That’s
Right …
I Said It!
Tiana Reeves
That’s Right …
I Said It!
Tiana Reeves
It all started when I moved to New York City, …
… which is when I started working in the club scene and met many diverse people such as drag performers, club kids, gay men and transsexuals (that’s right I said transsexuals).
So many people nowadays are so scared to actually say the word transsexuals. Everybody is so PC, it has to be transgender. Personally, I don’t mind if somebody calls me tranny, trans or transsexual, but then again I’m from New York City where really it’s pretty hard to shock anybody. I’m from a different time where many terms were used to describe transsexuals, but now everybody is so touchy about everything. I think that sometimes it pays a disservice to our community. Now I feel people will be walking on eggshells every time they want to address a transsexual and maybe ask questions that a person that has not been around us would be entitled to ask.
“Ok great let’s do it!“
So, I started in New York City in the club scene and met a very diverse group of people. At first I used to have a day job as a hair dresser and really liked it, but it was a big challenge working at night in clubs and making money as a hair dresser during the day. Eventually, as I started my transformation, I saw quite quickly that the day job was not going to cut it as I needed more of an income to become who I really wanted to be. So for a while I started working on more of a regular basis in the club scene; the stories I could tell you after all my years in the club scene – I could write a book! Then one night I met this really cool and gorgeous female and she asked me if I ever considered being a dominatrix. I was certainly dressed the part and I have always been naturally on the dominant side, so I said, “Let me think about it”, Two minutes later I said, “Ok great let’s do it!”
But that’s just me!
And this is when I was introduced to the world of fetishes, domination and many other things that I actually really enjoyed, while I was still working in clubs at night. I finally started saving money for all the surgeries I wanted to have and also finally to have my own place.
As the years went by and years followed surgeries and surgeries followed the years, I began feeling more and more myself and liking my image more and more. But I always kept my surgeries to a very minimum amount – I have seen way too many transsexuals go overboard with facial work and body modification surgeries and feel that at one time they actually looked like real women but then went too far and now look a bit freaky and can no longer pass. I say to myself, why all this work, time and money spent so that now you’re no longer passable?
But that’s just me!
I was involved in many famous clubs in NYC, …
… which many celebrities frequented on a regular basis. As a transsexual, I felt it was a great place to be discovered, make connections and make friends in high places. It was a great ride for many years, including my work as a dominatrix.
I left the dominance world behind and started my own escort agency, while also working as an escort with a private list of clients. Also by that time, my time working in clubs was more selective though I was still attending every party in NYC worth attending.
I was also involved in some acting, which I enjoyed a lot, but I was never really interested in pursuing it. As a trans actor, it’s pretty hard to get jobs on a regular basis unless you are connected to a friend that is writing a show and they decide to include you in it or you have inside connections in the film industry. I was very lucky to be featured in a couple of music videos, short films and an episode of Sex and the City and one of Law and Order.
After that I pretty much called it quits: way too many hours and not enough money, but was a great experience.
After many years in the USA, I felt my time had come to leave and experience something new. I don’t think I could live in one city all my life and, since I had been travelling back and forth between NYC and London for 6 years, I decided to move to London, where I lived for a short time. But then I decided to move to Toronto.
(…) and stop being sooo touchy…
I now live between Canada and Europe, so I feel one thing that should be said is that each person that becomes a transgender will be going on a different journey. But I wish that certain people would not be so PC by denying where they actually come from and where they started from; and about what people decide to do with their lives: just be yourself, don’t give a toss and stop being sooo touchy…
It’s so not the look!
All photos by www.jamesmithimage.com