ChicagoPride.com – by Jason P Freeman
POP QUIZ: Five random questions for Joey Arias
Refer to Joey Arias by the gender-assigning title “mister” and the self-described “artist-slash-jazz singer” and cabaret star giggles. Defining his (or her) career and personal life by the “Z chromosome”–an incorporation of the “drag element” that’s not quite drag (no lip synching) but not entirely trans–Arias rarely wears men’s clothing anymore. When (s)he does, (s)he says it just looks androgynous. So, while calling Arias “mister” doesn’t offend him/her, (s)he still can’t help but find it somewhat funny.
“Whatever you are, you’re beautiful,” Arias says. “The new chromosome Z, it’s the way we’re going.”