December 17, 2024 • 33 mins
This special episode revisits one of our most captivating conversations of the year, featuring a guest whose journey is as dazzling as it is inspiring. 🌟
Clue #1: Known as the "First Nations Drag Queen," they’re a proud Gamilaroi and Dunghutti person making waves in the LGBTQIA+ and First Nations communities. 💃🏽
Clue #2: Their story is one of resilience, passion, and breaking barriers, all while shining a light on the importance of self-expression and cultural pride. 🎭
Clue #3: They use their art to educate and empower, leaving an indelible mark on the worlds of drag and First Nations activism.
✨ We’re on holidays and will return with new episodes on the 22nd of January 2025! In the meantime, enjoy this unforgettable yarn and relive one of our best moments on the podcast. 🎧✨
Think you know who it is? Tune in now to find out!
Website: www.blackmagicwoman.com.au
Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast
The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities. Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Black cast Unite our voices. Black Magic Woman Podcast acknowledges
the traditional owners of the land we have recorded this
episode on. We also acknowledge traditional owners of the land
where you, the listener or viewer, are tuning in from.
We would like to pay our respects to our elders
past and present and acknowledged that this always was Aboriginal
(00:25):
land and always will be Aboriginal land.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Welcome to the Glass Magic Woman Podcast with Mandinara Bail.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I am here on the couch on the beautiful lands
of the Gadigill People, with the one and only Felicia Fox,
who most people will know if you're on Instagram or
if you just have been around. This is the Black
Magic Woman Podcast and we are going to talk about
(01:00):
all things. We're going to talk about the catwalk Australian
Fashion Week, We're going to talk about the ray Bend thing.
Like you have been up to so much. I've been
watching you and following you for quite some time. So please,
if you don't mind, can you share with our listeners
(01:21):
and also our amazing viewers now on YouTube. Tell us
a little bit about you, your name, your mob, where
you grew up and how you became so fabulous.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
My name is Miss Felicia Fox, the deadliest and youngest
everygond drag queen on this scene. My birth name is
Wendel frenchm. I grew up out in Campbelltown. My mom's
mom originally from Kemsey don Guttion Mob, and my dad's
my Buck Malauriy Mob up from Walgut and Maury, Big
Maury Madness in the house.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
All right, Which about Maury? No, No, there's Tula Tigers
May with the Boomerangs madness. And I know this because
the red fern all Blacks back in the.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Day Big is Bras, biggest Bruise hotel rooms and all.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
It was fifty years of Coury knockout for all your
mob or your Coury's Murray's. Now we've got the Murray knockout.
So being a Cooury growing up in Campbelltown with connections
back to Kempsee and also back to Maury, how have
you found? I guess living in Sydney because a lot
(02:26):
of people that come from elsewhere, like come from Maury,
come to Sydney and it's usually to escape these little
small towns.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah, I think you ate up and chewed up and
spat out straight aun their straight head back.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Straight to Murray and you've survived.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
I've survived still here. Well for me, growing up in Campbelltown,
you know, it was very it's very an unawoke town.
There wasn't enough queer people out there. I had no
queen representation that I got to see growing up out there.
The first drag queen that I got to see growing
up was when I was ten years old out of
ball that my mum ran for Campbelltown Ghost, which is
the team of part of the original UGU League Knockout,
(03:01):
and there was a drag queen called Miss Wilhelmine and
she's from will Kenya and Mudgie and she was just
absolutely amazing. I got to see her in the flesh
in front of all my family, who's some are transphobic, homophobic,
and it was like all of them sat there, you know,
with a big grin, They're all teeth smiling up and
I just thought, if this person can come and captivate
(03:22):
my mob, who I know are homophobic and transphobic, and
they sat there and actually were interested in this person.
I was like, who is this person? And I was
always dressing up, you know, growing up. I actually got
sent to Fato. The other day, my preschool teacher sent
me a photo of me dressed up at pre school
and I brought this memory back instantly. I remembered these
(03:43):
high heels. They were always in the dress up area
at my preschool. I'll always hide them. So the next
day that I went there, my little pair of kick
claks were still there, claiming high heels and KINDI in
pre school. I knew straight away, and.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Your mom and your dad like did they know as well?
They always knew.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
I was always dressing up, wanted to play teachers of
little sisters, and I was like, no, I'm not missed
miss els today, dressing up in all the heels, using
mum's teatowels as my wigs, always getting bashed with my
tea toows Now I got my tea toowth to wash up.
That was aly my reminder, my pillow and my little
weeks back in the day.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
In terms of like, you know, the support that you've had,
Like how did you get to a point where you
are one of the most sought after, if you want
to say, drag queens influences, like people know you. I
was just at the after pay Australian Fashion week with you,
(04:40):
and like I was holding your drink for a million
hours with my tender Bobby lock. Yeah, We're like, where
is this fulla?
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Where are you?
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Where are you at? And he came back with like
all these photos that people wanted to get photos with you.
They weren't just mob like people know you. You have made
a name for yourself. How did you get to this point?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
So I've been doing drag now for about five and
a half years, but it wasn't really until I started
to utilize my platform as a drag queen proper ways
now and I started doing activism through my drag because
it was like, I'm performing in these venues, in these organizations,
at these events that are predominantly white mob or an
indigenous mob, and this is the time that I want
to utilize that time, whether I'm up there for two
(05:25):
minutes or four minutes, I want to, you know, do
my little Whitney Houston track here. But halfway through that track,
you know, I might use Shrina Clinton's voice servers that
she's done at a you know, deadly big campaign that
she's done, and it's like I love to use you know,
people like Uncle Tiger speeches that he said that it's
still in the media, still spiraling around. I love to
(05:45):
grab you know, media that has been used from our
old people and still use it in this day and age.
And it's just doing what our ancestors did, you know,
carrying on that story and.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, like you're repurposing, yeah like stories, media, the archives,
and you are making it palatable for people of this
generation and also people of the older generation, both black
and white and everyone else in this country. There has
(06:16):
been a shift because the whole vote yes, vote no
for gay marriage, for equal marriage happened, and the amount
of support for the rainbow community LBGTIQ plus and I
know there's a lot of other acronyms, but let's stick
to the rainbow community. And I hope it's not offensively
(06:36):
saying the rainbow putting everyone under the rainbow banner. There's
been a lot of support. Have you found that, I
don't know. We just celebrated World Pride. We had you know,
Marti Grass here, and I know that they got almost
of the seventy seventy eights like they were staunch, A
(07:00):
lot of them were not Indigenous that they went out
out there. They got bashed with bad ends, very conservative
time here in Australia back in the seventies. So I've
seen the progress, you know with Marti Grass and that
celebration of our rainbow community. What do you think as
a young black do you identify as queer?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Okay, so as a young black queer person, what progress
have you seen? And you're not that old, like, you're
quite young. What progress have you seen or what progress
would you like to see.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
You know, in terms of the queer community here in Sydney.
