Digital Transgender Archive

Interview with Julienne Brown (Mizz June)

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Julienne Brown “Mizz June,” grew up in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. She describes her strong relationship with her grandfather and her challenges with her mother’s adherence to her Jehovah’s Witness faith. As an adult, Julienne has “strained” relationships with her mother and brothers, but finds strength in her chosen family of close friends. She began transitioning in college, which proved to be challenging on a number of different fronts: from coming out to family to the challenges of “passing” when trying to date. Julienne was starring in Charm during this time of this interview, a play about a trans woman who teaches “charm school” to mainly trans youth. She has also portrayed Marsha P. Johnson on stage. She talks about her experiences acting, as well as issues of representation of trans actors in media. Julienne’s story reveals a long history of involvement in trans and LGBT organizations, and her incredible resilience, intelligence, compassion and charisma through both trying and joyous times.

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