Latest news with #transvisibility
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
PHOTO ESSAY: A young trans woman's journey, and her latest destination: World Pride in Washington
WASHINGTON (AP) — As they get ready in their hotel room, Bella Bautista trades makeup tips with the roommate she has just met. Bautista, her cheekbones high and her confidence glowing, asks her roommate to curl her highlighted hair in the back. Jae Douglas obliges cheerfully. Bautista, 22, is a college cheerleader turned pageant contestant. Last month, she competed in the Miss Supranational USA pageant in Miami, representing Tennessee. She hails from Cartersville, a small Georgia town north of Atlanta. She works as a social media intern for the Global Trans Equity Project. She has come to Washington, D.C., to attend World Pride activities in the wake of the Trump administration's policies legislating against gender-affirming care and its rhetoric against transgender girls in sports. During a speech she delivers to the trans community she announces what could be the anthem for her audience: 'I'm not asking for permission to be who I am, I am who I am.' Bautista says she is the first and only transgender woman to compete in the Miss Supranational pageant. It is part of a lengthier process of embracing her identity — both within herself and to the world. Marching in an impending rain with a hundred others from the National Trans Visibility March, en route to the Lincoln Memorial to join the World Pride rally, Bella reflected, 'I'm not fighting for myself anymore. I'm fighting for a larger cause alongside other people, which is good for a change. You know, being the only transgender person from my small town, it's different to be in the capital of the USA. But so many people that are also fighting alongside with me are here, and have that same struggle.' 'In previous years, I felt more compelled to live my life stealth,' Bautista says. 'But with everything going on with the current administration, I felt the need to give an actual face to the issue.' And so she has come to World Pride, determined to be present and to fly the flag of who she is. Coming out was a process When Bautista transitioned during her senior year of high school in 2020, there were many pro-Trump demonstrations by students at her school during school hours. So she started a 'diversity club' to create a safe place for LGBTQ+ students and students of color. 'I came out to my mom when I was 13, and I asked her, 'Am I a girl?′ She said she didn't know — 'That's something we need to look into.' I didn't know what being trans meant or anything like that. I've always been flexible with my gender and sexuality.' Puberty was an upsetting time for her, before she was able to access gender-affirming care. 'Having male hormones in my body gave me a lot of anxiety, dysphoria. And I felt that testosterone was going to destroy my body,' she says. With her family's assent, she ordered hormones online and medically transitioned at 17, during her senior year. As a gamer, she chose the name 'Bella' online. It stuck. 'When I went to college I chose that name and told people, 'Hi, I am Bella, I'm a woman.' And I was stealth. No one on campus knew I was trans at the start. I just really wanted to live a normal college life, be a normal college girl.' But things changed during her second year at college. She awakened to all the 'harmful stereotypes' — and realized she could use them to help others. 'People would say that I don't look trans, I don't sound trans, so for me to be openly trans, it gives people more perspective,' she says. 'I'm a normal college girl. I'm a cheerleader. This is what I look and sound like. It really resonates with both political parties.' This past winter, she decided to testify at the Georgia State Capitol about her experience as a young trans woman athlete. It was illuminating for her. 'I had to speak in front of Republican members and I would run into them in the hallways or the elevators, or outside the bathroom, and they'd say, 'Oh, you're testifying against my bill but you're amazing, I loved your speech. Politicians politicize trans rights to gain votes. A big part of my platform is saying that my trans identify is not a political agenda for either side.' She later began an organization called 'This Does Not Define Me,' referring to her experiences with PTSD, a speech impediment, being Mexican American and fighting trans stereotypes. The organization is about visibility — and a sense that the challenges faced by people, especially within the trans community, shouldn't define them. 