Later that year in New York City, comedy legend Sandra Bernhard knew it too when she met Wintour. Today, fresh from her sold-out show Sainte Céline: A Dion Cabaret at the 2016 OFF-JFL festival, Wintour performs in comedy nightclubs full-time, and is a sometimes advice columnist.
“There is nothing more important than authenticity,” says Wintour. “To me, love, happiness, authenticity are all the same thing, and everything real and worthwhile in life springs from that.”
The fast-rising comedy star candidly opens up about her out-of-the-ordinary career and life path.
How did you come out as a trans woman at age 16?
Tranna Wintour: “For many years I falsely identified myself as a gay man, but that’s because, growing up, gay men were my only point of reference. When I was a teenager, there wasn’t any mainstream discussion about being transgender. When I did understand that I am transgender, I didn’t feel the need to come out. I just started to live my life authentically and unapologetically.”
How did you come up with your name Tranna Wintour?
TW: “A few years ago I dressed up as my spirit animal, Anna Wintour, and baptized myself ‘Tranna Wintour’ that night. Anna is, of course, the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine. As much as I am fascinated by her, she represents corporate conformity, wealth and exclusivity.
I represent the opposite. My name subverts everything the real Anna stands for. What started as a kind of joke became my stage name, and it’s become the name that I go by in my everyday life. My closest friends call me Tranna or T.”
Sandra Bernhard has been very supportive of you.
TW: “Sandra has been a monumental inspiration and role model to me. We struck up a rapport on Twitter years ago, and after a year of corresponding through Twitter, I went down to see her perform in New York City.