Being a young blackfellow who identified as pen sexual on
this scene, it was very hard to get a start
on this scene. Being black. You walk down Oxford Street
and you have all predominant white drag queens down that strip,
and you know, if you don't dress a certain way,
if you don't look a certain type of way, then
you're not good enough for this scene. And I came
(08:01):
out on the scene. I didn't want to wear stockings
to cover up my love long black legs, and yeah
they're still hairy some days, and I'm going to show
that off and getting in touch with my androgynists. Can
I swear on here gender bend? You know, I come
to terms with my body and being on this scene.
I was like, I don't want to be like all
(08:21):
you white drag queens performed to a Madonna track, perform
to this, and that there's still a lot of progress
to come in terms of the First Nation's community within
the queer community here in Sydney. And I think it's
not even just within Sydney, it's broader. Everyone's always contacted
me and saying that there's there's not enough you know,
black drag queen presence in the scene. There's not enough
you know, black queer presence within the scene, and I
(08:44):
think that has to change. But like you were saying before,
they can talk to talk, but can they walk the
walk and actually make us a part of you know,
like on the weekend, let's just take this for as
an example, they had a Vogue Ball, and a Vogue
Ball is the trans community here in Sydney, and they
want to talk about being all inclusive and make all
this mob feel safe. But I realized at this event
(09:06):
that all the black mob First Nations migrated to the
back of this event, and that, you know, that made
all the hairs on my skin stand up because it
was like, why do we yeah, we all see one another?
And we automatically or migrate and get together. But why
are we at an event that is supposed to be
all inclusive and for POC, more people of color, and
(09:27):
why do we feel uncomfortable with in this space still
on our land, on stolen land?
Speaker 1 (09:32):
And that's such a great point because we seem to
talk about as a society as being inclusive and multicultural
and diverse and all of this stuff, but in reality
things are different. And you know, until you kind of
hear people like you speak openly and publicly and share,
(09:56):
you know, your journey so far and just saying, you know,
it's taken a while for you to be comfortable in
your own skin, not to have the stockings on, have
hairy legs if you want to have hairy legs. Sometimes
you wear your be sometimes you clean cut, sometimes you
wear your big I see you on your Insta just
being you. And you know, if young people, I know
(10:19):
a lot of young people that are struggling with their
identity add sexuality with that, how did you get to
a point where you felt confident or even comfortable to
share your sexuality with people that are near and dear
(10:41):
to you? Do you want to share that moment with us.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I had to find, you know, my community. I had
to migrate out a little old Campbelltown. I was born
and bred out there in Campbelltown. I had to escape
from out there and come into the city where you know,
I would see people like myself and then you know,
they might even look like me, but they're not go
up and have a yarn to them. But then it
was like, oh, we don't connect because you know I
have You've got no community based like things in your
(11:08):
head like black follow ways. Yes, so then.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
You've never met someone like me, and I've never really
met someone like you. So then I just so it
kind of it's like we're saying same but very different.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Very different. Yeah, okay, So I had to you know,
tap into all these different communities, queer communities, trans communities
within here in Sydney, and the trans community really took
me under their wing. The Vogue community. So the Vogue
scene here in Sydney is absolutely amazing and thriving at
the moment. A big shout out to Benji rah and
or the mob in the TeV Island is just a
girl exam that are making this scene absolutely amazing and
(11:43):
more encouraging for you know our mob to be a
part of that. But it was just sickening that I
had to go out of my community where I did
feel safe in Campbell Town, moved into Fairfield into my
first house, had to move out of that house because
I didn't feel comfortable within that community, and then now
move into the city where I thrive, and I just
feel like, you know, I can wake up in the morning,
(12:05):
put my pleas on my big stripper heels and put
on anything and just walk down and get my bread
and milk, or walk around and just strut around and
feel like, you know, I'm not being stay can tolerate me.
But I don't only want to be tolerated. I want
to be celebrated, you know by these mob who are uneducated,
are ignorant and have never had somebody like me a
part of their life, or have ever in their day
(12:28):
in life been authentic to themselves.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Of course, And I was just going to say, in
terms of you being able to just walk out of
the house in your heels, go get bread and milk,
do you get stopped like you were getting stopped today?
And I know we were out, you know, Australian Fashion Week,
but the amount of people that notice you not only
just notice you, but like want they want you to
(12:55):
know who they are. Is well, hey, I'm this, here's
my insta and you were doing you were doing business,
you were doing you right and working it. How does
that feel to be this young kid from Campbelltown You
had to leave your community to be able to just
be you and then to be now like who you
(13:18):
are now and have people from all walks of life
wanting to know you, want to get a photo of you, Like,
how does it make you feel on top of the world?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Empowered? Yeah, because, like I was saying before, growing up
in Campbellton, I never had no representation of myself. So
I hope me being me and me doing me, there's
other little Budgies and other little titters out there who
were just seeing me be my most authentic self. And
like today I was caught And then I realized that
the word spells charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
So you can turn that into a positive.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Yes, So I just hope that everyone's seeing me with
my chrisma, uniqus, nerve, and talent, or especially little black
Woodes and titters, anyone who's out there struggling with their
identity just sees me and that just gives it one
little bit of inspiration to walk outside in you know,
with an accessory that they might have walked out with before,
or you know, hair color or ellipstick color, just anything
(14:14):
day by day ticket step by step with or any
little thing.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
And I was gonna say, like, you know, support services
actually having Aboriginal and Tarish at Irelander, like dedicated services
or organizations that you can reach out. Are their organizations for.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Black Mob that has recently just been a company that
started in Redfern. They're located at the National Center of
Nigen's Excellence NCAE. They're called Black Aboriginal Cooperation.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Oh yes, b l AQQ. I'm going to just really
be cheeky here. And because I was talking to him today,
William truelan big shout out to you, Will because I
remember when I first met you, you were trying to
set up Black and he you know, a step back.
Now I know you've stepped back and your amazing business
(15:08):
yarn up has taken off. So I was I saw
Black come up when Will started the LinkedIn page. Then
Kelvin Klein jumped on board and I saw Black's kind
of little logo on a pack of c K jocks. Yeah,
so a portion of that sale goes back to this organization.