'I hope that as more people meet me I put them at ease,' she says, 'and I get more empathy for the trans community. As people have more interactions with trans people they'll realize we are just normal people, with dreams, and this just happens to be my story.' She dreams about the future, but is right here in the now Bautista's own journey has defined her in many ways, though, including her professional aspirations. She hopes to become a civil rights attorney, to stand up for marginalized people, and someday to run for public office in Georgia. That's later, though. Now, in a climate that doesn't always accept people like her, there is power in just being who she is. 'I think the most powerful thing that I can do right now as a young trans woman is to educate the populace that this is my experience and that I am so much more than just being trans.' Back at the hotel, ahead of attending a conference for the National Trans Visibility March, Bautista has Douglas take a video of her striding through the lobby in a gold gown. It's for her Instagram feed. A family with two young children stops her. 'Are you a model? Where may we have seen you before?' Bella smiles demurely and says, 'Oh, I'm a pageant girl.' She turns to a visitor. 'I get that a lot,' she says. Coming to World Pride from a hometown where she's the only trans person is raising some questions for Bautista. Is allyship enough? Are gay members of the community fully backing trans rights? 'It really feels like it's LGB and then T,' she says. 'We are going through so much. I am hoping these people waving the gay flag are also considering what we are going through at this time.' Add onto that her identity as a Mexican woman and — with the Trump administration's immigration crackdown on many fronts — there is still more she wants to advocate. So much more to do. Bella Bautista was silent for a while. No longer. 'It feels good to represent … something bigger and to be proud of that,' she says. 'I kind of want to be like, 'I'm here,' you know?' she says. 'I'm just a normal college girl, I'm a cheerleader, I do pageants, and I happen to be trans, but that does not define my ability to succeed. Being trans is part of who I am, but I still deserve access to those dreams.' ___ This is a documentary photo story curated by AP photo editors. ___ Jacquelyn Martin is an Associated Press photographer based in Washington.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Toronto's Pride month kicks off. Here's what to expect
Pride Month kicks off June 1 in Toronto, and the city will be filled with events celebrating the 2SLGBTQ+ community. As the largest Pride celebration in Canada, the city's annual events attract millions of visitors every year. From flag raising ceremonies to the big Pride Parade weekend, Pride Toronto's executive director Kojo Modeste says there are events for everyone. "We have a lineup that is going to be spectacular, that's going to celebrate the 2SLGBTQ+ community, but will also send a very strong message that we are all in, that we are here and we are here to stay," Modeste told CBC Toronto. Modeste says this year's Pride month will highlight the transgender and non-binary community, and that it's important to use Pride as a platform for visibility, education, and advocacy. "We're very deliberate to really showcase that the 2SLGBTQ+ community stands with the trans community because we have seen the attacks that have been directed especially to our trans siblings," said Modeste. According to data from Statistics Canada, police-reported hate crimes targeting sexual orientation, sex and gender increased each year from 2019 to 2023. Pride Toronto is working with city agencies to ensure the events remain safe for everyone, says Modeste. "At Pride Toronto, we take safety of both the participants or community visitors very seriously," said Modeste. "Pride has a track record of being a safe event and we are going to be maintaining that." Modeste says Pride Toronto will have a 99 per cent Canadian lineup to send out a message about local representation. This year's Pride Toronto theme, "All In," is meant to celebrate the city and reflect the core values of Canadians, Modeste