Justin Vivian Bond (born May 9, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and actor, who is

transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...

. Described as "the best

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

artist of

heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offi ...

!-- MOS:GENDERID --> generation" and a "tornado of art and activism", they first achieved prominence under the pseudonym of Kiki DuRane in the stage duo

Kiki and Herb Kiki and Herb ( Justin Bond and Kenny Mellman) are an American drag cabaret duo. Bond portrays Kiki DuRane, an aging, alcoholic, female lounge singer. Mellman portrays her gay, male piano accompanist, known only as Herb. Despite Bond and Mell ...

, an act born out of a collaboration with long-time co-star

Kenny Mellman Kenneth Mellman is an American musician and cabaret artist. He is a member of The Julie Ruin. Mellman is co-creator of Kiki and Herb with Justin Bond and plays the role of Herb. He created his solo show ''Kenny Mellman Is Grace Jones'' and co ...

. With a musical voice self-described as "kind of woody and full with a lot of vibration", Bond is a Tony-nominated (2007) performer who has received

GLAAD GLAAD () is an American non-governmental media monitoring organization. Originally founded as a protest against defamatory coverage of gay and lesbian demographics and their portrayals in the media and entertainment industries, it has since ...

(2000),

Obie The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...

(2001), Bessie (2004), Ethyl (2007), and a

Foundation for Contemporary Arts The Foundation for Contemporary Arts (FCA), is a nonprofit based foundation in New York City that offers financial support and recognition to contemporary performing and visual artists through awards for artistic innovation and potential. It was ...

Grants to Artists (2012) awards. In 2024, Bond was named a

MacArthur Fellow The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and colloquially called the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to typically between 20 and 30 individuals workin ...

Early life

Bond grew up in

Hagerstown, Maryland Hagerstown is a city in Washington County, Maryland, United States, and its county seat. The population was 43,527 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Hagerstown ranks as Maryland's List of municipalities in Maryland, sixth-most popu ...

. As "a trans kid in a small town", Bond recalls feeling "I wasn't being accepted for who I was, but at the time I didn't even have the words to express who I was." Meanwhile, they were taking voice lessons and singing in church and in the local community theatre. Bond studied theater at

Adelphi University Adelphi University is a private university in Garden City, New York, United States. Adelphi also has centers in Downtown Brooklyn, Hudson Valley, and Suffolk County in addition to a virtual, online campus for remote students. As of 2019, it had ...

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

from 1981 to 1985. Albo 2011. They saw

Simon and Garfunkel Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo comprising the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music acts of the 1960s. Their most famous recordings include three US number-one sing ...

in concert in Central Park, but it was visiting

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

for the first time to see

Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and musician with a career spanning nearly seven decades. An Academy Awards, Academy Award-nominated documentary director and a Grammy Awards, Grammy Award-winning rec ...

that invoked the realization that "I had escaped my hometown and was finally beginning to live the life I'd dreamed of."Bond, September 10, 2014

Early career

After graduation, Bond worked briefly at ''Details'' magazine. Returning to Maryland, they found roles in regional dinner theaters, often doubling as a server. Bond moved to San Francisco in 1988. Bond started out clerking in a gay bookstore,Als, 2011. and at some point, adopted the stage name of Justin.Perry, 2012. A turning point occurred when

Kate Bornstein Katherine Vandam Bornstein (born March 15, 1948) is an American author, playwright, performance artist, actor, and gender theorist. In 1986, Bornstein started identifying as gender non-conforming and has stated "I don't call myself a woman, I ...

cast Bond in her play ''Hidden: A Gender'', using the life of the French, intersex person

Herculine Barbin Herculine Adélaïde Barbin, later known as Abel Barbin (November 8, 1838 – February 1868), was a French intersex person who was assigned female at birth and raised in a convent, but was later reclassified as male by a court of law, after an ...

as an autobiographical device. Bond "was not sure heycould really pull off playing a girl," according to Bornstein, and feared the censure of "

gay male friends."Swanson, 2011 With the assistance of

, they created the lounge act Dixie McCall's Patterns for Living around the persona of actress and singer

Julie London Julie London (born Julie Peck; September 26, 1926 – October 18, 2000) was an American singer and actress whose career spanned more than 40 years. A torch song, torch singer noted for her contralto voice, London recorded over thirty album ...

