Windy City Times - Chicago, IL, USA
Cayne-Do Attitude
2007-01-03
BY CHARLSIE DEWEY
On Jan. 24, Candis Cayne helps mark an important step for the media
industry
as she takes on the portrayal of a trans character on the Prime
Time CBS
crime drama CSI: NY. Her portrayal marks an important milestone
because not
only will she be playing a trans part, but because she is a
transsexual
actress. ( To her credit, Alexandra Billings has also made
advances for the
trans community, appearing on such shows as Grey's Anatomy.
)
Cayne is an actress, dancer, singer and all-around showwoman who has been
gaining attention since she moved to New York in the early '90s to become a
performer. Her credits include television, film, print ads, commercials and
videos. Windy City Times spoke with Cayne over the phone to discuss her
growing fame, the importance of positive visibility for the trans community
and why she is so happy in her life and her choices.
Windy City Times: Why do you think having a trans character on CSI: NY, and
Prime Time television for that matter, is so important?
Candis Cayne: For me personally, there are hardly ever any trans characters
played by trans actresses. You know lately there have been a lot of trans
characters, but they've been played by men or women; they haven't been
played by trans actresses. So I think that's an important step in the right
direction, because I think we do it best. I think it will open up even more
awareness.they [ members of CSI: NY ] were very accommodating in wanting to
get it right, the writers, director, producers. If something didn't feel
right for a trans character, I would say 'this wouldn't really happen, in
reality this wouldn't happen'. They were all very accommodating and rewrote
things and everything.
WCT: So, it helps with the authenticity of the portrayal?
CC: I think it does help having a person of transsexual orientation on a
set
like that because they can tell you their feelings, because they went
through the same process. For me it's an exciting experience because for so
long I played drag roles and then I transitioned and I hadn't worked for a
long time because people didn't know where to put me. Finally it's starting
to happen where I'm starting to get calls for roles. It's really an exciting
thing for me.
WCT: Do you think the industry is becoming more open to using trans actors
and actresses?
CC: I think they are. It also depends on the actor. I go on set and I am
really comfortable with who I am and what I went through. I'm able to talk
about it and be very open about it. It's not a big secret for me. I think
that makes people who are interacting with me are comfortable enough to talk
about it and be more open to it.
WCT: Did you see Transamerica and, if so, what was your reaction to
that
film?
CC: Well, I liked it. There were parts I liked and parts I didn't like. I
liked Felicity. I thought she was a great actress in it, but there are
certain things, again in the writing, that don't make sense. I think you can
say a lot more with words than pictures, especially when it comes to
situations that are inappropriate in the trans world. A perfect
example-standing and peeing- [ exemplified ] my big problem with that movie.
No matter who you are and what step of your transition you're at, a trans
woman would never stand to pee, no matter if it's eighty below zero outside.
She's going to squat and she's going to do it the way her mind tells her
she's supposed to do it. It was little inaccuracies like that which made me
not love the movie, but like it. . This is all groundbreaking, a new thing.
So, of course, people are going to make mistakes, people are going to ask
awkward questions. You just have to be open about it and not defensive, not
take yourself too seriously.
WCT: What about the new trans character on All My Children?
CC: I haven't seen it yet, but they actually have contacted me about
talking
to the actor who is going through that. In the New Year I am
probably going
to be getting together with him and discussing the
transition, which doesn't
bug me because they want to portray this character
starting the transition.
You can't get a post-operative transsexual or one
who's halfway through the
transition to play the character because they want
to start from the
beginning. I think it's a great step, and that they're
actually writing a
character like that into a daytime soap opera. I think
that it would be
great if they do it correctly.
WCT: The New York Times called your one-woman show a "must-see." What was
that like?
CC: That was amazing. It's like out of left field, on the cover of the
Metro
section. It was a really cool experience. It felt really great to be
acknowledged.
WCT: What else do you have coming up in the near future?
CC: I did a really funny, silly movie with RuPaul called Star Booty
Reloaded. That's in post-production. I have some other things I'm working on
that I can't really talk about, but I have projects ahead.
WCT: How do you feel about being a spokesperson for the trans community? It
seems that a lot of lesbian and gay performers who are coming out lately are
stating that they don't want to be gay or lesbian spokespeople. How do you
feel about that role?
CC: Well, you know there aren't really any-so I have to take on that role
if
it lends itself to me. I'm not going to go and be like "I'm the
spokesperson," because I might not be one transsexual's spokesperson but I
might be another. I just feel like if the community goes that way, I would
definitely step up and [ be in ] that position, because I've always prided
myself on making myself a positive role model, because that's how I was
raised and that's what I know. I would never assume that I am the role
model.
Still Considering Silicone Injections?
STOP!!!
Lethal Aesthetic Silicone
Injections
According to a study conducted at the University of
Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, liquid silicone, which is often
used for breast augmentation and other aesthetic procedures, can
cause respiratory failure if not injected properly by a licensed
physician. A study of individuals who underwent illegal silicone
injections revealed a high fatality rate from pulmonary silicone embolism,
or obstruction of the lungs.
"The illegal use of fluid silicone is a practice
that carries life-threatening risks, and the community should be aware of
the complications," says Carlos S. Restrepo, MD, director of
chest radiology at the Health Science Center. Restrepo and his
colleagues compiled the imaging findings of 44 patients with pulmonary
embolism that resulted from illegal silicone injection, constituting
the largest case series to date.
Seven patients who presented to the hospital with
respiratory distress
due to illicit silicone injection were studied, along
with an additional 37 cases from the literature. Patients'
demographic information, clinical presentation, imaging findings, and outcome
were analyzed.
All patients experienced respiratory difficulties
after receiving the injections, and nearly half had fevers. One fourth of the
patients died from resultant bleeding in the lungs.
Improperly injected silicone travels through the
blood stream and causes blood to coagulate in the lungs, creating
circulatory obstructions that can be immediately life-threatening if
not identified and treated quickly. The imaging findings of
pulmonary silicone embolism include dark, hazy patches in the lung tissue
on x-rays or computed tomography scans.
"Transsexual males in particular should be checked
closely for signs
of pulmonary embolism when they show symptoms of
respiratory distress
and fever," says Restrepo. Male transsexuals often
undergo aesthetic
procedures of the breasts, genitalia, and other areas to
make them appear more feminine.
[www.medicalnewstoday.com, December 01,
2006]
Hanana 
Queen
Mother House
of Sei
Aunty Anita
Shelley Quan
