Izzy Ahee Tells Story

Izzy Ahee is a drag king and gender activist. Izzy brings alternative entertainment, music, and dance to the LGBTQ community as a Drag King and DJ. Izzy Ahee is a Drag King played by Hollis Taylor whom is a Gender Activist. Hollis uses Izzy as a masculine expression of nemself. Hollis is a naturally transitioned TransMasculine person whom identifies as a GenderQueer

Drag is a form of Gender Expression

Drag has changed my life! It is part of my gender expression. Being a Drag King is part of who I am.Not only has it introduced me to some pretty dam amazing people but it has also given me an outlet. A real honest to god outlet that feels good in a way that leads me to more balanced places. Izzy keeps me sane! For now as I try to get involved in my new city I know that I will be lead to good places. Maybe this whole experience will help me understand myself on a deeper level. Either way it could support my journey in some way that I don’t see yet.

Pronouns

Pronouns are interesting because we only really have binary pronouns. Without pronouns people have to repeat your name over and over again. Its awkward speech without pronouns and its awkward with pronouns. I started noticing that I was bothered by strangers using female pronouns all the time. I was refreshed when people have to look at me a couple of times to determine if I am female or if I am male. I found myself hurt that almost no one uses male pronouns with me. I almost never hear male pronouns. With my lovers I ask that they try to mix up my pronouns, although that’s hard for them. Even as Izzy they both struggle with using male pronouns. They don’t impose gender roles but for sure they struggle with using male pronouns. Maybe its their own struggle with understanding sexuality and gender….what lesbian loves men?  I know that they try to balance the two with me but I realize our culture doesn’t support people like me.

Its Just a Drag Show?!

Drag Queens and Kings bend gender all over the place. Many of us in the drag community disregard gender roles of all sorts. We lack the vocabulary but its really always been there. On my journey I have encountered many veterans in the drag community and again you find the same theme. Gender is pushed, its bent…. on purpose. Most of us in drag are behind the idea that gender is fluid, not binary.

2014 Keystone Conference

I am super excited about this recent opportunity to help spread awareness and further discuss “genderqueer” This conference is a very popular PA transgender conference that has been around for many years. The Keystone Conference has attendees from all over the USA to attend workshops, entertainment, and activities related to gender diversity. The conference is from March 26th-30th in Harrisburg, PA.

Ryder Nightly

So we talked about our emotional experiences related to the song and we brought that to the stage here, at the Foundation for Hope fundraiser show.

Gender is only Garb Deep

Gender is only garb deep. This leads me to separate gender from sex (n). Your sex is indicated by your genitalia, I will not argue with you nor deny that I have a vagina and I am female. But as far as my gender goes….well its flexible. Gender Flexible!

Male Impersonator

But as performers if someone lives as a man, regardless of his orientation, but performs as a woman… she is a female impersonator. She could also be a Fishy Drag Queen. Well it appears as though I am a male impersonator. I have been explaining what I do to conservative people this way and the more I thought about it the more it made sense.

Trans Sisters

Come out sister and embrace the babies, they NEED YOU!

Don’t let the transition lead you back into the closet!!

So for my cis sisters, lets support them, they need us. We stand stronger in large numbers and we certainly have information to help them and trans sisters bring messages for us.

All feminists, regardless of your gender need to share hands. We need to stand up and say , “Fuck Gender, who needs it!”

Transman

Anyway as far as extreme on either side of the gender spectrum makes me feel constricted, tied up, or even fake in some ways. Often if someone is too much of one side I find that I feel that their fake, maybe I am judgmental, but I don’t trust everything they do for that reason. For me, I just can’t stay on either side to heavily I get wiggly and I can’t sit still. I always break the gender rules – yah I am a butch gardener farmer type, yah I plant little flowerly fairy gardens!! See I break them all the time, I just keep stretching out and crossing boundaries.

Gender and Genitalia

I have discovered that most people tie their genitalia to their gender. Buck Angel has talked about this in his intellectual talks about transgender issues. This is interesting in that even transpeople often still have this identity.