TRANS-MOVEMENT | Act 1: The Meeting
At the age of 14, I was clueless about the LGBT lifestyle. All I knew was that I liked men. One day I was riding with a friend, and he said we were about to stop by some lady’s house, Tanisha. When we got there I was scared to death because I could hear someone fussing as we approached the door. But when she answered the door, she was surprisingly pleasant, and when we started to talk, the conversation was mindblowing. She told me about things I had never heard or even thought possible, like drag and gay families. From there, I was hooked. For the next couple of weeks, I was at her house almost every afternoon, just wanting to be around this lady. Then it happened. She asked me to be her child and named me Kyana Cassadine (a name my sister later stole LOL).
Act 2: Learning How to Be a Cassadine
From day one, she let me know how important the Cassadine name was to her. She made sure that I knew that there was more to life than just being gay. She told me to stay in school and get an education because the club life is only for fun, and to survive in this lifestyle you have to have a strong foundation. And I must say, I thank God for her and the other people who groomed me to be the professional woman I am today. When I become a gay mother, I want my kids to have the respect for me that I had for her. The main thing is to always to put family first. She told me to always be understanding, and that when mistakes are made, to sit down have a conversation with the child and let them know that things happen, but to never repeat the same action because then it will become a habit.
Act 3: On the Move
After years of having her in my life at home in Memphis, and as soon as I began my transition, she became famous. She won her first national title and called to say she was moving to Atlanta. At first, I was upset because that’s the Virgo in me, but I knew she had a master plan with that being the Virgo in her. She started to win pageant after pageant across the board, both black and white systems, and all along the way the Cassadine family grew. She was also one of the most positive people when speaking about living with HIV and taking medication. Her voice kept a lot of people from giving up on their own lives.
Act 4: The Curtain Closes
It was an early morning in February when I got the call that she had passed. She and I had last spoken about old times, good and bad, laughing the entire time. We ended the conversation as we always did, with me saying, “I love you,” and her responding, “I love you more.” As I say my final goodbye to her and tell her again that I love her, it doesn’t feel right not hearing her say, this time, I LOVE YOU MORE.
Rest well my friend, my mother, my idol, Tanisha (The Devine) Cassadine. You laid a strong foundation, and your family lives on.
30 TUVMAG.COM | MAY+JUNE 2017