6/1/2021

Happy LGBTQIA2S+ Pride Month!

June is Pride Month! Utile wishes everyone, and especially members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, a Happy Pride! As a continued effort in our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Initiative, we are engaging talented artists to re-envision  our logo to honor commemorative observance months throughout the year. To honor this important month, local illustrator Noah Grigni (they/them) has created a newly-inspired rendition of our Utile logo. We are proud of their beautiful work, and deeply appreciate the essential #pride history represented in this graphic, paying special tribute to trans artists of the twentieth century!

Artist statement from Noah Grigni:

“Happy Pride Month! Trans creatives are the blueprint. Instead of drawing the mainstream historical figures who have become synonymous with queer history (no shade Harvey, but you get enough press), I wanted to shine a spotlight on trans artists of the 20th century. This illustration celebrates 19 trans trailblazers in the arts who you should care about.  I’ll post these portraits individually throughout the month with short bios of each person, so stay tuned for more trans history content!”  

In order of birth year:

Lili Elbe, Danish painter. 1882-1931.

Billy Tipton, American jazz musician. 1914-89.

Willmer “Little Ax” Broadnax, American gospel singer. 1916-92.

Storme DeLarverie, American activist, drag king, and gender non-conforming butch lesbian. 1920-2014.

Christine Jorgensen, American celebrity and actress. 1926-89.

Coccinelle, French actress and singer. 1931-2006.

Marie-Pierre “Bambi” Pruvot, French showgirl and author. 1935-present.

Esdras Parra, Venezuelan writer, my favorite poet. 1937-2004.

Sir Lady Java, American dancer, singer, actress, and activist. 1943-present.

Candy Darling, American actress. 1944-74.

Marsha P. Johnson, American activist, mother of pride, and performer. 1945-92.

Leslie Feinberg, American author, activist, and gender non-conforming butch lesbian. 1949-2014.

Olivia Chaumont, French architect. 1950-present.

Lou Sullivan, American author, activist, and perhaps the first trans man to publicly identify as gay. 1951-91.

Lorenza Bottner, German painter, performance artist, and gender non-conforming trans woman. 1959-94.

La Veneno, Spanish singer, actress, and celebrity. 1964-2016.

Octavia St. Laurent, American model, activist, and ballroom icon. 1964-2009.

Angie Xtravaganza, American performer, mother of the house of Xtravaganza. 1964-93.

Venus Xtravaganza, American performer and ballroom icon. 1965-88.