(15:34):
So that's amazing. You've got Black, that's national organizations. So look,
if any of our mob are wondering if there is
services or organizations, will make sure we add the organization
Black in our show notes. Did you find yourself wanting
to I don't know, get more information too, I don't know,
(15:56):
go to the medical service and talk to a youth worker, like,
was there any organizations that you felt that you could
go to and access support or when it comes to
health health care sexual health.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
I think for me, the sexual health having acorn Acon
are absolutely amazing. They have an abidinal department down in
that Aneyjin Jane from Redfern is running at the moment,
so we shout out to Aiginny. And you know when
I was I only had my first sexual health test
when I was twenty one years old. I'm twenty two now,
so last year was the first ever time I had
(16:32):
a sexual health test because I was too scared, I
was too shame of what the results going to come
back as come.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Back clean anyways, but it was just say is no
right say his name, but it's so important, like just
for blackfellows to go to the doctors, right, Yeah, a
lot of our mob have chronic diseases. A lot of
our mob die from preventable diseases such as diabetes, high sugars,
(17:01):
high cholesterra, all of the stress, Yeah, depression, cigarettes, Like,
there's so much that we could talk about that you
know have contributed to our health and our well being.
But to add another layer, another dimension, you're talking about,
you know, being a queen black person wanting to go
(17:23):
into a medical service to get a sexual health test
or assessment. It's something that like you said, like you
it's one year ago that you had the courage to
go and do that. So is there now in your eyes?
Is there? I guess you know, more awareness, more education,
(17:46):
more support for our mob in particular when it comes
to sexual health and getting you know, getting the services
and getting culturally appropriate services delivered to them.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
I think for myself, being a queer Black fellow, having
acon with our Aberiginal department down there and not having
to go into an AMS ticket, the sexual health test
for me was one hundred thousand percent better because you know,
the community conflicts that come with little black organizations, it's
like yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Yeah, and he works there, and your brother, your sister.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
And then that'll be the yarns, that'll be the story
getting around community about this afternoon.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
And we know that you are meant to be kind
of I don't know, you know, there is a kind
of what is it called confidence finality, but blackfellows sometimes
you kind of go, look, you don't know where this
information is going to go. So with Acon, you felt
that you could trust the organization.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Yeah, trusted, supported, and they followed back up after a
week or two. If I didn't go back and get
the test, that ring and we up, how are you are?
You like too windy to come back and get your
test results? And it was like, well, yeah, I don't
want to be coming in there being told I got
a big hepatitis or whatever. And then just having them,
you know, follow up constantly. Even after the sexual health
results came back, they still stay in contact with and
(19:04):
send out their little weekly programs and stuff that they
have up there. It was just good to stay in
contact with queen mob who you know, are going through
the exact same thing, especially queen black trans people who
are coming down and moving here into Sydney that are
getting involved in the sex work, and with sex works
come through abusing the narcotics that come. And I feel
for a lot of my sisters who are still doing
(19:24):
sex work. You know, I've stopped doing sex work now
but a year and a half ago, but I know
a lot of sisters who are out there still doing it.
They could use the support from Akon and Black. So
just all those sisters out there, please know that support
is there and there's no judgment and no shame.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
And I think that's one of the biggest thing is
that we are such a supportive community, like it's embedded
within our culture, but there's still a lot of our
mob you know that, you know, our judgmental that do
look down upon others that are struggling. It could be
struggling with their identity, their sexuality, with addiction. Me growing
(19:58):
up in Redfern, like, I've seen all of this firsthand
and it made me much more empathetic when I see
people struggling, even white fellows struggling. My kids cannot walk past,
cannot walk past somebody who's homeless, and I just want
to say, like my daughter Tiger Lily and I know
the rest of listening Jada and Lemechia, they usually say,
(20:19):
why don't you say hello to us? Mom? But my
kids I've raised them, my husband and I we've raised
them to not ever walk past somebody that's doing it tough.
And you know, especially when you see people, you know,
whether they're dressed up, having a good time, you know,
in address and people might point at you. There's some
(20:42):
kids to kind of not too sure what what's going
on here. You must get that all the time. And
I've had to say to my kids, that's all right,
that's your mom, that's your uncle, that's j Arnie and
you know my family. And he's come to Brisbane. What's
been some of your greatest achievements? And I'm sure you've
got many achievements to share, but what's the of your
(21:03):
greatest achievements that you could share with us?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I think most recently for World Pride, for the whole
two weeks of World Pride, I took over the Queen
Victoria Building and Victoria was slashed out for the commencemental
World Pride, and it had my name, so it was
the Queen Felicia Building and it was honoring Pride Royalty
and for me to be in that building it was
like dismantling the patriarchy. You've got this land and take
(21:27):
a my land back from the little dog as he
stole it. But just being able to you know, be
me and be existent within that space was absolutely deadly.
You know, I just finished shooting a raybn's campaign. It's
an international campaign. They've came up with these new smart glasses.
You can live stream through the glasses and all you
can listen to your music through the glasses.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Oh my gosh, I've seen these.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
And we did the production with campfire X, who were
absolutely amazing. That's Brad Cook and he just started this
all black production company. So from the camera crew, from
the audio, from larding technical, everyone's black on the setting. Yes,
is absolutely amazing.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
And he's co found a business partner brother, Peter Kirk
Brad Cook. Big shout out to both of you. We're
trying to get Brad on the podcast. You haven't made
it happen. There is an episode of Peter Kirk back back,
like you know, maybe a year or two ago. So
it's so good that you've just mentioned campfire X and
how important it is to have an all black set.
(22:28):
You've got Black Mob on set working with Rayvens and
you as the talent that experience. You know, I guess
for a lot of people it's probably a new experience.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Yes, it's a ton, but walking to home it was like,
oh I got a little mobbia today. Rock and Black
felt time lately. Agavan I was there.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
On time because she's still going to be professional, but just.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Having mob there, you know, it felt like I wasn't
out of place, I wasn't uncomfortable. It was more empowered
seeing my mob behind the cameras and it was just deadly.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
I'm so pleased. I just want people, especially listening to
this yarn, if any of this is bringing up anything,
any emotions or anything for triggered by We now have
one three yarn. We've got a dedicated national hotline that
mob can ring and to talk to somebody on the
(23:24):
other line that is also an aboriginal or torush on
a person. So you know, for young people, for older people,
for members of our own family that might be listening
to this. I really do hope that it starts to
I guess make people think, you know, a lot of
our mob, a lot of our mom you know either
(23:47):
gay or lesbians or queer non binary A lot of
our mom We know a lot of people, so we're
more likely to be a lot more empathetic and compassion
and compassionate.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
It's funny you say that, because I just had a
yarn to my drag mother and she is from Lowerkey
Country up and we're speaking about the gender roles within
dreamtime stories from up that way, and she was speaking
about how there were never male female gender roles in
this country where she's from Larakia country, and that non
(24:20):
binary mob have always been existent within our gender roles
up that way, and in fact, how can colonialism come
around and happen? We get colonized, and then some of
our mobs still to this day are stuck in defying
roles by using the gender binary and going back. But
(24:42):
they still want to sit here and talk about pre colonization.
