Lepore to be chief of parade
World-famous transsexual icon Amanda Lepore will be this year’s Chief of Parade.
Lepore is arguably the world’s most famous transsexual, becoming one of the most recognised and respected celebrities in the US.
Often performing naked and never taking herself too seriously, she rose to fame as the muse of photographer David LaChappelle.
“I’m thrilled and honored to be invited to be Chief of Parade,” Lepore said.
“I cant wait to be a part of the Mardi Gras and celebrations of our community.”
Born Armand, Lepore began a sexual reassignment process at a young age, taking hormones and by the age of 17 had sexual reassignment surgery through a legal loophole.
After various photoshoots with influential photographer David LaChappelle and strong presence in the New York party scene, particularly Michael Alig’s “Club Kids”, she has become a recognisable face worldwide.
A New York resident, she continues to host the city’s biggest club nights, boasts a singing career including albums such as 2007’s “My Pussy” and has been the face of brands such as MAC Cosmetics, Heatherette and Swatch.
She’s appeared in Playboy in 2008 and gives her time to support AIDS charities such as DIFFA.
Lepore will lead the floats as the Mardi Gras Parade ascends Oxford St Saturday February 27.
“We’re delighted to have Amanda Lepore leading this year’s Parade,” New Mardi Gras CEO Michael Rolik said.
“She’s the perfect choice. Mardi Gras is about raising community visibility, and her pride in being an iconic transsexual epitomises that.”
“The worlds most famous transsexual” ?????
Well go ahead and shoot me but the statement would have to be one of the weakest pieces of empty “spin” I’ve ever seen printed – I liken it to a title like “World Championship – Whatever” when its only held in America, the participants are only American and only Americans see it.
Spin, Spin, Spin.
If one pauses to really consider such a statement, then isn’t it a bit of an insult to those transsexual individuals who actually have achieved something for themselves and/or their community? At least something a little more tangible than drinking cocktails with some “in cround” between time out for even more cosmetic surgery (Ouch).
I am really sorry to be riding my Cynical Black Stallion into this one but surely this is a Gay Icon chosen by Gay people for what is a truly fantastic Gay celebration. Amanda appears so Drag Queen like and firmly ensconced in a rich vibrant Gay culture – not particularly representative of your average transsexual at all and hardly famous. A big lipped fish in a rather small pond. The danger is that when someone like Amanda is staged as being representative of transsexuals – you have served to reinforce every inaccurate, stigmatizing, false stereotyped misunderstanding the wider community has around the condition of transsexualism. Thank you soooooo much.
Now where are my Anti-Angry Pills?
Dotti? – have you seen my medication?
On the sideboard next to the hormones ….
From the experience of my visit to Melbourne and Ballarat last November I can only say to Ben that most Australians appeared to be Gay !
The reason they are choosing internationally recognised celebrities to chair the parade is to give the parade more cred and increase awareness in overseas markets. This will help lead to Mardi Gras’ continued growth!
Most importantly in my view: What does Amanda Lepore know about Sydney’s gay history, our scene or our wonderful community orgs? ZERO I suspect!
Very dumb.
So NMG steals the concept of the DNA Pool Party, Bondi Boys and now Nevermind’s Saturday F*$@ing Nights with Amanda La Pore. Do any of the staff at NMG have a single, original creative thought between them?
Its sad that Australia always has to have people from “overseas” to lead the FAB SYDNEY GAY AND LESBIAN MARDI GRAS.
Either way im loving the slit programme this year.
I will give the Parade a miss and put all my efforts into other events…
fair day!!
harbour party!!
Mardi Gras Party!!
meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeow just fabulous!!
Further my last comment, if it was a transsexual person wanted as Chief of the Parade, do we not have any Australians worthy? Courtney Act for her efforts on Idol, or how about Carlotta, how ballsy was her challenge in the dim dark seventies!
Well I sincerely hope Amanda LePore carries a sign saying FUCK AID to AFRICA.Now that would be nice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uganda_Anti-Homosexuality_Bill
I agree with Ben. Whilst it is fabulous to see a ts person in this role I would not know who she was if I tripped over her ample bosom ! Why could we not have someone who represents more than pretentious night club appearances and excessive plastic surgery ?
Stephanie, I agree that it’s timely, if not overdue, to have a transgender chief of parade! However, my own view is that there are a number of other candidates who might have been considered first, from Georgina Beyer or Chaz Bono to our own Carlotta.
As a member of the “T” of GLTBI it is very nice to see a person from this end of the queer community being invited to lead the parade.
In recent years there has been some law reform which has assisted the lives of the “g” and “l” members. As part of the agenda of Mardi Gra is law reform, maybe it will highlight the need for law reform for “T” members, who have their own issues that need addressing.
Unfortunately these issues are sometimes forgotten by “g” and “l” members.
I thought John Waters might have been a good chief of parade, but he’s performing interstate that night.
Should have been an aussie gay or lesbian!
I’d prefer to see the lesbian couple and teen daughter who testified at the NSW Upper House hearing into same sex adoption.
They put a human face to what the parade is fundamentally about – the fight for equal rights.
Her skin and nose – purely amazing ..
Never heard of her.