Aunt Barbara was the Tupperware Queen...one of the highest selling consultants with the company in the country. In her heyday, Jennifer Bobbi was Long Island's top queen selling 6 figures worth of the kitchenware, and was the toast of town with her vintage retro looks, huge beehive hair do, and the hilarity that would ensue at these Tupperware parties. I have long adored her, had the privilege to attend one... and her You Tube videos were coming fast and furious. For a bit over a decade she hosted parties and ran her business as Aunt Barbara, a drag queen, whose brash attitude and sassy comebacks were part of her act.
Bobbi was living as a man at the time, and portraying Aunt Barbara allowed her to dress up in 1960's era dresses and play hostess. But she didn't want to just act like her female drag persona...from a very young age she knew she was meant to be a woman. I have posted about Jennifer Bobbi's story before, but with trans coming out of the closet even more so, and having their rights curtailed and threatened, I thought it was worth telling again, and just shows how we have a long way to go with supporting our trans citizens, EVEN within our own LGBTQ community. Bobbi says that she held it inside through most of her teens and into her twenties and finally at one point told her family she felt biologically and physically male, but intuitively, mentally and organically was female, and had his whole life. Not only was her family not as supportive as she thought they might be, but she was also surprised by how many of her clients , some even LGBT suddenly treated her. She was confused why they wouldn't except her as they accepted Aunt Barbara, since she just an extension of who Jennifer is. She finally decided to transition, and then after, when word got out, people began canceling their Tupperware parties and her business in months plummeted and suffered badly, all because she transitioned. To me, it just boggles my mind to this day why people are so unnerved by people transiting. First off, it's that persons business to do as they see fit to make themselves happy to be their true self and lead a happy life. And 2, it doesn't effect anyone else' life if one transitions, so why all the hoopla, it's none of their business. And had people not known she transitioned, they would have no idea anyway...so what's the difference? Aunt Barbara was still Aunt Barbara. I love this clip. I still can't get through with a dry eye. And this shows how just one life can change and crumble just because of transitioning. This is her story of how she came out to her true self.
My other issue with the whole trans issue is when it comes to drag...just because one is born a cis gender male, doesn't mean they are the only ones to be drag queens. Or why can't a gay boy be a drag king??? I think the time has arrived to let people be who or want they want to be. I still love Jennifer Bobbi as herself , or if she want to be Aunt Barbara. It time to give support and understanding to these people. And when she does Aunt Barbara these days she looks fucking fierce!
Yes, it's a sad story of discrimination. Everyone loved her in drag but shunned her when she came out as trans. So unfair and so unnecessarily cruel!
ReplyDeleteWell... they are all entertainers, born with a desire to express themselves through clothing, costumes, make-up. It's about presentation. So, of course, everybody has license to be as creative as they want to be. It comes down to how hung up everyone is about labels. It's why the transgender community experiences so much discrimination - frequently from people one would assume to be their allies. It's why people are uncomfortable with gender and sexual identity - because if they can't view it in terms of black and white, then they freak out about it, take issue with it. Let everybody be who they need to be. Let everybody express themselves as they see fit. Stop trying to define everything and let people in, dears... doors have hinges for a reason! Kizzes.
ReplyDelete...doors have hinges for a reason!
DeleteI love that, Upton!!!
I love Upton too. I have a pretty face with smarts !
DeleteIt's terrible that she lost her business.... Here's my thing: This has been around for decades. "The Danish Girl," anyone? Christine Jorgensen, anyone?? This is not new. This is not abnormal. This is humanity. If you can't deal with it, it says more about you than it does about others.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Looks like GA may have come through. Now, let's get the popcorn and watch the shenanigans in DC.
Or not. I find it appalling this is the same county. What is wrong with people? And that there are 70 million lunatics running around.
DeleteAgree with you both. And let's just pray he doesn't push any buttons.
DeleteAgnes...I wholly agree. those Cheeto-loving lunatics have listened to him call for Civil War. They were allowed to leave without consequences. That's the scary part.
DeleteJENNIFER IS GORGEOUS! other people are so fucking weird. I would buy tupperware from her.
ReplyDeleteI can remember you posting her heavily years ago in your blog. I adore her!!!! And the clip really got to me. Im so glad she had such a good support system from friends. Very touching.
ReplyDeleteI need this this today...the new is getting turbulent with violence.
It got to me too Agnes.
DeleteThanks so much for the video. I'll watch it this evening. So ridiculous that her business would die as a result. She's still got the same intelligence, wit, and style. Who cares what's under the clothes!
ReplyDeleteI thought she may remind you of one of your aunts when she's in character...and her accent cracks me up as Aunt Barbara.
DeleteLet people be themselves. Take them at their word as to who they are. What the fuck does it hurt?
ReplyDeleteI'm an old(ish) lady now, having had my "glory" days in the 1970s. The way things were then are so very different from now in all kinds of ways. If you can't change and accept changes then you ought to stay in the cupboard you've kept your brain in all this time and not bother anyone, just because it doesn't suit you.