adds. Throughout the month of June, the festival will showcase over 400 performers, eight stages and over 300 hours of programming. The executive director of the Church and Wellesley Village BIA, Jaret Sereda, says Pride events bring plenty of visitors to the area, which in turn helps local businesses. "We love the increased foot traffic," Sereda told CBC. "We want to support all our local businesses and we encourage everybody to shop local." The Church and Wellesley Village BIA will host its 11th annual VillageFest from June 20 to June 22. Sereda says this year's festival has been revamped, and will take place in the parking lot across from Woody's and SAILOR restaurant. He says the show will be filled with Canadian talent and is encouraging people to attend it and support it. "It doesn't matter what sexuality you express and who you are. We invite everybody. This is an event for everyone," he said. The city has provided the full list of Pride events. Here are some of them: Flag-Raising events: Mayor Olivia Chow, Members of Council and representatives from Pride Toronto will kick off Toronto's Pride month at Nathan Phillips Square on June 2 at 5 p.m. with performances by Sanjina DaBish Queen, Trash Panda Brass, Tempo Choir & DJ Blackcat. North York Civic Centre Flag-Raising on June 4 at 9 a.m. Etobicoke Flag-Raising at Montgomery's Inn on June 4 at 4 p.m. Scarborough Civic Centre Flag-Raising at Albert Campbell Square on June 5 at 9 a.m. Nathan Phillips Square events: Pride Toronto's Opening Night on June 27 at 6 p.m. Attendees can expect a lineup of 2SLGBTQ+ dance artists including Rebecca Black, Kiesza, Priyanka and Singing Out Choir. Pride Toronto's Drag Ball on June 28 from 2 p.m. to midnight. The drag event will return with over 70 drag acts from Canada and beyond. Pride Toronto's Closing Night on June 29 at 2 p.m. Pride Parade will close out the night with a party at Nathan Phillips Square. Street events: Gay History Walk at Church-Wellesley Neighbourhood on June 6, 12 and 20 at 2 p.m. St. Lawrence Market Street Pride at Market Street on June 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Church Street Pride Fair on Church Street on June 27 to 29. Trans March on Church Street on June 27. People will rally at 7 p.m. and march at 8 p.m. Dyke March on Church Street on June 28. People will rally at 1 p.m. and march at 2 p.m. Pride Parade from Church and Bloor Streets to Nathan Phillips Square on June 29 from 2 to 6 p.m. Family and youth events: Drag Story Time with Gila Münster at the Toronto Botanical Garden on June 1 at 11 a.m. TRANScendTO at Toronto Metropolitan University Student Centre on June 6 at 12 p.m. Family Pride at Church St. Public School on June 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Youth Pride at Church St. Public School on June 28 at 6 p.m.
CBC
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Toronto's Pride month kicks off. Here's what to expect
Pride Month kicks off June 1 in Toronto, and the city will be filled with events celebrating the 2SLGBTQ+ community. As the largest Pride celebration in Canada, the city's annual events attract millions of visitors every year. From flag raising ceremonies to the big Pride Parade weekend, Pride Toronto's executive director Kojo Modeste says there are events for everyone. "We have a lineup that is going to be spectacular, that's going to celebrate the 2SLGBTQ+ community, but will also send a very strong message that we are all in, that we are here and we are here to stay," Modeste told CBC Toronto. Modeste says this year's Pride month will highlight the transgender and non-binary community, and that it's important to use Pride as a platform for visibility, education, and advocacy. "We're very deliberate to really showcase that the 2SLGBTQ+ community stands with the trans community because we have seen the attacks that have been directed especially to our trans siblings," said Modeste. According to data from Statistics Canada, police-reported hate crimes targeting sexual orientation, sex and gender increased each year from 2019 to 2023. Pride Toronto is working with city agencies to ensure the events remain safe for everyone, says Modeste. "At Pride Toronto, we take safety of both the participants or community visitors very seriously," said Modeste. "Pride has a track record of being a safe event and we are going to be maintaining that." Pride events