But they're still here colonizing themselves, being contradictive of what
they're saying, and still putting us on this gender binary.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah. So there's a whole process of our own mob
needing to decolonize our own thoughts and behaviors when it
comes to accepting whether you want to sit with the women,
or sit with the men, or make your own circle,
create your own campfire. Why can't that be? And I
(25:13):
think that's really interesting because we talk about you know,
in Aboriginal culture, it's all about balance, you know, everything
being in balance. We never really had issues around equality,
but balance occurs in nature, and we work really hard
to get things back into balance, especially when it comes
to relationships. You know, how do we minimize those potentials
(25:34):
for conflict? How do we get along with each other
so that we don't go to war with each other
or take each other out? You know that, you know,
Western world and the impacts of colonialism has interfered with
our culture and it has created an imbalance within our
families and within our societies. So there's so much there,
(25:58):
you know, for us to even think about, how do
we go back to our old ways with all of
those pressures from mainstream society where it's not a pressure anymore,
we don't see it as a challenge anymore, trying to
navigate you know, society, West society.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
That's how I bought that young up to you before
when I first seen you and we're walking down to
fashion week there, how me mama starting this new debutante
event out in Campbelltown. But it's not going to be
just for females who are making their debutante going out
into the world as green women. It's like, let's just
gender binary off, Let's break some barriers and smash some
stigmas and make it for any gender. Yeah, female and male,
(26:42):
you can be any which week you.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Tell me how you want to be. And that's really
important because I've only just been educated recently. Birdie bird,
big shout out to your Birdie. When I went to
have a meeting with them, I didn't know who I
was meeting, and I said to the concierge, I've got
a meeting with Bertie. And he's like, Birdie, you're not
make Birdie bird And he goes, is it he or
(27:05):
is she? And I said, that's a great question. Because
I don't google people before I go for a meeting.
I look over in the four year at the hotel
and I saw this person and I looked over and
they looked at me, and I was like, Okay, that
must be Bernie. And my one hour meeting over dinner
went for three hours. It was my first ever educational session.
(27:28):
But you know, there's a lot of labor within that
because I'm asking all these questions that I had never
I don't even think that i've I was curious to
know what this they and there meant. All I know
is that a lot of email signatures these days, and
this is really good because I still don't have it
in my email signature. A lot of email signatures have pronouns,
(27:49):
because my pronouns are they, then yes, and I'm she
and then you've got his him. I did not know
at all that when I look at an email signature,
I now know how they identify. So then when i'm
email emailing, you know, I'm not referring to you as
either he or she or assuming because you've got a
(28:10):
male name that you must identify as a male. That
was the best dinner over three hours, and I told
Bertie I owe them big time. And it's you know,
it's it makes you really think, and that's sometimes you
know our own it's not it's kind of like laziness
that it's or it's like it's been.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Ingrained when you is Mara when I meet you, but
I would say I was going to call you Musina.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Yes. So that was like full on a big night
for me, and it was it was the start of
my learning. And even that moment, I thought of you,
and I started to think about like Bertie is in
their mid forties and it was only recently that they
watched this documentary and there was this story of this
(29:02):
person and talking about how they identify as non binary,
and Bertie went that that's me for my whole life.
My whole life. I have never fitted into a he
or a sheet. Yeah, and I didn't know what fox
I was in.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Well when I first started I so I was in
hormones for about a year and a half. I was
doing the full transition to transition to female because I
thought I was full female and I didn't know where
I fitted it on the binary, whether I was male female.
I was always feminine growing up. And then when non
binary came out and I fully understood it that I
could tap into my two spirits and being a black father,
(29:41):
I don't even like calling it non binary. I love
calling it two spirited. I love this because I can
tap into my masculine spirit, then I can tap into
my feminine spirit. And you know, any which way, whether
I want to wake up in the morning, put my
football shorts on, or whether I want to wake up and
put a skirt on. Yes, like I've finally found where
I lie with the gender binary, and it's like the
binary altogether. Let's take it away and not have these
(30:02):
gender roles that make people feel like they have to
choose a gender role in this day and age in society.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Oh my goodness, we could be yearning all day or not,
but we need to get to dinner.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Yes, this hungry.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Oh my gosh, we are literally about to have the
most amazing dinner after the biggest day. I was up
at three point forty five am to get ready. You
just don't roll out of bed looking like this. So
I've had a big day. I cannot wait to go
and have dinner and keep yearning. But I am curious
to know. You used to be on a radio show
(30:36):
with Corey Radio, and I haven't heard you on there
for a while. So will you be making a comeback
and if so, can we talk?
Speaker 2 (30:45):
Yes? So definitely go to be making a come back
to a community radio, but we'll be making a comeback
to a podcast. So keep your e is peeled and
your eyes Oh.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Did you hear this? This voice needs to be heard.
People need to know you.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Cause you miss this old you're cheating a cree radio.
Don't points th FM live and deadly with your tinner
Felicia Fox taking you r up to six pm or say,
and what a way.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
To wrap up this deadly by basically signing out. We
are signing out now, over and out. Thank you so much.
You have been more than amazing to give up your
time to educate not just myself but also my listeners
and viewers, and hopefully they feel a little bit more
comfortable having these conversations that they haven't yet had with people,
(31:35):
maybe in their family, community or even in the workplace.
So you can reach the deadly Felicia Fox on Insta.
All of the handles will be in our show notes.
And if you think that this podcast is for someone
that may be struggling with their identity sexual identity, not
knowing what help is out their support services, give them
(32:00):
a listen send. This podcast needs to go out all
over the country, all over the world and let more
people know that there are people like them that do
exist and have been able to create an amazing life.
And watch this space. I'm sure there's much more to come.
You're only twenty two. I cannot get over that? All righty.