ReplyDeleteAmen sister!
DeleteShe's gorge.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm still recovering from the news that her transition basically tanked her business? What the hell? But I should not be surprised. People (even the people in the LGBTQ community) are fickle Mofos. And the word 'Trans' freaks many people out. As if it's not the same person.
Like you say, it's the same intelligence, wit and style. I can't wait until I see more bio queens doing drag and sissy boys doing Kings and Trans people doing whatever the hell they want.
It's about effing time.
XOXO
Can you believe it? Had yoi seen her before Suspense? When I found out she transitioned, I was surprised only because I didn't know she had that going on...and then figured that's life...and went right back to enjoying her art and hilarity.
DeleteI never met her...but adore her. Like Noxzema Jackson said from Too Wong Foo "Your gonna make Hollywood wherever you go." And she will.
ReplyDeleteLove that Pearly
DeleteWhat a beautiful person, inside and out. Humans just can't keep from pigeonholing people.
ReplyDeleteLet's just add labels to that list of shit to get rid of!
DeleteEnjoying the post...especially the image with the colorful stack of Tupperware....
ReplyDelete...but as whkattk has noted, Warnock won and Ossman victory seems just a matter of time...so I’ve got Georgia on My Mind this morning...this is big!!! So ditch mitch...and watch the circus come to town in DC!
Circus?!?!?!? It's wayyyyy past circus. It is appaullingly disgusting
DeleteShe is adorable.
ReplyDeleteCould you see her, you and Anne Marie at one of her parties?
DeleteSure, Mads. Does Tupperware carry marital aids? Asking for a friend.
DeleteInspiring post! I have enjoyed watching her videos on You tube...and you'd never known the torture she was going through. Id still watch her as Aunt Barbara man or woman. She is fabulous and brave.
ReplyDeleteI remember when the Tupperware began to spread in Italy. However Jennifer is gorgeous in any form she presents. I like her wigs very much. My dream is to dress like the Sun King with this wig that you can see here.
ReplyDeleteThat would be fabulous. Would you do it nude??? Pretty please????
Deleteme nude? but in this way I would immediately want to have sex!
DeleteHope it all works out for the best!
ReplyDeletexoxo :-)
I don't care what is or is not going on under anyone's clothes: If you have Tupperware, and you sell Tupperware, you are my kind of people and I will send your children through college, because I have more Tupperware than Carter has little liver pills. I think this woman is fabulous, and her bravery is equal to that of any given ten Navy Seals, with what she had to put up with. GO BOBBI!
ReplyDeleteOh gurlllllll....you'd have loved one of her Tupperware parties. I hope she reconsiders and does them again of the side.
DeleteWow.that was a moving video. Even us in the LGBT have work to do when it comes to our supporting of our trans brother and sisters.
ReplyDeleteLOVE HER!!!! what a fun and brave soul. I wish her all the luck on her new life.
ReplyDeleteShe seems like such a fun and sweet person. What happened to her is sad. I don't understand why people stopped booking Tupperware parties just because she was a woman doing drag. It wasn't even drag...but a character like she said.
ReplyDeleteExactly!!!!! Even Dame Edna calls it a character she does...not really drag. If it came out he was really a woman im sure some would be like what the he'll. But what's it matter right?
DeleteNow you can say you've made Janie Junebug cry. It's so easy to say, "Then why did you tell people who you are and what you're doing." But why can't we be our authentic selves and be loved and accepted for who we are?
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
You would have loved her Tupperware parties girl. An absolute riot!
DeleteI'm sure I would have had the best time.
DeleteHow sad. I had no idea. She's been on my Facebook feed for years, but I never paid too much attention. People suck. And then after today, people REALLY suck. I have to keep remembering that we won the Senate.
ReplyDeleteShe is such a great and a treasure. I adore her. Its the two gentleman today who won I feel sorry for....to be eclipsed with that disgusting display in DC. I hope trump gets chronic STDs and drive him insane. Oh silly me...he already is.
DeleteI agree - everyone should be able to be themselves. We make it so hard on each other, it's so bonkers. Why are people so cruel?
ReplyDeleteSx
I'll have to share photos of my aunts from back in the day. The type is more "friends of my aunts" as opposed to my aunts themselves... including the accent.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to “my body, my choice?” Does that only pertain to carrying a child? There are people out there that were put in the wrong body. They deserve to be their true selves. Look at Jazz Jennings. She knew at an early age that she was meant to be a girl. Fortunately she had a loving family that supported her.
ReplyDeleteIt’s not my business to determine what’s right for you. It’s my duty to accept who you are.
I love her and what a great thing she can finally feel at one with herself. I wish her much luck and happiness.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about the Tupperware Queen until today, and it filled me with sadness. She's beautiful, and losing her business because she came out is a travesty. It also highlights why I call certain activists LGB. They forget the T.
ReplyDelete