In a recent “5 Martini Lunch,” Las Vegas PRIDE had the opportunity to chat with one of our favorite local and vocal Burlesque performers. We chatted about strong men and women, strong cocktails, and, most importantly, the challenges of vaudeville/burlesque authenticity in performance in this “model type” home we call Las Vegas Entertainment! Lou Lou Roxy and Norma had a great afternoon!

There’s a moment that happens, sometimes on a stage, sometimes in a dungeon, sometimes in the quiet honesty of a conversation, when someone decides to stop shrinking. To stop apologizing. To stop waiting for permission. This issue of PROUD & Kinky Magazine lives squarely in that moment. From the velvet-draped rebellion of Las Vegas burlesque to the carefully negotiated fantasies of kink and roleplay, every story in these pages asks the same essential question: What happens when we show up fully, authentically, and without shame?

What's in a name? For some, they'll have only one: the name their parents gave them at some point in life's early moments. Others might change names as the seasons do, adopting new ones to suit their various moods, phases, or simply as it pleases them. I've found myself at an interesting crossroads lately, as I am realizing that while I have many names depending on how close we are, what stage in life you've met me, and the degree to which we might be kinky together...and that one of these names is starting to feel more like "me" than the others...and it wasn't the one I was given by my mom at birth; but it is close.

Fantasy has always been part of human intimacy. From childhood games of make-believe to the stories we tell ourselves as adults, imagination helps us explore identity, power, vulnerability, and desire. In kink and BDSM spaces, roleplay and fantasy become intentional, collaborative tools for consenting adults to step outside everyday norms and into something curated, negotiated, and deeply personal. At its best, roleplay isn’t about escaping reality. It’s about understanding ourselves more clearly through creativity, communication, and trust.