Documenting Chicago's TQILGBA Community

Posters from some of the performances through JRV MAJESTY.

There are many aspects of history that aren't documented that well and which go ignored by mainstream society. Over the years, such places as the Smithsonian, and people like Studs Terkel and Alex Haley have documented oral history of various groups of people, who would not usually become part of documented history. This was partly fueled by the development of technology, which created, at the time, portable tape recorders, which enabled the spoken word to be preserved. But still there were aspects of history that were ignored.

Enter Joe Varisco, the founder and creative director of JRV MAJESTY PRODUCTIONS, which allows him to produce performances and independent projects. He lives in Chicago, where he is aware of the strong and vibrant Trans Queer Intersex Lesbian Gay Bisexual Alliance and Gender Non-Conforming (TQILGBA) communities. There are a number of pioneering and inspiring people within this community who went unknown in the wider community.



So, Mr. Varisco decided to document their voices through oral interviews preserved on his page on Soundcloud. A variety of individuals within the TQILGBA community have been recorded, 12 recordings in all, one being a discussion with 27 activists. Titled the QUEER LEXICON ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, the recordings are available for free listening, and the assistance of StoryCorps Chicago has aided in the development of this small library.

There are also several other projects with which JRV MAJESTY Productions is involved, all related to the TQILGBA community. Post-Q is a performance series of works by 10 queer artists that discusses queer life and issues in the post-queer world. There is the Chicago Queer Arts Mentorship Program, which pairs established artists with emerging artists in the TQILGBA community in a sort of incubation laboratory that inspires innovation and the creative process. Salonathon: LEX-IC-A is a monthly series of innovative performances held on Mondays at Beauty Bar Chicago and preserved on its own channel on Vimeo.

Joe Varisco, whose creativity inspires JRV MAJESTY.

As you can tell, there is quite a lot of creative energy flowing from Joe Varisco and associates at JRV MAJESTY. I encourage you to explore and learn more, keep an opinion mind, and find out more about present experiences and lives, a tremendous amount of talent, and the issues affecting the TQILGBA community, of which many of us are unaware.

Jackie Boyd, who was interviewed for the oral history project.

Thanks to this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/joseph-varisco-queer-lexicon-oral-history-project/; and the above links.

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