. The duo played a number of gigs, both in and out of character; three years after attending

Pride Pride is a human Emotion, secondary emotion characterized by a sense of satisfaction with one's Identity (philosophy), identity, performance, or accomplishments. It is often considered the opposite of shame or of humility and, depending on conte ...

for the first time, Bond was hosting the show at the end of the parade.Lamble, 2010 In 1993, Bond hosted the first San Francisco Drag King Contest at the

DNA Lounge DNA Lounge is an all-ages nightclub, restaurant and coffeehouse, cafe in the SoMa district of San Francisco owned by Jamie Zawinski, a former Netscape programmer and open-source software hacker (free and open source software), hacker. The clu ...

with

Elvis Herselvis Elvis Herselvis is the stage name of the American actor and singer Leigh Crow, whose rise to international exposure was performing as a female Elvis Presley impersonator. Crow still performs as Elvis Herselvis on occasion as well as sings, acts and ...

. In 1994, they appeared on film for the first time, as Amphetamine in John Moritsugu's '' Mod Fuck Explosion'', and again the following year in '' Fanci's Persuasion''.

Trans-Atlantic cabaret

Kiki and Herb: 1993–2007

Bond is best known for originating the role of washed-up lounge singer Kiki DuRane, "an alcoholic battle-axe with a throat full of razor-blades." Kiki's equally-damaged accompanist Herb, played by pianist

, made up the other half of the duo, billed as

. Critics lauded both the performance and the edgy, eclectic repertoire. Described in one place as "tragically hip", the inspiration arose "out of my own trauma regarding

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

and so many people dying,"Hoby, 2011 according to Bond. "All our friends were dying of AIDS, and it was a way to get out all our rage," said Mellman. Bond moved to New York City in 1994 in the midst of crackdown on queer clubs by then-mayor

Rudy Giuliani Rudolph William Louis Giuliani ( , ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and Disbarment, disbarred lawyer who served as the 107th mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney ...

. Journalist John Russell saw in Kiki "an icon to rival Hedwig."Russell, 2009. ''The New York Times'' called Kiki "the town's most endearingly unhinged chanteuse", comparing Bond favorably to more conventional performers for whom "the point is never the prettiness of the voice." Bond has said that "I think that the reason people liked Kiki so much is that she had just about everything wrong with her."

met with more critical acclaim and developed a cult following. They received their first ''New York Times'' review for ''Have Another'', (1999), a show that earned a

media award the following year. They performed extensively, namely in London's Soho Theatre and Queen Elizabeth Hall and New York's

The Knitting Factory The Knitting Factory is a nightclub in New York City that features eclectic music and entertainment and is co-owned and co-operated by Knitting Factory Entertainment. After opening in 1987, various other locations were opened in the United Stat ...

and

, as well as a host of other venues worldwide. Their numerous collaborators included

Debbie Harry Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble, July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie (band), Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1 ...

of Blondie, comedian

Sandra Bernhard Sandra Bernhard (born June 6, 1955) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She first gained attention in the late 1970s with her stand-up comedy, where she often critiqued celebrity culture and political figures. Bernhard is also well kn ...

, and Antony of

Antony and the Johnsons Anohni and the Johnsons (previously known as Antony and the Johnsons) is a music ensemble originally based in New York City that presents the work of English singer-songwriter Anohni and her collaborators. The band released its self-titled de ...

