Dorian Corey (June 6, 1937 – August 29, 1993) was an American drag performer and fashion designer. She appeared in ''

Wigstock Wigstock was an annual outdoor Drag (clothing), drag festival that began in 1984 in Manhattan's East Village, Manhattan, East Village that took place on Labor Day. Continuing, with a few gaps, until 2005, the festival would traditionally act as t ...

'' and was featured in

Jennie Livingston Jennie Livingston (born February 24, 1962) is an American director best known for the 1990 documentary '' Paris Is Burning''. Biography Early life and education Livingston was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up in Los Angeles, where her family ...

's 1990 documentary '' Paris Is Burning''.

Early life and education

Corey was born in Buffalo,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

to Franklin Legg and Mary Fox Clark out of wedlock, though they later married on October 18, 1947. Dorian was born male, but later realized that she was a trans woman. Raised on a farm in Buffalo, Dorian began performing in drag, when leaving the city of Buffalo. In the 1950s, Corey worked as a window dresser at

Hengerer's The William Hengerer Company, known informally as Hengerer's, was a Buffalo, New York-based department store chain, with stores exclusively located in the Western New York region. History The company was founded in 1867 as J. C. Barnes & Co., fo ...

, then moved to New York City to study art at Parsons.

Career

In the 1960s, Corey toured as a snake dancer in the Pearl Box Revue, a

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, ...

drag act. She was one of four performers who appeared on the 1972 Pearl Box Revue LP ''Call Me MISSter''. Corey founded the House of Corey, which holds over 50 grand prizes from vogue balls. She was a mother to

Angie Xtravaganza Angie Xtravaganza (October 17, 1964 – March 31, 1993) was a co-founder and Mother of the House of Xtravaganza. A prominent transgender performer in New York City, New York City's Ball culture, gay ball culture, Xtravanganza featured in the acc ...

who is featured in the film ''Paris Is Burning,'' (1990). Corey also ran and designed a clothing label called Corey Design. At one point, Corey's act involved her wearing a feather cape. Once she shed her costume down to a sequined body stocking, two attendants raised the cape up on poles to produce a feathered tent that covered half the audience.

Death and legacy

On August 29, 1993, Corey died of

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 ...

-related complications at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in Manhattan at the age of 56. Corey's cremated remains were scattered in the waters off City Island, New York. Corey's legacy remains one of importance to the drag and ballroom communities, and her particular importance in the development of voguing as a cornerstone of New York ballroom culture is venerated and memorialized in the modern day. Corey is remembered by fans, friends and family for her simple philosophy that " erybody wants to make an impression, some mark upon the world. ..You don't have to bend the whole world. I think it's better just to enjoy it. Pay your dues, and just enjoy it. If you shoot an arrow and it goes real high, hooray for you."

Robert Worley controversy

After Corey's death, the preserved body of Robert Worley (also known as Robert Wells) was found amongst her belongings; it appeared that he had died from a gunshot wound to the head. He was last seen by his family in 1968. Investigators determined the body to have been dead for approximately 25 years. There is speculation that Worley and Corey were lovers, Worley was abusive toward Corey, and Corey shot Worley in self-defense. Transgender people in New York experienced high rates of domestic abuse at the time. Alternatively, it is also speculated that Worley may have been shot in an attempted robbery. In the TV series '' Pose'', transgender house mother Elektra, who secretly works as a

dominatrix A dominatrix ( ; or dominatrices ), or domme, is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. The BDSM practice is called female dominance, or femdom. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily l ...

in a

BDSM BDSM is a variety of often Eroticism, erotic practices or Sexual roleplay, roleplaying involving Bondage (BDSM), bondage, Discipline (BDSM), discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other related interpersonal dynamics. Given ...

club, discovers one of her clients has died from an overdose in her private dungeon. She enlists the aid of other characters to transport, mummify, and hide the body in a trunk. Producer and director Janet Mock confirmed on Twitter that writer Our Lady J based the anthology melodrama on Corey.

References

External links