The Lady Chablis was an actress, club performer, and author. She was one of the first transgender women who were introduced to a widespread mainstream audience. Notably, Lady Chablis did not like being referred to by anything other than her name, specifically stating she did not like being called a drag queen. She was also known as “The Doll” and “The Grand Empress.”

She grew up in Harlem in 1969, and at 16 years old, living in Atlanta, she changed her name to The Lady Chablis, and pursued a career in performance a year prior at a small gay bar called The Fox Trot in Tallahassee. Following successful runs at other clubs, she performed at opening night of Club One, in 1988, and maintained status as a headliner and regular there until 2016. She held several titles in drag pageantry, ten in total, including Miss Gay World in 1976 and Miss Southern States USA 1998.

Her fame came with her character in John Berendt’s bestseller of 1994, as herself in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Her stardom came with the film adaptation by the same name, directed by Clint Eastwood in 1996. She donated and raised money for many LGBT charities throughout her career and passed away after a short illness in 2016.