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Under the cover of Original Plumbing's top model and the magazine's release
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The Original Plumbing release is less than a week away and creator, editor-in-chief and photographer, Amos Mac, is traveling across Europe—along side Michelle Tea’s Sister Spit—doing international PR for the first ever magazine dedicated to celebrating trans men and their bodies. All the writing and behind-the-scenes work comes directly from the trans male community.
Back here in San Francisco Original Plumbing’s first cover model, Cyd, couldn’t be more excited for the release and the cultural dialogue it will generate for the FTM community. “In my personal experience being a transsexual I’ve carried around the idea of having an awkward, undesirable body.” In American culture so much of male sexuality is centered on having a penis. “Not having one can really trip you up in feeling like your body and gender are worthy.” This is what makes Original Plumbing not only cutting edge but also necessary. “I think it’s important that trans men create images and culture that are real representations of ourselves and recognize each other as being babes and complex, diverse human beings.” Cyd thinks so highly of Mac’s Original Plumbing that he mentioned he would love to see a trans woman version of the magazine. “I think forms of MTF sexuality which have been most popularized really leave out a lot of my friends and I hope the queer community would support something like that as much as they’ve supported Original Plumbing.”
| © Amos Mac 2009 |
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Cyd, who moved to San Francisco from Melbourne, Australia a year and a half ago, met Mac at the Sex Worker Art Show. “Through my demonstrated shamelessness I was called on board to be his go-to boy for tasks that require a sense of slutiness.” Modeling for Original Plumbing was not Cyd’s first experience taking off his clothes for the camera. He’s modeled for both Crash Pad and nofauxxx—two local queer porn companies. Prior to his transition Cyd also did a lot or porn work in “ye old hetero world,” and as a child was featured in a JC Penny’s catalogue. His shoot with Mac was “totally charming […], we quickly bonded over […] music and it was one of the most comfortable shoots I’ve ever done (despite the fact that he seemed obsessed with making me wear dorky hats).” Cyd hopes to continue working with Mac and will definitely continue to write for the magazine. In fact, he’s also a writer and has been creating zines for most of his adult life. He’s hoping to have a new issue of his zine, TRAIN WRECK, as well as a few short stories published in anthologies, out soon. He only performs occasionally though, “I’m not really comfortable being on stage unless I’m taking off my clothes.”
In fact, Cyd was recently on stage at the Original Plumbing printing benefit party where assistant editor, Rocco Kayiatos and singer Josh Klipp auctioned Cyd, and others including themselves, off to the highest bidders. Cyd sold for more than double the starting price of $20. Coincidently, it was Kayiatos’ “amazingly sweet and cute” twin sister who bought him. Though at the time of our interview the two had yet to go on their date as Cyd came down with a “killer” case of bronchitis the night of the benefit.
Overall, the benefit was a big success and “a lot of fun,” said Cyd. “It was interesting to see so many trans guys I’d never met before.” However, Cyd made a point to comment on the other event that happened earlier the day of the benefit. Only a few blocks away a memorial was held for Tyli’a Mack in the Castro. Mack, a 21 year old transgendered woman, was stabbed to death in Washington D.C. in broad daylight on August 26. The murder (and assault on another trans woman as well) is being investigated as a Hate Crime. “It’s good to recognize that we are in a great space to be celebrating our identities like Original Plumbing does, but that violence against trans people still exists in this horrible way that we have to fight back against.”
The Original Plumbing Issue 1 release parties will be held this coming Saturday, October 3, at The Seventh Heart on Market Street from 3-6. Alongside the magazine, Mac will have limited edition photographic prints available. Then there will be another release party on October 6, at Chaser a club night at The End Up starting at 10 p.m. Both venues are in San Francisco.
To find out more about Cyd's writing email him at: thunder.in.our.hearts@gmail.com
To learn even more about Original Plumbing: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-10008-SF-Transgendered-Relationships-Examiner~y2009m8d27-Original-Plumbing-magazine-debut-and-benefit-paty
follow them on Facebook, or check out their website at: www.originalplumbing.com
For more information on Tyli’a Mack: http://www.examiner.com/x-20225-SF-LGBT-Issues-Examiner~y2009m9d1-Another-hate-crime-another-murder-another-day-without-full-equality-in-America
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