. Their recordings included the Christmas album, '' Do You Hear What We Hear?'' (2000), and '' Kiki and Herb Will Die for You: Live at Carnegie Hall'' (2005). In 2004, Bond and Mellman did a cameo in the

Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acquires, and distributes filmed entertainment (theatrical motion pictures, television programs, and rec ...

release ''

Imaginary Heroes ''Imaginary Heroes'' is a 2004 American drama film written and directed by Dan Harris. The film focuses on the traumatic effect the suicide of the elder son has on a suburban family. For her performance in the film, Weaver was nominated for a S ...

'', with script by Dan Harris. Appearing alongside

Sigourney Weaver Susan Alexandra ( ; born October 8, 1949), better known by her stage name Sigourney Weaver, is an American actress. Prolific in film since the late 1970s, she is known for her pioneering portrayals of action heroines in Blockbuster (entertainme ...

Jeff Daniels Jeffrey Warren Daniels (born February 19, 1955) is an American actor. He is known for his work on stage and screen playing diverse characters switching between comedy and drama. He is the recipient of several accolades, including two Primetime ...

, and

Emile Hirsch Emile Davenport Hirsch (born March 13, 1985) is an American actor. His portrayal of Chris McCandless in '' Into the Wild'' (2007) earned him acclaim and multiple award nominations. Other notable roles include '' The Girl Next Door'' (2004), '' ...

, the duo reprised the

Melanie Safka Melanie Anne Safka Schekeryk (February 3, 1947 – January 23, 2024), professionally known as Melanie or Melanie Safka, was an American singer-songwriter. Melanie is widely known for the 1971–72 global hit " Brand New Key", her 1970 version o ...

composition ''Tonight's the Kind of Night'' from '' Do You Hear What We Hear?'' Their stage act was captured on video in ''Kiki and Herb Live at the Knitting Factory'' (2007). They toured twice in the U.S., including the 2007 'Year of Magical Drinking Tour.' The duo traveled repeatedly to London, where Bond continued to work on an MA in

scenography Scenography is the practice of crafting stage environments or atmospheres. In the contemporary English usage, scenography can be defined as the combination of technological and material stagecrafts to represent, enact, and produce a sense of plac ...

Central St. Martin's Central Saint Martins is a Colleges of the University of the Arts London, constituent college of the University of the Arts London, a public art university in London, England. The college offers full-time courses at foundation, undergraduate a ...

College of Art and Design when not performing. London shows included ''Where Are We Now?'', ''Kiki & Herb: There's a Stranger in the Manger'', and ''Kiki & Herb Mount The President'', the latter performed aboard in the River Thames. Bond had a Top 20 Single on the UK alternative chart and was named one of England's fifty funniest people by ''Time Out London''. The mockumentaries titled ''Kiki and Herb on the Rocks'' (2005) and ''Kiki and Herb Reloaded'' (2005) followed the pair to London and around the UK, respectively. Their show ''Kiki & Herb: Alive on Broadway'' ran for five weeks in 2006, and was nominated for a 2007 Tony for Special Theatrical Event. One critic noted that onstage they are "Alive with a capital A, with all the human vitality and fallibility that that implies." A poster on tribe.net reported hearing them mentioned on an episode of ''

Will and Grace Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and wi ...

'' early in 2006, noting that "now they have crossed over." After closing on Broadway, Bond returned for the final, American tour. This was followed by a return to Carnegie Hall for a one-night show on December 12, 2007, billed as ''Kiki and Herb: The Second Coming – A Christmas Concert''.

Solo career: 1993–present

Before retiring Kiki in 2008, Bond was touring nationally and abroad, appearing in film, and recording under the name of Justin Bond. Bond's first album was the result of an improvised concert with experimental, electronic sound artist

Bob Ostertag Robert "Bob" Ostertag (born April 19, 1957) is an American musician, writer, and political activist based in San Francisco. He has published seven books, one feature film, a DVD, twenty-six albums, and collaborated with numerous musicians. Mus ...

and a Japanese turntablist from the Tokyo noise underground,

Otomo Yoshihide is a Japanese composer and multi-instrumentalist. He mainly plays guitar, turntables and electronics. He first came to international prominence in the 1990s as the leader of the experimental rock group Ground Zero, and has since worked in a ...