(32:20):
On that note, I hope you've enjoyed this episode by
for now thank you. If you'd like any more on
today's guest, please visit our show notes in the episode description.
A big shout out to all you Deadly Mob and
allies who continue to listen, watch, and support our podcast.
(32:40):
Your feedback means the world. You can rate and review
the podcast on Apple and Spotify, or even head to
our socials and YouTube channel and drop us a line.
We'd love to hear from you. The Black Magic Woman
podcast is produced by Clint Curtis
Black cast Unite our voices. Black Magic Woman Podcast acknowledges
the traditional owners of the land we have recorded this
episode on. We also acknowledge traditional owners of the land
where you, the listener or viewer, are tuning in from.
We would like to pay our respects to our elders
past and present and acknowledged that this always was Aboriginal
(00:25):
land and always will be Aboriginal land.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Welcome to the Glass Magic Woman Podcast with Mandinara Bail.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I am here on the couch on the beautiful lands
of the Gadigill People, with the one and only Felicia Fox,
who most people will know if you're on Instagram or
if you just have been around. This is the Black
Magic Woman Podcast and we are going to talk about
(01:00):
all things. We're going to talk about the catwalk Australian
Fashion Week, We're going to talk about the ray Bend thing.
Like you have been up to so much. I've been
watching you and following you for quite some time. So please,
if you don't mind, can you share with our listeners
(01:21):
and also our amazing viewers now on YouTube. Tell us
a little bit about you, your name, your mob, where
you grew up and how you became so fabulous.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
My name is Miss Felicia Fox, the deadliest and youngest
everygond drag queen on this scene. My birth name is
Wendel frenchm. I grew up out in Campbelltown. My mom's
mom originally from Kemsey don Guttion Mob, and my dad's
my Buck Malauriy Mob up from Walgut and Maury, Big
Maury Madness in the house.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
All right, Which about Maury? No, No, there's Tula Tigers
May with the Boomerangs madness. And I know this because
the red fern all Blacks back in the.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Day Big is Bras, biggest Bruise hotel rooms and all.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
It was fifty years of Coury knockout for all your
mob or your Coury's Murray's. Now we've got the Murray knockout.
So being a Cooury growing up in Campbelltown with connections
back to Kempsee and also back to Maury, how have
you found? I guess living in Sydney because a lot
(02:26):
of people that come from elsewhere, like come from Maury,
come to Sydney and it's usually to escape these little
small towns.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah, I think you ate up and chewed up and
spat out straight aun their straight head back.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Straight to Murray and you've survived.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
I've survived still here. Well for me, growing up in Campbelltown,
you know, it was very it's very an unawoke town.
There wasn't enough queer people out there. I had no
queen representation that I got to see growing up out there.
The first drag queen that I got to see growing
up was when I was ten years old out of
ball that my mum ran for Campbelltown Ghost, which is
the team of part of the original UGU League Knockout,
(03:01):
and there was a drag queen called Miss Wilhelmine and
she's from will Kenya and Mudgie and she was just
absolutely amazing. I got to see her in the flesh
in front of all my family, who's some are transphobic, homophobic,
and it was like all of them sat there, you know,
with a big grin, They're all teeth smiling up and
I just thought, if this person can come and captivate
(03:22):
my mob, who I know are homophobic and transphobic, and
they sat there and actually were interested in this person.
I was like, who is this person? And I was
always dressing up, you know, growing up. I actually got
sent to Fato. The other day, my preschool teacher sent
me a photo of me dressed up at pre school
and I brought this memory back instantly. I remembered these
(03:43):
high heels. They were always in the dress up area
at my preschool. I'll always hide them. So the next
day that I went there, my little pair of kick
claks were still there, claiming high heels and KINDI in
pre school. I knew straight away, and.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Your mom and your dad like did they know as well?
They always knew.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
I was always dressing up, wanted to play teachers of
little sisters, and I was like, no, I'm not missed
miss els today, dressing up in all the heels, using
mum's teatowels as my wigs, always getting bashed with my
tea toows Now I got my tea toowth to wash up.
That was aly my reminder, my pillow and my little
weeks back in the day.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
In terms of like, you know, the support that you've had,
Like how did you get to a point where you
are one of the most sought after, if you want
to say, drag queens influences, like people know you. I
was just at the after pay Australian Fashion week with you,
(04:40):
and like I was holding your drink for a million
hours with my tender Bobby lock. Yeah, We're like, where
is this fulla?
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Where are you?
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Where are you at? And he came back with like
all these photos that people wanted to get photos with you.
They weren't just mob like people know you. You have made
a name for yourself. How did you get to this point?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
So I've been doing drag now for about five and
a half years, but it wasn't really until I started
to utilize my platform as a drag queen proper ways
now and I started doing activism through my drag because
it was like, I'm performing in these venues, in these organizations,
at these events that are predominantly white mob or an
indigenous mob, and this is the time that I want
to utilize that time, whether I'm up there for two
(05:25):
minutes or four minutes, I want to, you know, do
my little Whitney Houston track here. But halfway through that track,
you know, I might use Shrina Clinton's voice servers that
she's done at a you know, deadly big campaign that
she's done, and it's like I love to use you know,
people like Uncle Tiger speeches that he said that it's
still in the media, still spiraling around. I love to
(05:45):
grab you know, media that has been used from our
old people and still use it in this day and age.
And it's just doing what our ancestors did, you know,
carrying on that story and.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, like you're repurposing, yeah like stories, media, the archives,
and you are making it palatable for people of this
generation and also people of the older generation, both black
and white and everyone else in this country. There has
(06:16):
been a shift because the whole vote yes, vote no
for gay marriage, for equal marriage happened, and the amount
of support for the rainbow community LBGTIQ plus and I
know there's a lot of other acronyms, but let's stick
to the rainbow community. And I hope it's not offensively
(06:36):
saying the rainbow putting everyone under the rainbow banner. There's
been a lot of support. Have you found that, I
don't know. We just celebrated World Pride. We had you know,
Marti Grass here, and I know that they got almost
of the seventy seventy eights like they were staunch, A
(07:00):
lot of them were not Indigenous that they went out
out there. They got bashed with bad ends, very conservative
time here in Australia back in the seventies. So I've
seen the progress, you know with Marti Grass and that
celebration of our rainbow community. What do you think as
a young black do you identify as queer?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Okay, so as a young black queer person, what progress
have you seen? And you're not that old, like, you're
quite young. What progress have you seen or what progress
would you like to see.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
You know, in terms of the queer community here in Sydney.
