Arts & Entertainment
Marco Marco casts all transgender models for historic fashion show
Gigi Gorgeous, ‘Pose’ stars and more worked the runway

Gigi Gorgeous walking in the Marco Marco fashion show. (Photo via @gigigorgeous/ Instagram)
Underwear designer Marco Marco made history during its Collection Seven show at New York Fashion Week which featured only transgender models.
Mic.com reports that 34 models took the runway including some familiar faces. YouTuber Gigi Gorgeous, “Pose” stars Domonique Jackson and Angelica Ross, activist Carmen Carrera, model Laith Ashley and “Transparent” actress Trace Lysette all worked the runway.
Designer Marco Morante told Mic.com that he wanted his show to make a statement focused solely on transgender beauty.
“Although I have always had trans and non-binary people in my shows, it became apparent to me that their presence was often overshadowed by cis gay men or cis gay men in drag,” Morante said. “I wanted to create a space to celebrate trans bodies. This was an opportunity for their presence to be undeniable and reinforce that trans is beautiful.”
Laverne Cox was at the show and penned an Instagram post that reflected on how monumental the show was.
“When I started #TransIsBeautiful 3 years ago I wanted it to be a way for trans folks to celebrate what makes us uniquely and beautifully trans. It wasn’t about how cis we can look but rather about celebrating those things about us that are uniquely and beautifully trans. The #marcomarcoshow last night which featured a cast or all trans models feels like yet another fulfillment of the empowerment of trans beauty this hashtag is meant to celebrate and engender,” Cox writes.
Check out more photos and video from the show below.
At 36-26-40 I’ve never been model industry standard, and I don’t want to be. I love my thickness. Thanks Marco Marco for embracing ALL types of beauty. My first runway show for #nyfw @marcomarco_la ??♀️ pic.twitter.com/qcGu0JTjtO
— Trace Lysette (@tracelysette) September 9, 2018
Last night was full of so much love and so much beauty. #TransIsBeautiful @marcomarco_la @GeenaRocero @tracelysette @TheGigiGorgeous @Ariscestocrat @tyraaross @angelicaross @Carmen_Carrera @laith_ashley @AydianDowling #NYFW #LGBTQ #MarcoMarco pic.twitter.com/ir5lMDvu5l
— Alexander Kacala (@AlexanderKacala) September 9, 2018
The category is…BROWN & BLONDE! It’s a @PoseOnFX reunion at the @MARCOSQUARED #NYFW Runway show! With @tyraaross & @Dsilverintl! @cesar4styles #TheWildForm #MarcoMarco y’all did that!!! #PoseFX pic.twitter.com/XyxNUpOolE
— Angelica Ross (@angelicaross) September 10, 2018
The men of @MARCOSQUARED #TransIsBeautiful pic.twitter.com/kAgTHeEQvA
— Dezjorn Gauthier, JM (@dezjorngauthier) September 10, 2018
What an honor to walk for @marcomarco_la with all my brothers and sisters. I love you all so much. #nyfw #marcomarco pic.twitter.com/xm3YweLBgA
— Laith Ashley (@laith_ashley) September 9, 2018
Catfish Comedy will host “2026 Queer Kickoff Show” on Thursday, Feb. 5 at A League of Her Own (2319 18th Street, N.W.). This show features D.C.’s funniest LGBTQ and femme comedians. The lineup features performers who regularly take the stage at top clubs like DC Improv and Comedy Loft, with comics who tour nationally.
Tickets are $17.85 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Arts & Entertainment
Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71
Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’
Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.
O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.
In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.
In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”
Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.
Friday, January 30
Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).
Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, January 31
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, February 1
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, February 2
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam (adamheller@thedccenter.org).
Tuesday, February 3
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected].
Wednesday, February 4
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, February 5
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
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