, at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall in 1997. They already appeared on two tracks ("Not Your Girl" and "The Man in the Blue Slip") on Ostertag's 1995 album "Fear No Love", sharing co-lead vocals duties with

Mike Patton Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock bands Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. He has also fronted and/or played with Tomahawk, The ...

. Other guests on the record were

Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as a founding member of the English avant-rock group Henry ...

and Lynn Breedlove. At the behest of the record label Asphodel, an album was recorded in this location and in studio at Toast, with additional tracks and musicians added later. Because Otomo spoke little English and could not understand what Bond was saying, he watched the recording engineer through the glass and "when I see he laugh, I play something funny." The album was released under the Seeland label in 1999 as ''PantyChrist'', with a European, promotional tour. Although it failed commercially, Ostertag viewed it from an artistic standpoint as "one of my most successful projects." Bond released a five-track EP ''Pink Slip'' in June 2009 featuring four original songs ("The New Depression", "May Queen", "The Puppet Song", "Michael in Blue") and a cover of

Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band members are Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Gre ...

's "Arpeggi/Weird Fishes". ''Pink Slip'' was recorded at Le Poisson Rouge and Bond hoped income from the EP would help fund the recording of an album. Both of the albums were self-financed, and both were the result of a collaboration with pianist/producer Thomas Bartlett of the band

Doveman Thomas Bartlett (born October 13, 1981), also known as Doveman, is an American pianist, producer, and singer. He has released four solo albums as Doveman, four albums as a member of The Gloaming, duo albums with the composer Nico Muhly and the ...

. Angelo 2011. The first, ''Dendrophile'' (2011), contained a mix of original compositions and covers modeled on a type of "early-'70s folk-pop variety album" in the spirit of Judy Collins, featuring a duet with English singer-songwriter

Beth Orton Elizabeth Caroline Orton (born 14 December 1970) is an English musician known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit, Andrew Weatherall ...

.Varrati, 2012. Bond used

Kickstarter Kickstarter, PBC is an American Benefit corporation, public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York City, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative project ...

to finance the release of a second album, ''Silver Wells'', in 2012. The album was conceived as an homage to the 1970 Joan Didion novel ''Play it as it Lays''. In 2012, Bond toured nationally with lesbian-feminist, spoken-word collective

Sister Spit Sister Spit was a lesbian-feminist spoken-word and performance art collective based in San Francisco, signed to Mr. Lady Records. They formed in 1994 and disbanded in 2006. Founding members included Michelle Tea and Sini Anderson, Other members i ...

. promoting the new album. Later that year, they opened the holiday show ''Snow Angel''. In June 2006, Bond appeared with David Hoyle in ''When David Met Justin'' at London's Bush Hall. Performing with the House of Whimsy Players at The Kitchen in October, Bond staged ''Re:Galli Blond (A Sissy Fix)'', "a self-penned musical spectacle of transgender oppression and uplift." Murphy and Bond 2010. They also appeared in

Paul Festa Paul Festa is an American writer, filmmaker, and violinist. Born and raised in San Francisco, he currently resides there with his husband James Harker. Writing Festa's essays have appeared in ''The New York Times Book Review'', the ''Los Angele ...

's ''Apparition of the Eternal Church'' (2006). Bond has hosted the Weimer New York variety show since its inception in 2007. ''Justin Bond Is Close to You'' reinterpreted Karen Carpenter's album ''Close to You'' as part of Joe's Pub in the Park in Central Park in 2007, later moving to Australia's Sydney Opera House. In 2008, the GLAAD-nominated show Lustre premiered at PS122 in the East Village, then toured the UK with stops in London and Manchester as part of the It's Queer Up North Arts Festival. In December 2008, Bond appeared at London's Southbank Centre in ''Sinderella'', written by Martyn Jacques of the

Tiger Lillies The Tiger Lillies are a British musical trio formed in 1989 by singer-songwriter Martyn Jacques. Described as the forefathers of Brechtian Punk Cabaret, the Tiger Lillies are known for their unique sound and style which merges "the macabre ...

