In honor and in memoriam of the life and legacy of the trailblazing transgender, actor, director, and activist, Alexis Arquette, with consent of the family, we close the inaugural initiative of #30Voices30Days. Patricia, Rosanna, and David all spoke about their sibling with founder and publisher, Derek Warburton.
Born into a family artists, Alexis always marched to the beat of her own drum and knew from an early age who she truly was, as her sister Rosanna explained, “One of my first memories of Alexis, well there’s many, but there was this moment…Alexis was Robert a boy, and was twirling around in Patricia’s red dress. Put it on and was twirling around singing, ‘pretty, pretty, pretty!’ It is such an amazing [thing that] at that age she knew.” Rosanna went onto say that in grade school, when the “crazy school would have boys in one line and girls in another line. Alexis would go in the girls line. You know, Alexis was born this way. And that’s it.”
Alexis had her first acting gig at the age of 12, and it was off to the races. She let nothing and no one get in her way. Over the course of her life, Alexis was in 40 films, appeared in over 10 television series, and blazed the trail for transgender and gender non-conforming people to be able to find their places in the industry.
Significantly, Alexis was in Pulp Fiction, The Bride of Chucky, Of Mice and Men, The Wedding Singer, multiple episodes of the series Friends, Xena: Warrior Princess, and She’s All That.
Despite the times judgement of Alexis’ full authentic self, which her brother David commented on, saying, “I feel very judged by the world, and obviously Alexis felt that even more…” but how Alexis was always able to find the light, “We shared a room together growing up…We had a [shorthand]…Being so comfortable, and being able to laugh, which is one of the things I miss the most about Alexis. We could watch the most ridiculous television and…Alexis would make it the funniest show you’d ever seen…You want to be those who have the happy laughter.”
In 2004, Alexis began the process of medically transitioning, which would eventually turn in a documentary that screened at Tribeca in 2007 entitled Alexis Arquette: She’s My Brother. She was an active voice in fighting for the rights of transgender and gender non-conforming people, before today’s modern terminology was mainstream. This advocacy also bled over into her personal life as she was HIV positive since the 1980s, and made waves in being seen and heard as a proud trans woman who later self identified as gender fluid. In 2016, due to medical complications from HIV, Alex would pass away to the sweet sounds of David Bowie’s “Starman” sung by her entire family as they gathered around for her final moments.
To this day Alexis’ impact is felt on the industry and on a personal level, especially during Pride as sister Patricia spoke on at the Gurus Magazine Pride Cover Launch event for #30Voices30Days, saying, “how important Pride was to Alexis. She’d always go out and celebrate. [Pride] is really important and really beautiful…it kind of reminds me of a high school thing. The coming together and the joy of living in your truth. And living your life. Being proud, and being proud of who you are, and loving yourself. Loving yourself is the most important thing you can do. It’s the only way we can love ourselves.”
The Emmy Winner for the show Medium, Patricia then looked up to the sky and said, “Lex, what do you want to say to me?” adding that they talk all the time, “She just said to me I’m so happy you’re there.”
And from the entire Gurus Magazine community, we could not agree more. It is an honor and a privilege to recognize the incredible and indelible light that was Alexis Arquette.
The Arquette Family ensured her legacy in advocacy lived on as well founding The Alexis Project. The Alexis Project provides comprehensive, affirming care for the LGBTQ+ community. In partnership with the Alexis Arquette Family Foundation and the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) at LA General Medical Center, the Alexis Project extends VIP’s renowned medical, mental health, and support services, focusing specifically on the unique needs of transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals.
To learn more about how the Alexis Project is making a difference and the range of services we offer, visit our website at alexisproject.org.
Gurus Magazine presents #30Voices30Days is proudly benefitting GLAAD all month long – please donate here!
Photo Credit: Jeff Vespa
Layout: Kent Burns
