Queer Pinups

Vintage has become so much more to me than clothes, it has given me a sense of myself as a woman, allowing me to express my femininity in a way I feel comfortable even though ironically I stand out in a crowd more than ever but I like to hope it’s because I look fabulous! People are always going to stare at a trans person but I feel more able to deal with it now. Trans people simply want to be recognised as the gender they feel, very simple really, don’t stare say hello, I’m very friendly.

Vintage has brought me the most wonderful circle of friends and coupled with Swing Dancing that I took up a year ago the most incredible social life, more than I ever dreamed possible. My biggest fear in transitioning was being accepted by women but the love and support I have had from this community has completely overwhelmed me (it’s bringing tears to my eyes just writing this down).

I truly feel the vintage community has become my place, a place where all women support one and other and I feel safe and loved. Vintage style and the community is simply everything to me.

- Melody -

My journey hasn’t been an easy one . I’m a plus size, queer pinup as well as a pinup of color. I’ve had to overcome some fears that I have about my size and posting full body pictures of myself. I’ve noticed I’m not the only plus sized pinup who has shyed away from pageants or a photoshoot because of feeling out of place . This also brings me to our fellow pinups who are trans and pinups of color . Some are still hiding in the shadows and backgrounds feeling like they don’t fit in or belong . We come from all different walks of life . We are all different shapes , sizes , colors and sexual preferences. This is what makes our community beautiful . It’s time for those of us who feel like we might be too big to be a model to stop hiding and show our beautiful selves . It’s time for our trans sisters to step out and be noticed as well as our beautiful pinups of color . I’m Colombian with a beautiful mix of Irish and others . I’m proud of who I am and you should be as well . Don’t let your size , color or sexual preference stop you from being a pinup model . Work with what you have and show it off . Be the beautiful you that you are .

- Cheesecake Kate -

I just want to be allowed to find myself and my body acceptable and I want everyone else to have that as well. I want to see more shapes, ages, facial hair types, flowing manes or no hair at all among masculine performers and the same sense of self love I see flourishing among the women of burlesque and pinup. I want that to extend to our non-binary pals and feminine folk who want to play around with all forms of presentation to find everything that makes them feel truly themselves. I want to celebrate all the things that society deems ‘ugly’. Absolutely anyone, any face and any body is beautiful because the most beautiful thing is self acceptance. To be able to say, yes, I have a weird face, but it is MY weird face and that’s what makes it the best face for me. Even if that takes makeup or significant changes like it did for me as a trans man to finally see ‘my face’ as a proper representation of myself.

- Rassputin -

It's interesting how pin-up has influenced my life. I'd been aware of pin-ups for a long time and was always attracted to the gorgeous women. Unlike most guys however I didn't just want to be with them I wanted to be them! My journey with my gender struggles is on going and is a story for another time. What is so important is how pin-up has helped me accept who I am and how it has helped me feel authentic and comfortable in my own skin.

I've been embraced, supported and accepted with no questions asked. My journey continues with my membership in the Candi Apples Pin-up Social Club, an amazing online group of spectacular pin-ups!

As I move forward in my journey I know I'll meet those that don't feel I belong in pin-up or don't pass as a woman and I'm fine with that. A dear friend told me if I feel like a woman and a pin-up I am a woman and a pin-up and I've embraced this. If you've got an interest or desire to try pin-up all i can say is do it! This community is the perfect place for anyone, size , shape, age and gender should not hold you back!

- Stacey Starfire -

At 35 I only understood my gender four years ago and have been “coming out” ever since; non binary gender comes with unique foibles at this time with many people not yet understanding and sometimes not accepting it, leaving people like myself under-supported and uncertain of our place. While every individual’s experience varies, my greatest gender euphoria is achieved presenting and being treated as gender neutral or femme leaning, avoiding “male” experiences and spaces where possible and I believe that is what led me to create Mx Lucy Furr, a drag persona that allowed me to explore gender without judgement.

From my first moment approaching pinup as an AMAB non binary person I have been judged only on how I treated people and what sort of presentation I gave on stage.

At every turn in competition I second guess my choices, as everyone does when hoping for a crown. Am I being femme enough? Is my dress historic enough? Could I do this in ‘masc mode’ without being rejected? Without my gender identity being invalidated? Is pinup really for me or am I just being humoured? Pinup IS a validating experience for me, but I believe would be much more so if it could be presented as a celebration as opposed to a judgement and critique.

- Mx Lucy Furr -