The House of Venus
Welcome to the house of Venus, y’all — for realz!
I always wanted to be a mother. That ain’t really true. I think I always wanted to be a heroine and that translated into wanting to be an actress. I was “Susie” way before anyone ever explained the word trans to me. I was never unhappy in my body. My body happily accommodated me by giving me curves at an early age. My milkshake brought all the boys to the yard.
I think I’ve always found “houses” to belong to. I played house with plenty of boys. From the time I was seven years old, I knew how to get boys to do what I wanted and they liked to take me in the closet. I was in touch with the goddess, and knew one of my roles in life was to spread a lot of love. For a lot of years I confused spreading love with having sex, but that’s mostly ‘cause we live in a world that tells us if we can’t sell it, it ain’t worth shit. Selling love isn’t too conventional. Sell sex’s itself.
Later, I played Charlie’s Angels with a group of kids who’d been designated male at birth but, like me, were comfortable stepping into female identity. I was the “Kelly.” I think they made me her ‘cause no one saw me as the smart one and no one thought I was pretty. I’ve always been part of a queer posse. It wasn’t until the movie “Paris is Burning” broke out in the 1990’s that I saw the full potential of being part a queer family—a gay gang. I wanted to be part of a house, but assumed I was past my prime.
Now, I own a house and I been thinking about how to put it to the best use. I think I have a lot to offer young queer folks who need a home. I’m not trying to start a charity. These waifs will have to bring something to the table—talent, a skill, desire, magick. The purpose of a house is to take home trophies! The house has to establish itself as formidable. The mother’s role is to whip her children into shape. She molds them into a shining array of jewels and then wears them to the ball.
Ladies and gentlemen and gender-noncomforming: I give you the House of Venus. A space to explore love and beauty in all its incarnations. Don’t come late—come fierce. Who’s ready to be legendary?
