Today we’d like to introduce you to Itzel Abrego.
Hi Itzel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve lived in Austin, Texas for about 16+ years. I came out to Austin in 2004 at 25, with a week’s worth of clothes and a car that was in default that I was living out of. I was newly divorced; my children were awarded to my abuser and I was starting life all over again. I worked as a Paralegal in Austin for about 10 years in Intellectual Properties, Mass Plaintiff litigation and Criminal Defense. I was a single parent of four, but a little hobby of mine turned in to a dream job. So I went back to school for Fashion and started am Austin based clothing line called Jinxedaposed. I showcased each season during New York Fashion week for five years. I was nominated for Austin Fashion Awards, won a Fashion Designer of the Year award and produced my own runway shows during Austin Fashion Week. Around this time, I started attending a particular drag show with my sister. I had been to drag shows before, but Poo Poo Platter was different. It was the first time I saw Drag that was more like performance art mixed with goth or alternative or even dark synth and I was in love. I became friends with cast members, used them for models, had them walk my runways, being the first in Austin to feature Trans & Queer Models in my showcases. In 2015, I began my career as a Drag King after, my Drag Mother Zane Zena, asked me to play a Male counterpart in her performance. I was hooked. I enjoyed performing on stage and once upon a time before I became a single parent, I loved to dance and perform. This piqued my interest. I became a full-time Drag King and a few years later I started up with Burlesque dance after 20 years.
I started teaching a beginner dance class at Austin Academy of Burlesque and I had regular gigs around Austin, including one reading for Drag Storytime at BookPeople. I was asked to come out to Leander Public library for Pride to read for kids and I thought it was a great idea to celebrate the LGBTQ community and family. After all, I am a Queer Indigenous person of color who was also a parent and I remember what it was like to feeling under-represented by Cis-Het dynamic couples. I was excited until I found out that a racist woman from Corpus Christi sent a 50 page report of my personal life to Alex Jones and the Mayor of Leander. Her report was filled with disgust for my Indigenous heritage, my Queer identity and felt like my Drag went against their religious beliefs. The Leander mayor chose to side with this bigoted rhetoric and cancel the event. Which was a shame, but I honestly was okay with it. Then the Alex Jones show came out with a show which spurted out hate speech towards me and my Drag family of Poo Poo Platter. He dubbed me, “Some Type of Bizarre Stripper” on his show and on his website, so I started receiving threats from people connected to hate groups and threats of being targeted by people who were in hate groups. This wasn’t my first time I had encountered hate groups and much like any bully, I stood up to this one. The next day, I applied for the trademark for the phrase “Some Type of Bizarre Stripper,” registered it as a website and even started a Production company with the moniker. I was told by a Christian Non-Denominal Pastor that it wasn’t decent for me to read to children, even though I was parent, because I taught dance classes at a Burlesque academy while we met privately in a coffee shop. I was asked to prove my innocence by submitting to a background check, which I had no problem with because of my legal background.
Then I had an epiphany, as I sat back angry at the situation, I was in. At the time, I was re-educating myself about my culture that was taken away from be by colonization, so I was learning more about being Two-Spirit, the gender dynamic of indigenous cultures and how racism and bigotry oppressed the beliefs and cultures of BIPOC people. So I decided to start Austin First All Trans Burlesque Troupe. Featuring and celebrating Trans Femme and Non-Binary bodies of color, all sizes and gender expressions. I wanted a troupe that can be celebrated by the community and empower Trans Performers, so that we never have to feel overlooked again. To acknowledge Burlesque and Cabaret dancing is legit work and can be performed by Transgender people in a safe space. We wear the Bizarre Stripper as a badge of courage and of honor and that we claim power over our Oppressors.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Since beginning the troupe in 2018, we were welcomed with open arms with the community. We sold out each showcase and it was amazing to get to provide a livable wage to my performers. We began to perform at Kick Butt Cafe and then moved to Scissor Sisters Hair show, after our friend Beau opened up his new Hair Salon/ Vintage store. Then much like a lot of businesses, Covid-19 hit and shut down our entire year of planned showcases and this nearly destroyed us. All of our savings we were saving to build our own Cabaret, was spent to keep our performers paid with emergency financial relief. We’re continuing to do virtual shows, however they have not been as profitable as in person shows. If it wasn’t for the fact that my performers have a passion and a love for this troupe, we probably wouldn’t continue forward. We’re all hopeful that 2021, will bring us back to live stages and live audiences again.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We are Austin’s Premier Trans Burlesque troupe. We specialize in Burlesque, Cabaret dancing and we are the only All Trans Burlesque Troupe registered with the Austin Burlesque Alliance. Our case includes a multitude of talented. I am the Owner, Founder and Producer, alongside with my Co-Founder and Co-Producer Sylvia Hatchet-Purchase. Our core cast includes: Louisianna Purchase from Dragula Season 3, Hermajestie a local artist and activist, Kara Foxx an award-winning pageant Queen, Ruby Knight a show Producer and visual artist, Marley Belle a Pianist who has played in Carnegie Hall and Estee Slaughter who is Celebrity Make-Up Artist and Influencer. We are available for public and private events once recommended Safety restrictions are lifted.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I’ve learned so far that a Performance Artist union is needed. Quite often Performance Artists, especially Queer BiPOC artists are well underpaid in a bar and restaurant industry. We provide entertainment for bars, pack them out in the pre-COVID-19 days and many of us felt left out. We don’t have an organization that helps us obtain affordable health insurance, we barely had COVID-19 relief and the process was very limited. I saw many of my friends risk their lives performing to crowds in order to pay their bills and eat. Many of which felt strongly about COVID-19 precautions, but these precautions were not backed by the bar or restaurant they performed at. These places often avoided strict guidelines in order to make money, often money that was barely able to pay livable wages. Bars and restaurants also needed much needed relief, because some have to stay open in order to survive or because they wanted to help their employees. While some venues have perished, we are hopeful moving forward and we hope to build a space one day so that we help change the way Queer performers are paid.
Contact Info:
- Email: bizarrestripperburlesque@gmail.com
- Website: www.somekindofbizarrestripper.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bizarrestripperburlesque
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/bizarreburlesque
Image Credits
Kaptured by Kadaver Photography and Good Lucifer
