[Blog/Commentary] [USA] Always Line Your Lips Before Application
Stephanie Stevens
Always Line Your Lips Before Application
Alexandra Billings
Mar. 12th, 2010 at 1:34 AM
My life isn't a big secret. It's never been something I've hid very
well, nor have I ever thought to pretend I'm someone I not. If you
know how to spell my name, you can find out most everything about me
in a matter of minutes, now that we have this fabulous Interweb thing.
As opposed to the good ole days when, in order to get info on
somebody, you either slept with a Fed, or you wore a fake mustache and
a big hat and tracked someone down hiding behind various shrubs.
Nowadays...you just click.
I'm an actor. I sing a little. I write when I can. And I love to teach.
I've been teaching now for over 22 years, and I've taught all kinds of
actors in different parts of the US. I love actors. I've been around
them since I was 7 years old and it's the only life I know. I don't
know how to do anything else. I have no other skills. This is my
passion and it's what keeps me alive. I have a thing for Art.
And teaching has always been a part of that journey for me.
I've always just assumed most everyone knew I was Transgendered. It
never really crossed my mind that much, but when it did, if I had a
job to do, I'd whack that Parrot off my shoulder and try to carry on.
But most of the time, I simply assume people know and I move forward.
It's never once been a problem in any of the class rooms I've been in.
That doesn't mean I haven't had students react differently to me than
they did before they found out, or after they found out, or before
they Clicked. I've seen that change happen. Most of the time though,
they handle it with grace and kindness. Strangely, the separation
comes from actors in shows I get cast in. I once had an actor refuse
to play a love scene with me because of my history.
He was fired and I got to kiss an adorable 22 year old blonde guy.
But my students seem fine.
The thing is, I don't teach Transgenderism. I don't teach people how
to go down my path. I have no earthly idea how I've done it myself, so
how could I ever give lessons to someone else? And really, can you
imagine the syllabus?
And no, I don't teach children. I'm not sure if there's a particular
age that's upsetting them, or if it's human beings in general, but
when you get to be 48 years old, everyone under 35 is a kid, quite
frankly.
I'm not sure about this particular complaint from these nut burgers
<http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2010/03/stop-enda-or-uhm-god-will-steal-the-sun-or-something.html>
. I know it's fear and I know it's ignorance but it still hurts. I
don't know what they think I'm going to do to a bunch of working
actors. I'm trying to get their Hearts and Instincts open, make them
imagine and believe they can do anything and that anything is
possible, so they can go out there and Get The Job in a business
that's filled with No. That's all I'm trying to do. Really. I don't
want to teach anyone how to become a Transgender person, that's
insane. What am I going to teach? How to find Chanel pumps in size 13?
And to be perfectly honest, I'm not exactly the best Transgender
person on the block anyway. I dress more like a lesbian than anything
else. I have two sides of my closet, one has Vera Wang, and the other
is all Gap. I need my Gays to make me glamorous.
Maybe that's the solution. Start teaching a course in Finding Your
Gays. That way, no one has to worry about indoctrination. We're just
searching for the perfect size 13...with a little help from our
friends.