to celebrate Canadian talent Modeste says Pride Toronto will have a 99 per cent Canadian lineup to send out a message about local representation. This year's Pride Toronto theme, "All In," is meant to celebrate the city and reflect the core values of Canadians, Modeste adds. Throughout the month of June, the festival will showcase over 400 performers, eight stages and over 300 hours of programming. The executive director of the Church and Wellesley Village BIA, Jaret Sereda, says Pride events bring plenty of visitors to the area, which in turn helps local businesses. "We love the increased foot traffic," Sereda told CBC. "We want to support all our local businesses and we encourage everybody to shop local." The Church and Wellesley Village BIA will host its 11th annual VillageFest from June 20 to June 22. Sereda says this year's festival has been revamped, and will take place in the parking lot across from Woody's and SAILOR restaurant. He says the show will be filled with Canadian talent and is encouraging people to attend it and support it. "It doesn't matter what sexuality you express and who you are. We invite everybody. This is an event for everyone," he said. City events The city has provided the full list of Pride events. Here are some of them: Flag-Raising events: Mayor Olivia Chow, Members of Council and representatives from Pride Toronto will kick off Toronto's Pride month at Nathan Phillips Square on June 2 at 5 p.m. with performances by Sanjina DaBish Queen, Trash Panda Brass, Tempo Choir & DJ Blackcat. North York Civic Centre Flag-Raising on June 4 at 9 a.m. Etobicoke Flag-Raising at Montgomery's Inn on June 4 at 4 p.m. Scarborough Civic Centre Flag-Raising at Albert Campbell Square on June 5 at 9 a.m. Nathan Phillips Square events: Pride Toronto's Opening Night on June 27 at 6 p.m. Attendees can expect a lineup of 2SLGBTQ+ dance artists including Rebecca Black, Kiesza, Priyanka and Singing Out Choir. Pride Toronto's Drag Ball on June 28 from 2 p.m. to midnight. The drag event will return with over 70 drag acts from Canada and beyond. Pride Toronto's Closing Night on June 29 at 2 p.m. Pride Parade will close out the night with a party at Nathan Phillips Square. Street events: Gay History Walk at Church-Wellesley Neighbourhood on June 6, 12 and 20 at 2 p.m. St. Lawrence Market Street Pride at Market Street on June 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Church Street Pride Fair on Church Street on June 27 to 29. Trans March on Church Street on June 27. People will rally at 7 p.m. and march at 8 p.m. Dyke March on Church Street on June 28. People will rally at 1 p.m. and march at 2 p.m. Pride Parade from Church and Bloor Streets to Nathan Phillips Square on June 29 from 2 to 6 p.m. Family and youth events: Drag Story Time with Gila Münster at the Toronto Botanical Garden on June 1 at 11 a.m. TRANScendTO at Toronto Metropolitan University Student Centre on June 6 at 12 p.m. Family Pride at Church St. Public School on June 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Youth Pride at Church St. Public School on June 28 at 6 p.m.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Before the word ‘transgender' existed, there was Bambi, the dazzling Parisian icon
PARIS (AP) — The moment that changed queer history occurred on a sweltering summer day in early 1950s Algeria. An effeminate teenage boy named Jean-Pierre Pruvot stood mesmerized as traffic halted and crowds swarmed around a scandalous spectacle unfolding in the conservative Algiers streets. All had stopped to look at Coccinelle, the flamboyant 'transvestite' star of Paris' legendary cabaret, the Carrousel de Paris, who strutted defiantly down the boulevard, impeccably dressed as a woman, sparking awe and outrage and literally stopping traffic. What Pruvot — who would become famous under the female stage name 'Bambi' — witnessed was more than mere performance. It was an act of resistance from the ashes of the Nazi persecution of the LGBTQ+ community in World War II. 'I didn't even know that (identity) existed,' Bambi told The Associated Press in a rare interview. 