. ''Justin Bond: Christmas Spells'' opened in December 2010 at

Abrons Arts Center The Henry Street Settlement is a not-for-profit social service agency on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City that provides social services, arts programs and health care services to New Yorkers of all ages. It was founded under the ...

on Grand Street in Manhattan's Lower East Side. The two-part show included a trademark cabaret performance of holiday tunes, showcasing an original composition ''Could Baby Jesus in His Manger Foresee the Hate Sprung from That Night?'' This was followed by a theatrical adaptation of a short story by gender-theorist

. In December 2015, an EP titled ''Christmas Spells'' was released, including three songs (''Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'', ''Remember (Christmas)'' and ''Christmas Spells''). Bond starred as

Warhol superstar Warhol superstars were a clique of New York City personalities promoted by the pop artist Andy Warhol during the 1960s and 1970s. These personalities hung out at Warhol's studio, the Factory, appeared in his films, and accompanied him to his New ...

Jackie Curtis Jackie Curtis (born John Curtis Holder Jr.; February 19, 1947 – May 15, 1985) was an American underground actor, singer, and playwright best known as a Warhol superstars, Warhol superstar. Primarily a stage actor in New York City, Curtis per ...

in ''Jukebox Jackie'' as part of the 50th anniversary season of

La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club (sometimes abbreviated as La MaMa E.T.C.) is an Off-Off-Broadway theater founded in 1961 by African-American theatre director, producer, and fashion designer Ellen Stewart. Located in the East Village neighborho ...

between May and June 2012. "I've always been really interested in Jackie,

Holly Woodlawn Holly Woodlawn (October 26, 1946 – December 6, 2015) was an American actress and Warhol superstar who appeared in the films '' Trash'' (1970) and '' Women in Revolt'' (1971). She is also known as the Holly in Lou Reed's hit glam rock song " Wal ...

, and

Candy Darling Candy Darling (November 24, 1944 – March 21, 1974) was an American actress, best known as a Warhol superstar. She was a pioneer for transgender visibility, inspiring songs by the Rolling Stones and Lou Reed. Her performances Andy Warhol's f ...

," they recounted in an interview at the time, "because they, along with

Renée Richards Renée Richards (formerly Richard Raskind; born August 19, 1934) is an American ophthalmologist and former tennis player who competed on the professional circuit in the 1970s, and became widely known following male-to-female medical affirmati ...

and

Christine Jorgensen Christine Jorgensen (; May 30, 1926 – May 3, 1989) was an American actress, singer, recording artist, and transgender activist. A trans woman, she was the first person to become widely known in the United States for having Sex reassignment ...

, were the first famous trans people. When I was young, they were really the only trans people to which I had been exposed." According to Bond, the project originated as a revival of one of Jackie's "crazy, amphetamine-fueled" plays, but Bond (and director

Scott Wittman Scott Wittman is an American director, lyricist, composer and writer for Broadway, concerts, and television. Life and career Wittman was raised in Nanuet, New York, graduated from Nanuet Senior High School in 1972 and attended Emerson College ...

) "couldn't really make sense of them" and turned to reportage instead. "I always liked Jackie," they said, "because Jackie wasn't willing to say 'I am a woman trapped in a man's body,' she'd say 'I'm trans, I'm not a man. I'm not a woman. I'm Jackie.' Which, by the way, was the last line of the show." Bond's show ''Mx America'' was slated to open in Australia in February 2013. Beginning in January 2014, Bond appeared alongside

Stephen Spinella Stephen Spinella (born October 11, 1956) is an American stage, television, and film actor. Early life Spinella was born in Naples, Italy, to a father who was an American naval airplane mechanic. He grew up in Glendale, Arizona, and graduated fr ...

in the

Classic Stage Company Classic Stage Company, or CSC, is a classical Off-Broadway theater company. Founded in 1967, Classic Stage Company is one of Off-Broadway's oldest theater companies. CSC is led by Producing Artistic Director Jill Rafson. John Doyle previously ...

production of the

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known as Bertolt Brecht and Bert Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a p ...

play ''A Man's a Man'' (''

Man Equals Man ''Man Equals Man'' (), or ''A Man's a Man'', is a play by the German modernist playwright Bertolt Brecht. One of Brecht's earlier works, it explores themes of war, human fungibility, and identity. It is one of the agitprop works inspired by ...

