster up, and It’s been like this since day one. 

The week following was an emotional whirlwind. Daily, instead of waking up to people being excited that a black woman won the title, more often than not, I was greeted by multiple social media rants and arguments about Rio Savant and how she was the actual first black Queen of Burlesque, not me. That's fine. I don't care that I’m not the first black female winner, but I was hurt that it seemed more important for everyone to point that out and fight about it, than it was for people to actually be happy. I not sure if any other winner had to deal with those types of thing, but it was hard. Even the Burlesque Hall of Fame, who I am very grateful for the opportunity to represent them this year, made it a point to highlight Rio Savant as the first black winner, ultimately taking away any real acknowledgment that something special had even happened. Regardless of Rio Savant’s win, 20 years is still a long time to wait for another black queen, and I think that’s worth celebrating. I don't think any of this was really intentional, but it all left me feeling like my win was more cause for anger and chaos than happiness and pride.

Rio Savant; 1996 Miss Exotic World- Burlesque Hall of Fame
I did my best to make my feeling known and to encourage people to focus their attention on the positive, but with all of the horrible things happening in the world, the mass killings, the police shootings, the need for a #blacklivesmatters movement, it just seemed so selfish to focus any attention on myself. So even though I felt like I started off strong, ultimately whatever fire I had burning was stifled. Jobs were not flying in from left and right. Not at all. And while I did get offered a few amazing opportunities, my schedule is more open now than it has ever been and I it’s terrifying. I mean… I was never the best at hustling for gigs because in order to do that, you have to be good at selling yourself. That was not a skill I ever really mastered. And even after reaching out for help, it still seems like my bookings are suffering more than ever. It’s crazy writing this because I am literally getting on a plane in 2.5 days to headline my first international festival. I could not be more grateful for the opportunity, but the inner saboteur in me has made this booking something I am more fearful of than excited about. Will they like me? Are my costumes good enough? Am I a strong enough performer? The self-doubt is never ending. It’s horrible.

I wanna change this. I wanna be proud. I want to actually feel like I am doing something good for this world… like I am making a difference. I had so many ideas of things I wanted to accomplish this year, but as the months pass, I feel so discouraged. I wanted to raise money for the Burlesque Hall of Fame by getting memberships up. I have been doing my part in encouraging anyone, including festivals, who book me as Queen of Burlesque to become members. For the most part, people have been happy to oblige, but that does not mean that it has always gone smoothly. Ive recently had an experience with a festival that I was really passionate about, only to be left feeling taken advantage of. Not to mention the times I was  called a token and an Uncle Tom by a performer who I really looked up to, even after inviting her to join me on stage at BHoF for my step-down performance. That was one of my lowest points, but I didn’t do anything about it. Maybe its because I am not the best at fighting my battles, or maybe I thought that the “Queenly” thing to do would be to take the high road. But either way, I was hurt. Major lessons have been learned in the last few months. Mainly, that I can’t really trust anyone.

The thing is, I have abandonment and trust issues. I come from an extremely broken home where the people who were supposed to care for me, did not. Because of drugs, my mother was not a part of my life and my father was selfishly living his life, not at all focused on protecting his children. In fact, most of the harm done to me in my early years was from him, but I know there are so many people out there with a similar story. I have done my very best to not let my past dictate my future, as hard as it can be. I still try to remain open to people, relationships, love and support, but it’s still so hard to trust people’s true intentions. Because of this, I have felt myself pull back from anyone who has shown me even the slightest amount of being untrustworthy. Yes, I do feel safer doing this, but yes, I feel extremely lonely. It’s hard not really knowing if someone has your back. I’m just grateful that there are handful of people in my life that I can completely trust, no matter how small handful is.

For anyone who has known me for longer that I have been in the burlesque world, they can tell you that I have been on a journey of seeking internal satisfaction for some time. It was the inspiration for this blog because every time I made a post, I would physically and emotionally feel better about my situation. But like most things that are good for me, exercise for example, I tend to run from it when I am feeling overwhelmed with the idea of success. I did it in college when I dropped out during my senior year and I’m doing it again with this title. But I am so sick of this pattern of self-destruction. It’s easy for me to focus on the outside forces that are making things difficult for me, but it all boils down to one truth, that I am responsible for my own happiness. And at the end of the day, if I am not happy, it’s my own damn fault. I’m ready to break this cycle. In fact, I have been. I’ve been working very hard on myself and it’s important that I finally start give myself some credit. Being able to do that is proof that I have already grown so much, and that is something to be proud of. 

Perle Noire Presents the House Of Noire. Photo by David L. Byrd.

