Cassandra Cass

Cassandra Cass (born 1977/1978) is an American actress and performer and reality-television star.[1][2] She is known for being a trans woman, and finds that performing in the entertainment world gives validation to her transgender life.[3]

Early life and transition

She was born in Des Moines, Iowa to a housewife and a football coach.[1] Her father initially had difficulty in processing her coming out as trans, but eventually came to accept it; her mother was always supportive of her daughter's trans identity.[4] Her father is still alive, but her mother died from cancer. At some point in her early life, she came to realize she would be more comfortable and happy living as a woman.

Cass started socially transitioning and presenting as a woman through clothing, hair, and make-up. After researching different pathways and with the advice of medical professionals, she later made the decision to start hormone therapy and have plastic surgery.

After moving to San Francisco, she underwent sexual reassignment surgery.[5] Cassandra, is a name she chose from several sources.[1] Her mother's name was Sandra,[6] and her drag mother's name (when she was in drag performance) was Dena Cass. So she just combined all three to get Cassandra Cass.[6]

Career

As an actress, Cass is known for Trantasia (2006), Wild Things (2010), and What's the T? (2012). Trantasia is a documentary that chronicles contestants as they take part in the first ever "World's Most Beautiful Transsexual Pageant."[7] The documentary was featured on Tyra Banks's show, dedicating a whole show to talking about it.[8] Wild Things was an eight-episode reality television series which featured three transgender women on a road-trip to earn money for a relative of one of the three women who was seriously ill.[9] The reality show starred Cassandra Cass, Maria Roman, and Tiara Russell, three original characters from Trantasia.[10] The documentary What's the T? followed the lives of five trans women.[11] Cass has also been on television shows and in other films.[12]

She is also an established performer in San Francisco who does drag and lip-sync shows.[1] And she has had a calendar put out over the last several years.[13]

References
  1. , SF Gate, Transgender Star Cassandra Cass Shines Brightly.
  2. , Pop Matters, Trantasia.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-02-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), The Rainbow Times, What's the T? Explores the Lives of Trans Women.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-02-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), Out There, Meet the Women of "What's the T?".
  5. , Oh No They Didn't, Transgender Star Cassandra Cass Shines Brightly on Showtime Series.
  6. , Raannt, Cassandra Cass...Princess of Trantasia and Wild Things.
  7. , Raannt, Storytelling with Acclaimed Film Director Jeremy Stanford of Trantasia and Wild Things.
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-02-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), WeHoNews, Trantasia is Transtastic! A Film Review.
  9. Archived 2014-02-27 at the Wayback Machine, gay.net, Wild Things Creator Gives us the Skinny.
  10. Archived 2014-02-27 at the Wayback Machine, Imperial Valley Press, 'Trantasia' comes to El Centro.
  11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-02-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), The Rainbow Times, What's the T? Explores the Lives of Trans Women.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-02-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), Out There, Meet the Women of "What's the T?".
  13. , San Francisco Bay Guardian, Fantasy Girl.
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