The BIG Bang and I live in a town where body love and burlesque share the stage... and we're damn happy about it. Steve (yes the Steve- the brain behind the #FatGirlsCan video) has captured 150,000 images of our burlesque scene from over 1,200 performances which includes over 150 different bodies. Seriously. The BIG Bang is here to tell you how all of this happened, and I'm here to encourage you to support Steve's Kickstarter which is: a gorgeous coffee table book full of those images. Sign up for this shit (and get rhinestone pasties!). I will always promote him and his projects for many reasons, several of which include making my career as a Body WhateverIam possible. Really. I wouldn't be here without 'im. He's a great photographer and a great friend.
The BIG Bang on Tucson + Body Love + Burlesque and why it's SO important:
-----
The BIG Bang McGillicuddy. That’s my stage name.
I chose it with intention, and
I write it with intention - the “BIG” in all caps. It’s not a sexy name.
It doesn’t stir up visions of a svelte, slender woman, writhing and shimmying
across the stage. Truth be told, if you say it out loud it really doesn’t stir
up visions of anything. But then I take the stage, and it all becomes
abundantly clear.
And I strut onto that stage, all
200 pounds of me, and tear. It. UP.
By society’s standards I
shouldn’t be anywhere near that stage. I shouldn’t have the balls to tease and
taunt and strut and flaunt and make you believe that I am the best damn thing
since strawberries and Nutella (don’t front - you know that shit is the bomb).
But I do. Historically speaking, a girl of my size (and shade of brown, if
we’re going to be real here) should be more comfortable fully clothed and
taking your order, than half naked and serving you up the glam. If I was going
to dare be a performer, I would have to be a lounge singer, and probably wear a
long and conservative gown. Still fabulous, don’t get me wrong, but there would
be no believing that I could be sexy. Because dark brown ain’t sexy. Jiggly
thighs ain’t sexy. Stretch marks that make up the entire landscape of your
belly ain’t sexy. Right?
Right?
WRONG.
The Tucson Burlesque scene is one
of the places where all that and then some are considered sexy as hell. Body
positivity and performance have come together in one giant ball of sparkle, and
made the most beautiful twin babies, named LOVE & ACCEPTANCE. Where once
the slender, hourglass figure was the “requirement” in burlesque, today Tucson
celebrates all shapes, all sizes, all ages and all colors. Everyone from the
full figured Gypsy Danger
and Luna de Lumbre’, to
the more slender and hourglassed Bunny Boom Boom and Fanny Galore. Women with
skin as svelte as a panther’s coat like me, The BIG Bang McGillicuddy, to
the fairest burly babe in all the land, Diamonda Morgue. The
youngens like Miss
Harlequin Hex, to the seasoned and posh pros like Stormy Leigh. Even the disabled
- like Jacqueline
“Miss Dis-a-BURLY-Tease” Boxx. Literally EVERY DAMN BODY is welcomed into
the rhinestoned arms of the Tucson Burlesque scene. These women light the stage
on fire with their own personal brand of confidence every time, and dare you to
look away. But where does it come from? Where do they find the strength to say
“Fuck The World - I Own This!”? What IS that??
It’s Burlesque - plain and
simple. It’s the Black Cherry Burlesque “Burlesque For The
Soul” mentorship program. It’s Don’t Blink Burlesque’s “Fanny’s Fox Den”. It is the belief (and
innate understanding) that in burlesque, weird is okay. Unacceptable is
expected. And mocking the social construct of the day is damn near a requirement.
The word burlesque is Italian in origin, stemming from the word burla, which literally
translates to “mockery”. Isn’t that what we are doing when we dare to take the
stage and shimmy our way into your hearts? Aren’t we mocking societies rules
and standards of beauty? Aren’t we mocking the horrendous diet culture and
social construct that says we’re not good enough, and that we’re not worthy of
the applause?
AREN’T WE MOCKING EVERYTHING THAT
WAS EVER CREATED TO MAKE US FEEL
INADEQUATE/UNPRETTY/UNLOVABLE/UNWANTED/UN-EVERYTHING WONDERFUL IN LIFE, SIMPLY
BY POPPING ON A PASTY, SOME RHINESTONED PANTIES AND BUMPING N’ GRINDING LIKE
OUR LIVES DEPEND ON IT??
AREN’T WE?
Fuck yes we are. FUCK. YES. WE.
ARE.
And you better believe that here,
in Tucson, we are unapologetic about that shit.
----------
Check out and support Steve's campaign here!
No comments