Bibí Andersen



(A new D's Music entry!)

You've gotta give it to those Spaniards for their progressive attitude and wide acceptance of homosexuals within their society. A nation defined by a conservative and controversial history, Spain was the first in the world to legalize gay marriages nation wide in 2005. While the United States was being forged by those escaping persecution, the Spanish Inquisition was forcing the religious conversion or outright exile of those who were different. Fast forward five hundred + years later and the Spanish have somehow ended up with a better idea of human equality than we have.

Most of my time spent surfing through YouTube is rather unproductive and very reminiscent to the ridiculous videos in Geico commercials. People who are as easily amused as I am shouldn't be allowed to use such things, as brain power hasn't exactly been my strong suit as a result of a few cloudy years in my early twenties. Needless to say, I was very much surprised when I came across the following video: Sálvame (Save me) by Nancys Rubias (Blond Nancys).



The cheap and overt effects combined with the 80's electronic beat kept my attention just long enough to realize that the lead singer of the song was indeed a transvestite. I'm not sure why it was so intriguing, as Rupaul has been rocking it in drag since the early 90's, but I decided to research the band further. It just so happens that the lead singer is perhaps the most famous transvestite in history. Born Miguel Fernández in 1954, he began his career as a male model, and a hot one at that. A fetish for women's clothing combined with his homosexuality, Miguel Fernández became Bibí Andersen in the mid 1970's. His/now her wide success in print modeling as an openly gay transvestite opened doorways into separate careers in movies and singing. Her first film, Cambio de sexo (Sex Change) in 1977, is what caught the eye of famous Spanish director/producer Pedro Almodóvar who casted her in his widely acclaimed 1985 short film titled Tráiler para amantes de lo prohibido (Trailer for lovers of the prohibited) as well as several of his other movies. Her 12th and most recent movie role was in the film Rojo sangre in 2004.

All of this rambling and random information put aside, the Nancys Rubias 2007 version of the song Sálvame is actually a reproduction of her 1981 hit single from her second album. Here's a clip of a televised performance from a documentary on her success.



http://www.myspace.com/bibiandersen

Posted: Thu - October 18, 2007 at 07:11 AM           |

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