'I said to myself, 'I'm going to do the same.'' Decades before transgender became a household word and 'RuPaul's Drag Race' became a worldwide hit — before visibility brought rights and recognition — the Carrousel troupe in the late 1940s emerged as a glamorous, audacious resistance. Bambi soon joined Coccinelle, April Ashley, and Capucine to revive queer visibility in Europe for the first time since the Nazis had violently destroyed Berlin's thriving queer scene of the 1930s. The Nazis branded gay men with pink triangles, deported and murdered thousands, erasing queer culture overnight. Just a few years after the war, Carrousel performers strode onto the global stage, a glittering frontline against lingering prejudice. Remarkably, audiences at the Carrousel knew exactly who these performers were — women who, as Bambi puts it, 'would bare all.' Elvis Presley, Ava Gardner, Édith Piaf, Maria Callas and Marlene Dietrich all flocked to the cabaret, drawn to the allure of performers labeled 'travestis.' The stars sought out the Carrousel to flirt with postwar Paris's wild side. It was an intoxicating contradiction: cross-dressing was criminalized, yet the venue was packed with celebrities. The history of queer liberation shifted in this cabaret, one sequin at a time. The contrast was chilling: as Bambi arrived in Paris and found fame dancing naked for film stars, across the English Channel in early 1950s Britain the code-breaking genius Alan Turing was chemically castrated for being gay, leading to his suicide. Evenings spent with legends Today, nearing 90, Marie-Pierre Pruvot — as she has been known for decades by some — lives alone in an unassuming apartment in northeastern Paris. Her bookshelves spill over with volumes of literature and philosophy. A black feather boa, a lone whisper from her glamorous past, hangs loosely over a chair. Yet Bambi wasn't just part of the show; she was the show — with expressive almond-shaped eyes, pear-shaped face, and beauty indistinguishable from any desired Parisienne. Yet one key difference set her apart — a difference criminalized by French law. The depth of her history only becomes apparent as she points to striking and glamorous photographs and recounts evenings spent with legends. Such was their then-fame that the name of Bambi's housemate, Coccinelle, became slang for "trans" in Israel — often cruelly. Once Dietrich, the starry queer icon, arrived at the tiny Madame Arthur cabaret alongside Jean Marais, the actor and Jean Cocteau's gay lover. 'It was packed,' Bambi recalled. 'Jean Marais instantly said, 'Sit (me and Marlene) on stage' And so they were seated onstage, legs crossed, champagne by their side, watching us perform.' Another day, Dietrich swept in to a hair salon. 'Marlene always had this distant, untouchable air — except when late for the hairdresser,' Bambi says, smiling. 'She rushed in, kissed the hairdresser, settled beneath the dryer, stretched her long legs imperiously onto a stool, and lit a cigarette. Her gaunt pout as she smoked — I'll never forget it,' she says, her impression exaggerated as she sucked in her cheeks. Perhaps Dietrich wasn't her favorite star. Then there was Piaf, who, one evening, teasingly joked about her protégé, the French singing legend Charles Aznavour, performing nearby. 'She asked, 'What time does Aznavour start?'' Bambi recalled. 'Someone said, 'Midnight.' So she joked, 'Then it'll be finished by five past midnight.'" Reassignment surgery Behind the glamour lay constant danger. Living openly as a woman was illegal. 'There was a police decree,' Bambi recalls. 'It was a criminal offense for a man to dress as a woman. But if you wore pants and flat shoes, you weren't considered dressed as a woman.' The injustice was global. Homosexuality remained criminalized for decades: in Britain until 1967, in parts of the U.S. until 2003. Progress came slowly. In 1950s Paris, though, Bambi bought hormones casually over-the-counter, 'like salt and pepper at the grocery.' 'It was much freer then,' but stakes were high, she said. Sisters were jailed, raped, driven into sex work. One comrade died after botched gender reassignment surgery in Casablanca. 'There was only Casablanca,' she emphasized, with one doctor performing the high-risk surgeries. Bambi waited cautiously until her best friends, Coccinelle and April Ashley, had safely undergone procedures from the late 50s before doing the same herself. Each night required extraordinary courage. Post-war Paris was scarred, haunted. The Carrousel wasn't mere entertainment — but a fingers' up to the past in heels and eyeliner. 'There was this after-the-war feeling — people wanted to have fun,' Bambi recalled. With no television, the cabarets were packed every night. 