Being a young blackfellow who identified as pen sexual on
this scene, it was very hard to get a start
on this scene. Being black. You walk down Oxford Street
and you have all predominant white drag queens down that strip,
and you know, if you don't dress a certain way,
if you don't look a certain type of way, then
you're not good enough for this scene. And I came
(08:01):
out on the scene. I didn't want to wear stockings
to cover up my love long black legs, and yeah
they're still hairy some days, and I'm going to show
that off and getting in touch with my androgynists. Can
I swear on here gender bend? You know, I come
to terms with my body and being on this scene.
I was like, I don't want to be like all
(08:21):
you white drag queens performed to a Madonna track, perform
to this, and that there's still a lot of progress
to come in terms of the First Nation's community within
the queer community here in Sydney. And I think it's
not even just within Sydney, it's broader. Everyone's always contacted
me and saying that there's there's not enough you know,
black drag queen presence in the scene. There's not enough
you know, black queer presence within the scene, and I
(08:44):
think that has to change. But like you were saying before,
they can talk to talk, but can they walk the
walk and actually make us a part of you know,
like on the weekend, let's just take this for as
an example, they had a Vogue Ball, and a Vogue
Ball is the trans community here in Sydney, and they
want to talk about being all inclusive and make all
this mob feel safe. But I realized at this event
(09:06):
that all the black mob First Nations migrated to the
back of this event, and that, you know, that made
all the hairs on my skin stand up because it
was like, why do we yeah, we all see one another?
And we automatically or migrate and get together. But why
are we at an event that is supposed to be
all inclusive and for POC, more people of color, and
(09:27):
why do we feel uncomfortable with in this space still
on our land, on stolen land?
Speaker 1 (09:32):
And that's such a great point because we seem to
talk about as a society as being inclusive and multicultural
and diverse and all of this stuff, but in reality
things are different. And you know, until you kind of
hear people like you speak openly and publicly and share,
(09:56):
you know, your journey so far and just saying, you know,
it's taken a while for you to be comfortable in
your own skin, not to have the stockings on, have
hairy legs if you want to have hairy legs. Sometimes
you wear your be sometimes you clean cut, sometimes you
wear your big I see you on your Insta just
being you. And you know, if young people, I know
(10:19):
a lot of young people that are struggling with their
identity add sexuality with that, how did you get to
a point where you felt confident or even comfortable to
share your sexuality with people that are near and dear
(10:41):
to you? Do you want to share that moment with us.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I had to find, you know, my community. I had
to migrate out a little old Campbelltown. I was born
and bred out there in Campbelltown. I had to escape
from out there and come into the city where you know,
I would see people like myself and then you know,
they might even look like me, but they're not go
up and have a yarn to them. But then it
was like, oh, we don't connect because you know I
have You've got no community based like things in your
(11:08):
head like black follow ways. Yes, so then.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
You've never met someone like me, and I've never really
met someone like you. So then I just so it
kind of it's like we're saying same but very different.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Very different. Yeah, okay, So I had to you know,
tap into all these different communities, queer communities, trans communities
within here in Sydney, and the trans community really took
me under their wing. The Vogue community. So the Vogue
scene here in Sydney is absolutely amazing and thriving at
the moment. A big shout out to Benji rah and
or the mob in the TeV Island is just a
girl exam that are making this scene absolutely amazing and
(11:43):
more encouraging for you know our mob to be a
part of that. But it was just sickening that I
had to go out of my community where I did
feel safe in Campbell Town, moved into Fairfield into my
first house, had to move out of that house because
I didn't feel comfortable within that community, and then now
move into the city where I thrive, and I just
feel like, you know, I can wake up in the morning,
(12:05):
put my pleas on my big stripper heels and put
on anything and just walk down and get my bread
and milk, or walk around and just strut around and
feel like, you know, I'm not being stay can tolerate me.
But I don't only want to be tolerated. I want
to be celebrated, you know by these mob who are uneducated,
are ignorant and have never had somebody like me a
part of their life, or have ever in their day
(12:28):
in life been authentic to themselves.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Of course, And I was just going to say, in
terms of you being able to just walk out of
the house in your heels, go get bread and milk,
do you get stopped like you were getting stopped today?
And I know we were out, you know, Australian Fashion Week,
but the amount of people that notice you not only
just notice you, but like want they want you to
(12:55):
know who they are. Is well, hey, I'm this, here's
my insta and you were doing you were doing business,
you were doing you right and working it. How does
that feel to be this young kid from Campbelltown You
had to leave your community to be able to just
be you and then to be now like who you
(13:18):
are now and have people from all walks of life
wanting to know you, want to get a photo of you, Like,
how does it make you feel on top of the world?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Empowered? Yeah, because, like I was saying before, growing up
in Campbellton, I never had no representation of myself. So
I hope me being me and me doing me, there's
other little Budgies and other little titters out there who
were just seeing me be my most authentic self. And
like today I was caught And then I realized that
the word spells charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
So you can turn that into a positive.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Yes, So I just hope that everyone's seeing me with
my chrisma, uniqus, nerve, and talent, or especially little black
Woodes and titters, anyone who's out there struggling with their
identity just sees me and that just gives it one
little bit of inspiration to walk outside in you know,
with an accessory that they might have walked out with before,
or you know, hair color or ellipstick color, just anything
(14:14):
day by day ticket step by step with or any
little thing.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
And I was gonna say, like, you know, support services
actually having Aboriginal and Tarish at Irelander, like dedicated services
or organizations that you can reach out. Are their organizations for.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Black Mob that has recently just been a company that
started in Redfern. They're located at the National Center of
Nigen's Excellence NCAE. They're called Black Aboriginal Cooperation.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Oh yes, b l AQQ. I'm going to just really
be cheeky here. And because I was talking to him today,
William truelan big shout out to you, Will because I
remember when I first met you, you were trying to
set up Black and he you know, a step back.
Now I know you've stepped back and your amazing business
(15:08):
yarn up has taken off. So I was I saw
Black come up when Will started the LinkedIn page. Then
Kelvin Klein jumped on board and I saw Black's kind
of little logo on a pack of c K jocks. Yeah,
so a portion of that sale goes back to this organization.
