Calpernia Addams: From 'Soldier's Girl' to superstar
June 5, 12:33 AM
Kelvin Lynch
http://www.examiner.com/x-4107-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner~y2009m6d5-Calpernia-Addams--From-Soldiers-Girl-to-superstar (http://www.examiner.com/x-4107-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner~y2009m6d5-Calpernia-Addams--From-Soldiers-Girl-to-superstar)
Calpernia Addams is the most famous transsexual in the country. The Nashville native was thrust into the national spotlight by the 2003 movie "Soldier's Girl", which was about her relationship with PFC Barry Winchell, who was murdered by his fellow Army privates in 1999.
Since that horrible tragedy, Calpernia has fully transitioned from male to female, and she's become a big star along the way. She's a headlining cabaret showgirl and singer. She coached Felicity Huffman and appeared in the 2005 Academy Award-nominated "Transamerica". She performed with Jane Fonda, Glenn Close, Salma Hayek, and Alicia Keyes in The Vagina Monologues. She just won a GLAAD Media Award for her groundbreaking show "Transamerican Love Story". She appears in a new PSA for the No on H8 campaign. And she and her business partner Andrea James have made a new short film called "Transproofed", about two friends who race to hide hints that one of them is transsexual before her unaware date arrives.
Go Cal! I initially disliked her after watching Soldier's Girl because I found out she had a forum meant for only post trans women, but after 5 minutes of i realized there are plenty of other outlets and it kind of makes sense that they have their own place. Now I think she's great.