So, a big anniversary passed without me noticing. On October fifth I passed the milestone of being Zora professionally for ten years. A decade of surpassing expectations, surprising the norm, and finding new and interesting ways of using my perceived femme privilege to open doors and win the hearts and minds (and phone numbers) of thousands from Southern California to Kentucky to Seattle and more. In the past six months or more life challenges have given me pause to re-evaluate and decide if what I am doing is for the right reasons. Drag for me has been a tool to pry open my inherent skiddishness around people and allow me the comfort and confidence to say and do things I would have never as Chris. After ten years of professional gender illusion, five years and over 200 burlesque shows, I feel that I need to live up to the legend of the Phoenix and experience a rebirth, so I am shedding the need to be Zora Phoenix and moving forward with new drive and perspective as a producer, a performer, and an individual. She isn't gone, per se... but no longer needed to be the real me. Interwoven in my soul, she will always be part of me... but will be seen less often as I navigate a new public face for me, which is ironically, the face that was hidden behind the makeup. #TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsZoraPhoenix #ZedPhoenix
|