(15:34):
So that's amazing. You've got Black, that's national organizations. So look,
if any of our mob are wondering if there is
services or organizations, will make sure we add the organization
Black in our show notes. Did you find yourself wanting
to I don't know, get more information too, I don't know,
(15:56):
go to the medical service and talk to a youth worker, like,
was there any organizations that you felt that you could
go to and access support or when it comes to
health health care sexual health.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
I think for me, the sexual health having acorn Acon
are absolutely amazing. They have an abidinal department down in
that Aneyjin Jane from Redfern is running at the moment,
so we shout out to Aiginny. And you know when
I was I only had my first sexual health test
when I was twenty one years old. I'm twenty two now,
so last year was the first ever time I had
(16:32):
a sexual health test because I was too scared, I
was too shame of what the results going to come
back as come.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Back clean anyways, but it was just say is no
right say his name, but it's so important, like just
for blackfellows to go to the doctors, right, Yeah, a
lot of our mob have chronic diseases. A lot of
our mob die from preventable diseases such as diabetes, high sugars,
(17:01):
high cholesterra, all of the stress, Yeah, depression, cigarettes, Like,
there's so much that we could talk about that you
know have contributed to our health and our well being.
But to add another layer, another dimension, you're talking about,
you know, being a queen black person wanting to go
(17:23):
into a medical service to get a sexual health test
or assessment. It's something that like you said, like you
it's one year ago that you had the courage to
go and do that. So is there now in your eyes?
Is there? I guess you know, more awareness, more education,
(17:46):
more support for our mob in particular when it comes
to sexual health and getting you know, getting the services
and getting culturally appropriate services delivered to them.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
I think for myself, being a queer Black fellow, having
acon with our Aberiginal department down there and not having
to go into an AMS ticket, the sexual health test
for me was one hundred thousand percent better because you know,
the community conflicts that come with little black organizations, it's
like yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Yeah, and he works there, and your brother, your sister.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
And then that'll be the yarns, that'll be the story
getting around community about this afternoon.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
And we know that you are meant to be kind
of I don't know, you know, there is a kind
of what is it called confidence finality, but blackfellows sometimes
you kind of go, look, you don't know where this
information is going to go. So with Acon, you felt
that you could trust the organization.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Yeah, trusted, supported, and they followed back up after a
week or two. If I didn't go back and get
the test, that ring and we up, how are you are?
You like too windy to come back and get your
test results? And it was like, well, yeah, I don't
want to be coming in there being told I got
a big hepatitis or whatever. And then just having them,
you know, follow up constantly. Even after the sexual health
results came back, they still stay in contact with and
(19:04):
send out their little weekly programs and stuff that they
have up there. It was just good to stay in
contact with queen mob who you know, are going through
the exact same thing, especially queen black trans people who
are coming down and moving here into Sydney that are
getting involved in the sex work, and with sex works
come through abusing the narcotics that come. And I feel
for a lot of my sisters who are still doing
(19:24):
sex work. You know, I've stopped doing sex work now
but a year and a half ago, but I know
a lot of sisters who are out there still doing it.
They could use the support from Akon and Black. So
just all those sisters out there, please know that support
is there and there's no judgment and no shame.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
And I think that's one of the biggest thing is
that we are such a supportive community, like it's embedded
within our culture, but there's still a lot of our
mob you know that, you know, our judgmental that do
look down upon others that are struggling. It could be
struggling with their identity, their sexuality, with addiction. Me growing
(19:58):
up in Redfern, like, I've seen all of this firsthand
and it made me much more empathetic when I see
people struggling, even white fellows struggling. My kids cannot walk past,
cannot walk past somebody who's homeless, and I just want
to say, like my daughter Tiger Lily and I know
the rest of listening Jada and Lemechia, they usually say,
(20:19):
why don't you say hello to us? Mom? But my
kids I've raised them, my husband and I we've raised
them to not ever walk past somebody that's doing it tough.
And you know, especially when you see people, you know,
whether they're dressed up, having a good time, you know,
in address and people might point at you. There's some
(20:42):
kids to kind of not too sure what what's going
on here. You must get that all the time. And
I've had to say to my kids, that's all right,
that's your mom, that's your uncle, that's j Arnie and
you know my family. And he's come to Brisbane. What's
been some of your greatest achievements? And I'm sure you've
got many achievements to share, but what's the of your
(21:03):
greatest achievements that you could share with us?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
I think most recently for World Pride, for the whole
two weeks of World Pride, I took over the Queen
Victoria Building and Victoria was slashed out for the commencemental
World Pride, and it had my name, so it was
the Queen Felicia Building and it was honoring Pride Royalty
and for me to be in that building it was
like dismantling the patriarchy. You've got this land and take
(21:27):
a my land back from the little dog as he
stole it. But just being able to you know, be
me and be existent within that space was absolutely deadly.
You know, I just finished shooting a raybn's campaign. It's
an international campaign. They've came up with these new smart glasses.
You can live stream through the glasses and all you
can listen to your music through the glasses.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Oh my gosh, I've seen these.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
And we did the production with campfire X, who were
absolutely amazing. That's Brad Cook and he just started this
all black production company. So from the camera crew, from
the audio, from larding technical, everyone's black on the setting. Yes,
is absolutely amazing.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
And he's co found a business partner brother, Peter Kirk
Brad Cook. Big shout out to both of you. We're
trying to get Brad on the podcast. You haven't made
it happen. There is an episode of Peter Kirk back back,
like you know, maybe a year or two ago. So
it's so good that you've just mentioned campfire X and
how important it is to have an all black set.
(22:28):
You've got Black Mob on set working with Rayvens and
you as the talent that experience. You know, I guess
for a lot of people it's probably a new experience.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Yes, it's a ton, but walking to home it was like,
oh I got a little mobbia today. Rock and Black
felt time lately. Agavan I was there.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
On time because she's still going to be professional, but just.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Having mob there, you know, it felt like I wasn't
out of place, I wasn't uncomfortable. It was more empowered
seeing my mob behind the cameras and it was just deadly.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
I'm so pleased. I just want people, especially listening to
this yarn, if any of this is bringing up anything,
any emotions or anything for triggered by We now have
one three yarn. We've got a dedicated national hotline that
mob can ring and to talk to somebody on the
(23:24):
other line that is also an aboriginal or torush on
a person. So you know, for young people, for older people,
for members of our own family that might be listening
to this. I really do hope that it starts to
I guess make people think, you know, a lot of
our mob, a lot of our mom you know either
(23:47):
gay or lesbians or queer non binary A lot of
our mom We know a lot of people, so we're
more likely to be a lot more empathetic and compassion
and compassionate.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
It's funny you say that, because I just had a
yarn to my drag mother and she is from Lowerkey
Country up and we're speaking about the gender roles within
dreamtime stories from up that way, and she was speaking
about how there were never male female gender roles in
this country where she's from Larakia country, and that non
(24:20):
binary mob have always been existent within our gender roles
up that way, and in fact, how can colonialism come
around and happen? We get colonized, and then some of
our mobs still to this day are stuck in defying
roles by using the gender binary and going back. But
(24:42):
they still want to sit here and talk about pre colonization.