''), with new music by

Duncan Sheik Duncan Sheik (born November 18, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Sheik is known for his 1996 debut single "Barely Breathing", which earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He has com ...

. The show ran

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

at the company's theater on 13th Street in Manhattan's East Village, with Bond playing the part of Leokadia Begbick, a role originated by Brecht's wife

Helene Weigel Helene Weigel (; 12 May 19006 May 1971) was an Austrian actress and artistic director. She was the second and last wife of Bertolt Brecht until his death in 1956; together they had two children. Personal life Weigel was born in Vienna, Austria ...

. In December 2014, Bond's performed in ''Star of Light! An Evening of Bi-Polar Witchy Wonder'', which opened at

Joe's Pub Joe's Pub, one of the six performance spaces within The Public Theater, is a music venue and restaurant that hosts live performances across genres and arts, ranging from cabaret to modern dance to world music. It is located at 425 Lafayette Str ...

on Lafayette near Manhattan's

Astor Place Astor Place is a street in NoHo/ East Village, in the lower part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is divided into two sections: One segment runs from Broadway in the west (just below East 8th Street) to Lafayette Street, an ...

. In 2006, Bond appeared in the film ''

Shortbus ''Shortbus'' is a 2006 American erotic comedy-drama film written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell. The plot revolves around a sexually diverse ensemble of colorful characters trying desperately to connect in an early 2000s New York City. ...

''. In the movie, directed by fellow Radical Faerie

John Cameron Mitchell John Cameron Mitchell (born April 21, 1963) is an American actor, playwright, screenwriter, singer, songwriter, producer and director. He is known as the writer, director and star of the 2001 film ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch (film), Hedwig and t ...

, they played the mistress of ceremonies at the eponymous avant-garde salon Shortbus, singing the

Scott Matthew Scott William Matthew is a singer-songwriter born in Queensland, Australia. He was a member of alternative pop band Elva Snow (2001–2006), which he co-founded with Spencer Cobrin. On 7 March 2008 he issued his solo debut eponymous album. His ...

number "In the End" to the music of the Hungry March Band.

Jake Shears Jason Sellards (born October 3, 1978), known professionally by the stage name Jake Shears, is an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He is best known as the co-lead vocalist of New York City pop-rock band Scissor Sisters, who achi ...

, lead singer of

Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters are an American pop rock band formed in 2000. The band's current line-up consists of Jake Shears (vocals), Babydaddy (various instruments), Del Marquis (guitar, bass) and Randy Real (drums). Former members include vocalist A ...

, has cited the Kiki and Herb Christmas Show as inspiration. Bond and Shears became friends, with the Scissor Sisters fronting for Kiki and Herb at

. Bond appeared in the 2017

Music Box Theatre The Music Box Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 239 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1921, the Music Box ...

performance of the ''Tales of the City'' musical, with score by Shears. In 2008, Bond participated in a Christmas show at the Knitting Factory that included

Rufus Wainwright Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright (born July 22, 1973) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter, and composer. He has recorded eleven studio albums and numerous tracks on compilations and film soundtracks. He has also written two classical opera ...

, members of Wainwright's family,

Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, bandleader, and activist. She is considered one of the leading music artists behind the country rock genre in the 1970s and the Americana (music), Americana genre ...

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...

Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1964. Its classic lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Lou Reed, Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and percussionist Moe Tuc ...

, and performance artist

Laurie Anderson Laura Phillips "Laurie" Anderson (born June 5, 1947) is an American avant-garde artist, musician and filmmaker whose work encompasses performance art, pop music, and multimedia projects. Initially trained in violin and sculpting,Amirkhanian, Cha ...

