Justin Vivian Bond

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Justin Vivian Bond bigraphy, stories - Literary

Justin Vivian Bond : biography

09 May 1963 –

Justin Vivian Bond (born May 9, 1963), popularly known as Justin Bond, is an American singer-songwriter, performance artist, occasional actor and Radical Faerie. Described as a "fixture of the New York avant-garde",Murphy and Bond 2010. Bond arose to notability playing the role of Kiki DuRayne in the drag cabaret act Kiki and Herb from the early 1990s through to 2004. Born physically male, Bond is transgender and prefers the gender-inclusive honorific Mx. (in place of Ms./Mr.) and pronoun v (with vself instead of her/himself).Ordonez 2011.

Born in Hagerstown, Maryland, Bond went on to study theater at Adelphi University before moving to San Francisco after graduating in 1985. It was here that Bond met Kenny Mellman, and they began a cabaret act together, which would eventually lead to them creating the characters of Kiki and Herb. Bond designed Kiki to be an elderly alcoholic woman who would perform covers of pre-existing songs in her own distinct style. Bond decided to bring an end to the Kiki character in 2004, subsequently embarking on a solo career, being featured in John Cameron Mitchell’s film Shortbus (2006) before releasing the EP Pink Slip (2009), followed in 2011 by the album Dendrophile and publication of the memoir Tango: My Childhood Backwards and in High Heels.

With a musical voice, self-described as "kind of woody and full with a lot of vibration",Russell and Bond 2009 Bond has received numerous accolades for performing—winning Obie (2001), Bessie (2004), and Ethyl (2007) awards, while also earning a 2007 Tony nomination. Bond performances have been described as being "hilarious, heart-wrenching, vulnerable, sardonic, Wiccan, and world-weary all at the same time."

Recognition and influence

Bond was namechecked in the 1999 Le Tigre song "Hot Topic" from the band’s eponymous debut album.

Pink Slip, Dendrophile, and Silver Wells: 2009–present

Moving on from the role of Kiki, Bond began writing lyrics for vself, and although nervous about doing so, was encouraged by songwriting friends Our Lady J, Taylor Mac, and Jake Shears. The result came in July 2009, when Bond released a five track EP titled Pink Slip, featuring four original songs ("The New Depression," "May Queen," "The Puppet Song," "Michael in Blue") and a cover of Radiohead’s "Arpeggi/Weird Fishes". Bond described the decision to release an EP rather than a full-length album: "I had this goal of getting something out and I wasn’t really sure how. So I decided I was gonna put an EP out to demystify the process." Pink Slip was recorded at Le Poisson Rouge and Bond hoped income from the EP would help fund the recording of an album.

In July 2009 Bond made an appearance on the Logo TV comedy series Jeffery & Cole Casserole, playing a Catholic nun who serves as the principal of the show’s all-girl Catholic school.

The new show Justin Bond: Christmas Spells opened in December 2010 at the Abrons Arts Center, New York City. Based upon the short story Dixie Belle: The Further Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Bond’s friend, the novelist Kate Bornstein, the show "imagines Huck Finn as a tranny hooker in a brothel in New Orleans after the Civil War. It’s written as a letter Huck writes on Christmas Eve to Tom Sawyer to catch him up. So I start out as Huck, who’s now Sassy Sarah working in Madame Violet’s Parlor of Elysian Delights." Starring as Finn, Bond sung Christmas carols as well as original songs; other characters were performed by the drag troupe Pixie Harlots.

Soon after, Bond decided to clarify Bond’s identity as a transperson, including hormone treatment in order to feminize Bond’s appearance, although not undergoing gender reassignment surgery, telling one journalist that "I like my penis, and I am keeping it, but I am creating a transbody—a physical record on my body and a medical record that I am a transgendered person." Bond also adopted the middle name of ‘Vivian’, subsequently identifying as "Justin Vivian Bond" instead of "Justin Bond".