But they're still here colonizing themselves, being contradictive of what
they're saying, and still putting us on this gender binary.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah. So there's a whole process of our own mob
needing to decolonize our own thoughts and behaviors when it
comes to accepting whether you want to sit with the women,
or sit with the men, or make your own circle,
create your own campfire. Why can't that be? And I
(25:13):
think that's really interesting because we talk about you know,
in Aboriginal culture, it's all about balance, you know, everything
being in balance. We never really had issues around equality,
but balance occurs in nature, and we work really hard
to get things back into balance, especially when it comes
to relationships. You know, how do we minimize those potentials
(25:34):
for conflict? How do we get along with each other
so that we don't go to war with each other
or take each other out? You know that, you know,
Western world and the impacts of colonialism has interfered with
our culture and it has created an imbalance within our
families and within our societies. So there's so much there,
(25:58):
you know, for us to even think about, how do
we go back to our old ways with all of
those pressures from mainstream society where it's not a pressure anymore,
we don't see it as a challenge anymore, trying to
navigate you know, society, West society.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
That's how I bought that young up to you before
when I first seen you and we're walking down to
fashion week there, how me mama starting this new debutante
event out in Campbelltown. But it's not going to be
just for females who are making their debutante going out
into the world as green women. It's like, let's just
gender binary off, Let's break some barriers and smash some
stigmas and make it for any gender. Yeah, female and male,
(26:42):
you can be any which week you.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Tell me how you want to be. And that's really
important because I've only just been educated recently. Birdie bird,
big shout out to your Birdie. When I went to
have a meeting with them, I didn't know who I
was meeting, and I said to the concierge, I've got
a meeting with Bertie. And he's like, Birdie, you're not
make Birdie bird And he goes, is it he or
(27:05):
is she? And I said, that's a great question. Because
I don't google people before I go for a meeting.
I look over in the four year at the hotel
and I saw this person and I looked over and
they looked at me, and I was like, Okay, that
must be Bernie. And my one hour meeting over dinner
went for three hours. It was my first ever educational session.
(27:28):
But you know, there's a lot of labor within that
because I'm asking all these questions that I had never
I don't even think that i've I was curious to
know what this they and there meant. All I know
is that a lot of email signatures these days, and
this is really good because I still don't have it
in my email signature. A lot of email signatures have pronouns,
(27:49):
because my pronouns are they, then yes, and I'm she
and then you've got his him. I did not know
at all that when I look at an email signature,
I now know how they identify. So then when i'm
email emailing, you know, I'm not referring to you as
either he or she or assuming because you've got a
(28:10):
male name that you must identify as a male. That
was the best dinner over three hours, and I told
Bertie I owe them big time. And it's you know,
it's it makes you really think, and that's sometimes you
know our own it's not it's kind of like laziness
that it's or it's like it's been.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Ingrained when you is Mara when I meet you, but
I would say I was going to call you Musina.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Yes. So that was like full on a big night
for me, and it was it was the start of
my learning. And even that moment, I thought of you,
and I started to think about like Bertie is in
their mid forties and it was only recently that they
watched this documentary and there was this story of this
(29:02):
person and talking about how they identify as non binary,
and Bertie went that that's me for my whole life.
My whole life. I have never fitted into a he
or a sheet. Yeah, and I didn't know what fox
I was in.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Well when I first started I so I was in
hormones for about a year and a half. I was
doing the full transition to transition to female because I
thought I was full female and I didn't know where
I fitted it on the binary, whether I was male female.
I was always feminine growing up. And then when non
binary came out and I fully understood it that I
could tap into my two spirits and being a black father,
(29:41):
I don't even like calling it non binary. I love
calling it two spirited. I love this because I can
tap into my masculine spirit, then I can tap into
my feminine spirit. And you know, any which way, whether
I want to wake up in the morning, put my
football shorts on, or whether I want to wake up and
put a skirt on. Yes, like I've finally found where
I lie with the gender binary, and it's like the
binary altogether. Let's take it away and not have these
(30:02):
gender roles that make people feel like they have to
choose a gender role in this day and age in society.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Oh my goodness, we could be yearning all day or not,
but we need to get to dinner.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Yes, this hungry.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Oh my gosh, we are literally about to have the
most amazing dinner after the biggest day. I was up
at three point forty five am to get ready. You
just don't roll out of bed looking like this. So
I've had a big day. I cannot wait to go
and have dinner and keep yearning. But I am curious
to know. You used to be on a radio show
(30:36):
with Corey Radio, and I haven't heard you on there
for a while. So will you be making a comeback
and if so, can we talk?
Speaker 2 (30:45):
Yes? So definitely go to be making a come back
to a community radio, but we'll be making a comeback
to a podcast. So keep your e is peeled and
your eyes Oh.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Did you hear this? This voice needs to be heard.
People need to know you.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Cause you miss this old you're cheating a cree radio.
Don't points th FM live and deadly with your tinner
Felicia Fox taking you r up to six pm or say,
and what a way.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
To wrap up this deadly by basically signing out. We
are signing out now, over and out. Thank you so much.
You have been more than amazing to give up your
time to educate not just myself but also my listeners
and viewers, and hopefully they feel a little bit more
comfortable having these conversations that they haven't yet had with people,
(31:35):
maybe in their family, community or even in the workplace.
So you can reach the deadly Felicia Fox on Insta.
All of the handles will be in our show notes.
And if you think that this podcast is for someone
that may be struggling with their identity sexual identity, not
knowing what help is out their support services, give them
(32:00):
a listen send. This podcast needs to go out all
over the country, all over the world and let more
people know that there are people like them that do
exist and have been able to create an amazing life.
And watch this space. I'm sure there's much more to come.
You're only twenty two. I cannot get over that? All righty.
(32:20):
On that note, I hope you've enjoyed this episode by
for now thank you. If you'd like any more on
today's guest, please visit our show notes in the episode description.
A big shout out to all you Deadly Mob and
allies who continue to listen, watch, and support our podcast.
(32:40):
Your feedback means the world. You can rate and review
the podcast on Apple and Spotify, or even head to
our socials and YouTube channel and drop us a line.
We'd love to hear from you. The Black Magic Woman
podcast is produced by Clint Curtis
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