DEE TRANNYBEAR.

Hair stylist, colorist and wigologist.

Jamie Windust: Your creations – let’s just call it what it is – ART, truly express GNC beauty. How does it make you feel to transform people into their truest selves?

Dee TrannyBear: I love to bring out people’s true colours! Living in your true self to me, is very important. It gives you a feeling of empowerment, freedom and happiness to your spirit and soul. When a human being is feeling forced to portray themselves as something they’re not, it’s mentally challenging and will hold that person back. Just because my gender non-conforming and trans community likes to express themselves a little more fierce and fabulous than binary people, it shouldn’t give people the right to force us into certain societal boxes, that were created by colonizers that had no idea about the world and human beings. That’s why I love breaking barriers with my work.

JW: As the co-founder of your own production company that’s worked with some amazing clients, how does it feel to be infiltrating non-queer spaces when creating your artistry?

DTB: It depends, sometimes it’s pure objectification, people don’t view me as human, they see me as a thing, because of me (a hairstylist, artist and personality) being lightly painted, in a six-inch wedge heel and a beard. What they don’t understand is that that is what challenges me, inspires me and motivates me to create my best work! I love to educate in situations like that, even though that can be creatively stifling to always have to explain yourself. Then there are instances where non-queer places show compassion and open mindedness and that always gives me hope to change is coming.

JW: What piece of advice would you give to the players in your industry who don’t appreciate the beauty of queer GNC beauty?

DTB: Well I’m going to be frank here... GNC and trans people have been around for thousands of years influencing styles, trends and people. So many times cis people that want to hate on our creativity and freedom, copy and pull inspiration from our creations and don’t credit us or deny that’s where they got it from. My message to everyone is this: we were, are and will always be here, creating and evolving, no matter how many times they try to beat us down. We will keep striving and inspiring for centuries to come. We know how to persist. Together we are stronger.