The Girls Club

The Girls’ Club was the brainchild of Brianna Nicole Austin, who came out in 2000 and exploded onto the New York City transgender community party scene like a whirling dervish. During this time, the transgender community was closeted: those living as transgender women avoided the crossdressing scene to focus on blending into the mainstream of society. Part-time crossdressers tended to attend parties with their own.

While attending those parties, Brianna befriended a few eclectic  characters, and saw them as a transgender version of the characters from “Sex and the City.” The friendships Brianna established with that core group are what inspired the essay The Road To Oz.

The Girls’ Club was a zany group of T-girls who, through their adventures, served, in part, as a vicarious bridge for closeted cross-dressers. Through the articles and photo galleries Brianna created, those who remained within the protected confines of the cross-dressing parties of the era now had a view into transgender living without borders.

… in the beginning

The Girls’ Club consisted of Brianna, her bestie Chrisssy, Lorna, Josie, Claudia, and Dalhia. Its mantra was simple: be fearless; have fun! 

The group would often meet up at Brianna’s apartment on 55th and Lexington Ave. where they could get ready, and then step out for a night of fun on the town.

The first stop would be one of the few crossdressing parties in New York City. At that time, Karolyn’s Oasis in the financial district was ppular, then Ina’s at the Silver Swan Restaurant in the Flatiron district began to capture the crowd. Unlike other places that crossdressers could go, like the Now Bar, downtown, Ina’s was G-rated — a place to mix and mingle devoid of hookers, and other elements.

The Girls’ Club crew would hang out a while, then head out into the mainstream, and capture their adventures with photos and commentary that Brianna would write and post to her website.

By the summer of 2001 Brianna’s website was widely read and she became the New York columnist for Gina Lance’s GIRL TALK Magazine, a glossy Vogue-esque print publication, while also a conttibuting columnist for Transgender Community News.

In her GIRL TALK column ‘A Bite of the Big Apple, ‘ she would write commentary about the transgender experience, interviews with transgender celebrities, and reviews of events and shows. Many of the events Brianna would capture in her column were ones the Girls Club was in attendance at, and were therefore highlighted. This included attending a performance of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the all-men-as-women ballet, Wigtock, many cabaret shows, and Invasion of the Pines.

With every appearance in Brianna’s column, the Girls Club’s reputation grew.

… Rise of the Transgender Girls Club

 

The combination of Brianna’s articles, mentions in her column, together with the escapades of the Girl Club made them highly-visible and popular; they frequented the transgeder scene, the gay club circuit, mainstream clubs, such as Centro-Fly, Ohm, and the Cheetah Club, as well as attended Broadway shows, the ballet, and the trendiest bars and lounges.

Brianna, Chrissy, and later, Jamie Swan, would ignite the transgender clubs they frequented on Saturday nights.

Later that year, Brianna was asked to co-host the Dressing Room parties, which were only attracting 10-15 people per event.  It was hosted at East of Eighth bar & restaurant, and with the very first monthly event the party swelled to a line out the door attracting 100+ regulars, and became the talk of the town.

Always packed, some of their most memorible parties were themed. These included The Moulin Rouge party, and Tropical Nights. Brianna secured The Limerick House, an Irish Pub on West 23rd as a second location, where they debuted with their Halloween costume party — which was another hit.

.. breaking barriers

In 2002 Brianna Austin and Chrissy hosted ‘The Life’ talk show, filmed at The Silver Swan restaurant. The debut episode featured guest Jesse Volt, along with Singer-songwriter Lisa Jackson (who Brianna would pen many articles about). It attracted a packed house, but for personal reasons, Brianna never aired the show, nor pursued another.

Throughout the life of the Girls Club they would often take a few additional friends from the crossdressing parties on their outings. Many times some crossdressers attended the party hoping for the opportunity to be chosen to join the mainstream adventure each week.

By the spring of 2002, Brianna became well-known in the New York City nightlight scene, and quit often would skip the line, go to the velvet rope, met with a “Hey Brianna, how many?” and open the rope for them.

While the Girls’ Club itelf was the original gang of five, there were several others that were always with them, most notibly, Jamie Awan, and Michelle.

 

… Today:

The Girls’ Club is a distant memory, but hopefully their spirit lives on in the younger generations.

Brianna  TG Life magazine & community is undergoing an overhaul, expected to relaunch sometime in the future.