'You could feel it — people demanded to laugh, to enjoy themselves, to be happy. They wanted to live again … to forget the miseries of the war.' In 1974, sensing a shift, Bambi quietly stepped away from celebrity, unwilling to become 'an aging showgirl.' Swiftly obtaining legal female identity in Algeria, she became a respected teacher and Sorbonne scholar, hiding her dazzling past beneath Marcel Proust and careful anonymity for decades. 'I never wore a mask' Given what she's witnessed, or because of it, she's remarkably serene about recent controversies around gender. This transgender pioneer feels wokeism has moved too quickly, fueling a backlash. She sees U.S. President Donald Trump as part of 'a global reaction against wokeism… families aren't ready… we need to pause and breathe a little before moving forward again.' Inclusive pronouns and language 'complicate the language,' she insists. Asked about Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's anti-trans stance, her response is calmly dismissive: 'Her opinion counts no more than a baker's or a cleaning lady's.' Bambi has outlived her Carrousel sisters — April Ashley, Capucine, and Coccinelle. Still elegant, she stands quietly proud. When she first stepped onstage, the world lacked the language to describe her. She danced anyway. Now, words exist. Rights exist. Movements exist. And Bambi, still standing serenely, quietly reaffirms her truth: 'I never wore a mask,' she says softly, but firmly. 'Except when I was a boy.'
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Before the word ‘transgender' existed, there was Bambi, the dazzling Parisian icon
The moment that changed queer history occurred on a sweltering summer day in early 1950s Algeria. An effeminate teenage boy named Jean-Pierre Pruvot stood mesmerized as traffic halted and crowds swarmed around a scandalous spectacle unfolding in the conservative Algiers streets. All had stopped to look at Coccinelle, the flamboyant 'transvestite' star of Paris' legendary cabaret, the Carrousel de Paris, who strutted defiantly down the boulevard, impeccably dressed as a woman, sparking awe and outrage and literally stopping traffic. What Pruvot — who would become famous under the female stage name 'Bambi' — witnessed was more than mere performance. It was an act of resistance from the ashes of the Nazi persecution of the LGBTQ+ community in World War II. 'I didn't even know that (identity) existed,' Bambi told The Associated Press in a rare interview. 'I said to myself, 'I'm going to do the same.'' Decades before transgender became a household word and 'RuPaul's Drag Race' became a worldwide hit — before visibility brought rights and recognition — the Carrousel troupe in the late 1940s emerged as a glamorous, audacious resistance. Bambi soon joined Coccinelle, April Ashley, and Capucine to revive queer visibility in Europe for the first time since the Nazis had violently destroyed Berlin's thriving queer scene of the 1930s. The Nazis branded gay men with pink triangles, deported and murdered thousands, erasing queer culture overnight. Just a few years after the war, Carrousel performers strode onto the global stage, a glittering frontline against lingering prejudice. Remarkably, audiences at the Carrousel knew exactly who these performers were — women who, as Bambi puts it, 'would bare all.' Elvis Presley, Ava Gardner, Édith Piaf, Maria Callas and Marlene Dietrich all flocked to the cabaret, drawn to the allure of performers labeled 'travestis.' The stars sought out the Carrousel to flirt with postwar Paris's wild side. It was an intoxicating contradiction: cross-dressing was criminalized, yet the venue was packed with celebrities. The history of queer liberation shifted in this cabaret, one sequin at a time. The contrast was chilling: as Bambi arrived in Paris and found fame dancing naked for film stars, across the English Channel in early 1950s Britain the code-breaking genius Alan Turing was chemically castrated for being gay, leading to his suicide. Evenings spent with legends Today, nearing 90, Marie-Pierre Pruvot — as she has been known for decades by some — lives alone in an unassuming apartment in northeastern Paris. Her bookshelves spill over with volumes of literature and philosophy. A black feather boa, a lone whisper from her glamorous past, hangs loosely over