Venus Xtravaganza was a transgender performer who rose to fame after appearing in the documentary film Paris Is Burning, which showcased the ball culture of New York City in the 1980s. She was a member of the House of Xtravaganza, a group of LGBTQ+ people who competed in drag balls and supported each other as a chosen family. She was also an aspiring model who dreamed of having a sex change operation and living as a woman.
However, her life was tragically cut short when she was found murdered under a bed at a hotel on Christmas Day in 1988. She was only 23 years old. Her killer was never identified or brought to justice. Her death remains one of the most notorious unsolved cases in the history of the LGBTQ+ community.
Venus Xtravaganza’s Early Life and Career
Venus Xtravaganza was born on May 22, 1965, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her parents were of Italian-American and Puerto Rican descent. She had four brothers. She began cross-dressing and performing at age 13 or 14, and took the name Venus in her early teens. She moved to New York City to pursue her passion for drag and fashion, and to escape the discrimination and violence she faced in her hometown.
She joined the House of Xtravaganza in 1983, after being invited by its founder, Hector Valle. He became her mentor and friend, and introduced her to the ball scene, where she competed in categories such as “femme queen realness” and “face”. She was known for her beauty, elegance, and charisma. She also worked as a sex worker to support herself and to save money for her transition.
She was interviewed for the documentary Paris Is Burning, which was filmed between 1985 and 1989. In the film, she candidly shared her hopes and struggles as a trans woman of color in a hostile society. She expressed her desire to have a sex change operation, to marry a rich man, and to live a normal life. She also revealed the dangers she faced as a sex worker, and how she narrowly escaped an attack by a client who discovered she was transgender.
Venus Xtravaganza’s Death and Legacy
On December 21, 1988, Venus Xtravaganza went missing after leaving a ball. Her body was found four days later, on Christmas Day, under a bed at the Duchess Hotel in New York. She had been strangled to death. The police did not investigate her case thoroughly, and no suspects were ever arrested or charged. Her murder was widely believed to be a hate crime motivated by transphobia.
Her death was announced in the final minutes of Paris Is Burning, which was released in 1990. The film received critical acclaim and won several awards, including the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. It also brought attention to the plight and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans women of color, who faced discrimination, violence, and poverty.
Venus Xtravaganza became a symbol of the struggle and the beauty of the LGBTQ+ community. Her story inspired many artists, activists, and scholars, who paid tribute to her in various forms of media. Her name and image are often invoked in protests and memorials for transgender victims of violence. Her birthplace in Jersey City was designated as a historical landmark in 2021, in recognition of her cultural significance.
Venus Xtravaganza’s cause of death remains a mystery, but her legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of those who admire her courage, grace, and fierceness. She is remembered as a transgender icon, a ballroom legend, and a human being who deserved to live her dreams.