A few weeks ago, I sat down with Perle Noire and told her about how I have been struggling the past few months. Like always, she gave me some great advice that is helping me with my insecurities surrounding this title. She reminded me that I'm still just a baby in this industry and that I still have so much more to learn and much more room to grow. She encouraged me to look at people like Dirty Martini and Roxi D'Lite. These women are phenomenal performers who are constantly working on their craft. They are not the same Queens they were when they first won the Exotic World title, they are continuing to move forward, working on their craft, and that will be my path as well. She encouraged me not to be so hard on myself and to not let anyone dim my light. She encouraged me to be proud of myself and to embrace the good things that are, and will continue to come into my life. That’s exactly what I’m trying to do.

The first part of my journey has been a struggle, but that does not mean that it has to continue this way. I still have 8 more months as the Reigning Queen of Burlesque and I don't want to waste another second of it being afraid that I am not worthy of the honor. I am a human being with insecurities just like everyone else. And it’s OK for me to be scared. It’s OK for me to be open with you all about how hard this has been. I’m learning that being vulnerable does not mean that I am weak or ungrateful. It just means that I care about it so much… and that's a very positive thing.

The last 4 months, hell… the last 4 years have been a hard transition. But that does not mean that I have not had some of the most incredible experiences. Being able to travel around the states representing the Burlesque Hall of Fame has been a dream come true. I get emotional every time I put a tiara on some beautiful black burlesque performers head because, in a way, I feel like I have helped inspire these women and men to go for it. I hope that more opportunities like that continue to present themselves in my life. I am about to travel internationally to a county I have always wanted to visit, and burlesque is what is bringing me there. How fucking amazing is that? How fucking amazing it that?? I still can’t believe it.

Photo by Kevin Blumenthal Photography

It is a week into November, my favorite month of the year, the month when the things I am grateful for are the most present in my life. It started 27 years ago when my baby bother was born, and has continued on to last year when I married the love of my life. I am hoping that this November will start a new chapter of things to be grateful for, and that I can carry that with me through the remainder of the year, into 2017, and beyond.

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Performers of Color and the Burlesque Revival...


It is an exciting time for black burlesque. Shows like Shades of Burlesque in NYC, Jeezy's Juke Joint in Chicago and St. Louis, Chocolate City Burlesque in D.C, and the Roux in New Orleans, which are dedicated specifically to showcasing performers of color, provide much needed diversity by showing off a plethora of beautiful black bodies. And people are liking what they see! However, with the growing popularity of burlesque that showcases performers of color, there are still many who believe events like this unfairly exclude white performers and, accordingly, hurt the industry and surrounding community. But the truth is, a little knowledge of burlesque history reveals that these shows are vital, and not only to the people on stage.

When people think of old school burlesque, white women generally come to mind.  Many have heard of Josephine Baker, a black burlesque dancer from the 1920’s. But most people’s understanding of black burlesque ends with her banana skirt. This, however, is not because black women are new to the burlesque scene. In fact, black burlesque performers—while rarely the featured, and certainly paid less—were very popular throughout burlesque history.  And like many other elements of pop culture, their musical choices and dance moves were appropriated by white burlesque performers, and are still used to this day. But black performers were often left out of promotional materials, tragically erasing their many contributions.
 
 
I must admit that I, too didn’t originally see the need for all-black burlesque shows. I hated the idea that any show with more than two black performers had to be advertised as such. But the more I educate myself about the history of black women in burlesque, the more I understand why these shows are created and exactly how important they are. Even now, there is an intense lack of diversity on the typical burlesque stage. It is not uncommon for audience members to approach me after shows to tell me I am the first black burlesque performer they have ever seen. This is because the majority of burlesque shows, whether by choice or lack of options, have all white casts. Either way, it is a huge problem.
 
It has become clear that the existence of really good, all-black burlesque shows inspires audience members and potential performers to celebrate, and document, black excellence in this area. With the revival of this beloved art form, performers of color are no longer staying silent. For us, stepping on the stage and confidently sharing our bodies on our own terms is a political act. We are fighting the stigma put on us by the dehumanization and over-sexualization of black bodies. This stigma can, at times, make it difficult for black performers to feel accepted by members of their own race who see us as participating in this objectification. But this is changing as people realize that burlesque is not only about strip tease. Burlesque touches the depths of true human expression. It is about taking power over ones own body and sexuality and confidently celebrating the skin they are in, no matter their shape, size, or color.
 
Until this year, in the twenty-six year history of the Miss Exotic World Pageant, the most prestigious burlesque competition in the world, only one black woman had won the coveted title. Rio Savant was crowned in 1996, in the early years of the competition. And until recently, google only had one tiny photo, her name and a date. Perhaps by her own choosing, but like her foremothers, her contribution has been all but erased. Now in 2016, I am honored to have been crowned the first black Reigning Queen of Burlesque in 20 years. And it is my goal to see that the contributions of today's performers of color continue to get the recognition they deserve.