. Revelation Films released the concert DVD in November 2009 under the title ''A Not So Silent Night (Kate & Anna McGarrigle/Rufus & Martha Wainwright)''. In May 2011, they appeared with various artists in A Celebration of

Kate McGarrigle Kate McGarrigle (February 6, 1946 – January 18, 2010)Obituary at CBC ...

at New York City's Town Hall to commemorate the passing of the Wainwrights' mother, who had succumbed to cancer the previous year. A DVD was released in 2013. In August 2012, Bond officiated at

's Long Island wedding.

Activism

Bond participated in the original

Gay Shame Gay Shame is a movement from within the queer communities described as a Radicalization, radical alternative to gay mainstreaming. The movement directly posits an alternative view of gay pride events and activities which have become increasingly Co ...

event in New York in 1998, performing as Kiki and Herb and recorded in the Scott Berry documentary ''Gay Shame '98''. On September 25, 2012, they hosted a special edition of Weimar as a fundraiser for the reelection of U.S. President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

. In November, Bond announced a performance to benefit the Ali Forney Center for LGBT youth in the wake of

Hurricane Sandy Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as Superstorm Sandy) was an extremely large and devastating tropical cyclone which ravaged the Caribbean and the coastal Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States in late ...

. Ahead of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, they appeared in a video by Brooklyn-based Potpourri of Pearls, protesting Russian mistreatment of LGBT persons.

Other projects

In July 2009 Bond made an appearance on the

Logo TV Logo TV (often shortened to Logo, and stylized as Logo.) is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Media Networks, a division of Paramount Global. Launched in 2005, Logo was originally dedicated to lifestyle and entertainment progra ...

comedy series '' Jeffery & Cole Casserole'', playing a Catholic nun who serves as the principal of the show's all-girl Catholic school. In 2012, Bond announced the creation of a signature fragrance by Ralf Schwieger, a "trans-scent" for all genders named The Afternoon of a Faun after the French poem and modernist ballet of the same name, and issued under the French label . It was launched in February 2013, at Manhattan's

Museum of Arts and Design The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), based in Manhattan, New York City, collects, displays, and interprets objects that document contemporary and historic innovation in craft, art, and design. In its exhibitions and educational programs, the ...

on Columbus Circle. Bond received a 2012 Lambda Literary Award for the memoir ''Tango: My Childhood Backwards and in High Heels''. Also in 2012,

powerHouse Books PowerHouse Books (stylized as powerHouse Books) is an independent publisher of art and photography books founded in 1995 by Daniel Power, in Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn, with its headquarters in Industry City, Brooklyn, Industry City. PowerHous ...

released ''Susie Says'', a picture book combining Gina Garan photos of the 1970s fashion doll, Susie Sad Eyes, with bon mots from Bond's Twitter account. In the summer of 2014, Bond curated and emceed a cabaret season at the

Spiegeltent A spiegeltent (Dutch language, Dutch for "mirror tent", from ''wikt:spiegel#Dutch, spiegel''+''wikt:tent#Dutch, tent'') is a large travelling tent, constructed from wood and canvas and decorated with mirrors and stained glass, intended as an ent ...

at the Bard SummerScape Festival in the Hudson Valley, New York. They are set to reprise this emcee role in summer 2015, with guests including

Alan Cumming Alan Cumming (born 27 January 1965) is a Scottish actor, writer and presenter. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including a BAFTA Award, two Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and an Olivier Award. He re ...

Suzanne Vega Suzanne Nadine Vega ( Peck; born July 11, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter of Folk music, folk-inspired music. Vega's music career spans 40 years. In the mid-1980s and 1990s she released four singles that entered the Top 40 charts in the ...

Martha Wainwright Martha Wainwright (born May 8, 1976) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. She has released seven critically-acclaimed studio albums. Wainwright is the daughter of musicians Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III and the younger si ...

