By Miss Brawling Beauty

Bodies, historically, have always been political. From Grecian statues featuring nudity to the birth of burlesque in the 1860’s and now with the neo-burlesque movement in a world where it is becoming inherently clear that bodies are a political shopping spree, the human form has always had a foothold in the political agenda of the world.

I have performed under many names – Jade, Morgan, Italia, and the one that has become world-renowned: Miss Brawling Beauty – but the name is just the label that is slapped on the side of the rhinestone bag that is the inspiration for my photography. As a disabled pansexual polyamorous woman, I was inspired to create this queer erotic photography series to pay homage to the queer performers of neo-burlesque. There has always been a strong connection and history between burlesque and the queer performance art community. What has lacked, in my experience, is diversity.

When I began my journey into photography, I knew I wanted to feature the people who did not fit the societal standard of beauty. I wanted to showcase models of every size, shape, color, ability, and orientation. I also knew that I wanted to give my models a safe space to truly embrace their vision of their own beauty. I wanted my models to feel empowered to go beyond their comfort zone and find yet another facet in the diamond of their heart. I’ve been fortunate in my career to have always worked with wonderful photographers that made me feel safe and strong during photo shoots. However, this isn’t the case for all.

Madamee

I’ve heard many a harrowing truth that has instilled a sense of fear when working with a person and their camera, especially when it comes to queer erotic photography. Letting another human see all of you is vulnerable, no matter how long you’ve been doing it. I wanted to ensure that my models knew that they were in control of every aspect of the shoot and I was simply there to offer instruction and create a haven where they could let their bodies speak louder than words ever could.

While I wanted to feature beauty, I also wanted to feature inspiration. A pretty face does not always necessarily mean a pretty heart, a lesson that myself and others have learned the hard way over the years. Community is something that means a lot to me, because at the end of the day the members of the community are the ones who give us performers the space to exist, so being able to return that favor outside of a five minute dance or a single still photo is something near and dear to my heart.

Before my own health struggles, I founded the Candyland Christmas for Kids charity. Every Christmas season, we would host shows and raise money to donate to families that weren’t able to provide Christmas for their children. Some of the models I have featured in this spread have worked with queer charities like the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire, Planned Parenthood, the Utah Aids Foundation, the Golden Rule Project, and many more.

Each of the models featured have inspired me in the same way and when choosing which photos to feature in this series, there was no question. The models I’ve chosen to feature – Magnolia Minxxx, Boobzilla, Eros Sea, Ms. Meowgic, Kissy Griot, Maximus Twister, Suckerpunch Sally, and Madamee – inspired me with the passion they put into their own individual art form, advocation for queer erotic performance art, and steadfast work to inspire and lift up their local community. These models go beyond performing, and I truly believe they are a part of the performance generation that is going to keep the erotic arts at the forefront of the queer performance movement.

These beautiful people epitomize my vision as a photographer. They say a photo is worth a thousand words, but these photos, much like the label on the rhinestone bag, are just the beginning of the beauty these humans breathe into the world – I’m just honored I was allowed to capture a small, still moment of that beauty through the lens of my camera.

Miss Brawling Beauty is a pansexual polyamorous multi-talented artist. She has performed on America’s Got Talent and is known worldwide for her tassel twirling. She is one of the pioneers of the Utah burlesque movement and she holds numerous regional, national and international titles. In 2018 she was voted #80 most influential burlesque figures worldwide for The 21st Century Burlesque Magazine’s top 100. Miss Brawling Beauty has performed at the Burlesque Hall Of Fame in 2008 and 2019. Recently, she was crowned The 2022 Miss Viva Las Vegas Princess.

You can find more information about this Vegas artist via

Website: missbrawlingbeauty.com
Instagram: @brawlingbeauty
Twitter: #brawlingbeauty
Facebook: BrawlingBeauty

Email: brawlingbeautyburlesque@hotmail.com

This article was originally published in the premiere issue of PROUD & Kinky Magazine. You may read it in its original format here.

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