a chair. Yet Bambi wasn't just part of the show; she was the show — with expressive almond-shaped eyes, pear-shaped face, and beauty indistinguishable from any desired Parisienne. Yet one key difference set her apart — a difference criminalized by French law. The depth of her history only becomes apparent as she points to striking and glamorous photographs and recounts evenings spent with legends. Such was their then-fame that the name of Bambi's housemate, Coccinelle, became slang for "trans" in Israel — often cruelly. Once Dietrich, the starry queer icon, arrived at the tiny Madame Arthur cabaret alongside Jean Marais, the actor and Jean Cocteau's gay lover. 'It was packed,' Bambi recalled. 'Jean Marais instantly said, 'Sit (me and Marlene) on stage' And so they were seated onstage, legs crossed, champagne by their side, watching us perform.' Another day, Dietrich swept in to a hair salon. 'Marlene always had this distant, untouchable air — except when late for the hairdresser,' Bambi says, smiling. 'She rushed in, kissed the hairdresser, settled beneath the dryer, stretched her long legs imperiously onto a stool, and lit a cigarette. Her gaunt pout as she smoked — I'll never forget it,' she says, her impression exaggerated as she sucked in her cheeks. Perhaps Dietrich wasn't her favorite star. Then there was Piaf, who, one evening, teasingly joked about her protégé, the French singing legend Charles Aznavour, performing nearby. 'She asked, 'What time does Aznavour start?'' Bambi recalled. 'Someone said, 'Midnight.' So she joked, 'Then it'll be finished by five past midnight.'" Reassignment surgery Behind the glamour lay constant danger. Living openly as a woman was illegal. 'There was a police decree,' Bambi recalls. 'It was a criminal offense for a man to dress as a woman. But if you wore pants and flat shoes, you weren't considered dressed as a woman.' The injustice was global. Homosexuality remained criminalized for decades: in Britain until 1967, in parts of the U.S. until 2003. Progress came slowly. In 1950s Paris, though, Bambi bought hormones casually over-the-counter, 'like salt and pepper at the grocery.' 'It was much freer then,' but stakes were high, she said. Sisters were jailed, raped, driven into sex work. One comrade died after botched gender reassignment surgery in Casablanca. 'There was only Casablanca,' she emphasized, with one doctor performing the high-risk surgeries. Bambi waited cautiously until her best friends, Coccinelle and April Ashley, had safely undergone procedures from the late 50s before doing the same herself. Each night required extraordinary courage. Post-war Paris was scarred, haunted. The Carrousel wasn't mere entertainment — but a fingers' up to the past in heels and eyeliner. 'There was this after-the-war feeling — people wanted to have fun,' Bambi recalled. With no television, the cabarets were packed every night. 'You could feel it — people demanded to laugh, to enjoy themselves, to be happy. They wanted to live again … to forget the miseries of the war.' In 1974, sensing a shift, Bambi quietly stepped away from celebrity, unwilling to become 'an aging showgirl.' Swiftly obtaining legal female identity in Algeria, she became a respected teacher and Sorbonne scholar, hiding her dazzling past beneath Marcel Proust and careful anonymity for decades. 'I never wore a mask' Given what she's witnessed, or because of it, she's remarkably serene about recent controversies around gender. This transgender pioneer feels wokeism has moved too quickly, fueling a backlash. She sees U.S. President Donald Trump as part of 'a global reaction against wokeism… families aren't ready… we need to pause and breathe a little before moving forward again.' Inclusive pronouns and language 'complicate the language,' she insists. Asked about Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's anti-trans stance, her response is calmly dismissive: 'Her opinion counts no more than a baker's or a cleaning lady's.' Bambi has outlived her Carrousel sisters — April Ashley, Capucine, and Coccinelle. Still elegant, she stands quietly proud. When she first stepped onstage, the world lacked the language to describe her. She danced anyway. Now, words exist. Rights exist. Movements exist. And Bambi, still standing serenely, quietly reaffirms her truth: 'I never wore a mask,' she says softly, but firmly. 'Except when I was a boy.'