, Stephen Merritt, and

Lea Delaria Lea DeLaria (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actress, and jazz singer. She portrayed List of Orange Is the New Black characters#Carrie "Big Boo" Black, Carrie "Big Boo" Black on the Netflix original series ''Orange Is the New Black'' ...

. In July 2020 Bond was announced as part of the cast of

Audible Audible may refer to: * Audible (service), an online audiobook store * Audible (American football), a tactic used by quarterbacks * ''Audible'' (film), a short documentary film featuring a deaf high school football player * Audible finish or ru ...

's adaptation of

Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman (; born Neil Richard Gaiman; 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, audio theatre, and screenplays. His works include the comic series ''The Sandman (comic book), The Sandma ...

's '' The Sandman'' series, playing the role of Desire of the Endless.

Personal life

Bond is

and has said, "for me to claim to be either a man or a woman, feels like a lie. My identity falls somewhere in the middle and is constantly shifting." They undergo

feminizing hormone therapy Feminizing hormone therapy, also known as transfeminine hormone therapy, is a form of Transgender_health_care#Gender-affirming_care , gender-affirming care and a gender-affirming hormone therapy , gender-affirming hormone therapy to change t ...

to appear more feminine, Ordonez 2011. and reported feeling great as a result, noting that "I like the way my body looks. Emotionally, it's evened me out." They do not intend to undergo

sex reassignment surgery Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is a surgical procedure, or series of procedures, that alters a person's physical appearance and sexual characteristics to resemble those associated with their gender identity. The phrase is most often associat ...

, explaining that "I like my penis, and I am keeping it, but I am creating a transbody—a physical record on my body and a medical record that I am a transgendered person." In 2011, Bond adopted the middle name of Vivian, identifying as Justin Vivian Bond instead of Justin Bond. They use the gender-inclusive honorific Mx. (in place of Ms./Mr.) and

neopronoun Neopronouns are neologistic third-person personal pronouns beyond those that already exist in a language. In English, neopronouns replace the existing pronouns " he", " she", and "they". Neopronouns are preferred by some non-binary individuals ...

v (with vself instead of her/himself), a reference to Bond's middle name. In concert at the end of 2014, Bond disclosed having received an invitation to return home for Thanksgiving, conditional upon leaving behind "that fake woman." Acknowledging that "a lot of trans-kids get kicked out of their homes," they mused. "I didn't until I was 51. So I think I'm gonna make it."Stewart, 2014. Elsewhere, they have said that "if it wasn't for my family and the rage they engendered in me, I wouldn't be here."

Recognition and influence

Bond was referenced in the 1999

Le Tigre Le Tigre (, ; French for "The Tiger") is an American art punk and riot grrrl band formed by Kathleen Hanna (of Bikini Kill), Johanna Fateman and Sadie Benning in 1998 in New York City. Benning left in 2000 and was replaced by JD Samson. ...

song "

Hot Topic Hot Topic, Inc. is an American fast-fashion company specializing in counterculture-related clothing and accessories, as well as licensed music. The stores are aimed towards an audience interested in rock music and video gaming, and most of the ...

Discography

Filmography

Film

Television

Audio

Notes

References

Bibliography

News and magazine articles

* * * * * *

Interviews

* * *

External links

JustinBond.com
official website * * *
''BroadwayWorld.com'' interview with Justin Bond, June 9, 2007"The Story of V"
feature story in ''New York'', May 2011
Justin Vivian Bond by Joy Episalla
, ''

Bomb A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechan ...

'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Bond, Justin 1963 births Living people People from Hagerstown, Maryland LGBTQ people from Maryland American LGBTQ singers American LGBTQ songwriters Radical Faeries members Non-binary memoirists Non-binary singers Non-binary songwriters Lambda Literary Award winners Singers from Maryland Transgender memoirists Transgender singers Transgender songwriters Transgender non-binary people American non-binary actors American non-binary musicians American non-binary writers Adelphi University alumni American transgender actors American transgender musicians American transgender writers MacArthur Fellows