A peek into Atlanta’s lesbian life may be headed to Oxygen

The weekend of June 16, the show may have finally gotten its big break when producers from the Oxygen channel came down to Atlanta to film a new promo video for the show. They also shot footage of the Traxx Girls party at XS Ultra Lounge featuring Da Brat in one of her first live performances since being released from prison for aggravated assault charges.

The show follows these women, who identify as lesbian, bisexual and queer, as they connect with each other, fight with each other, and continue to climb the ladders of their respective careers.

“We’re at the top of our career paths,” DJ M says. “And we all have a racy, fast-moving lifestyle. This show is important for mainstream audiences to see.”

Waiting for the green light

Now the women are awaiting final word from Oxygen to see if the show gets the green light. No airdate has been announced.

“We’ve been taping for five years — at some point we just realized we should be taping,” DJ M says. “It may sound strange … but I have this group of friends nobody else has. And it’s interesting to see the ladies, our lifestyles. There are so many aspects of the LGBT lifestyle and we are a peek into that.”

For Jaimee Balenciaga, known as Mother Balenciaga in Atlanta’s house ball scene, the show does have its drama, but it also opens the doors to a life many people have not seen before.

“We are celebrities in our own rights and we are known in the LGBT community,” she says.

Balenciaga is a famous house, and includes Maria Balenciaga, a Season 3 contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and Lawrence from “Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

And while Jaimee Balenciaga competed for many years in the male-dominant house ball scene, about three years ago she decided it was time to make space for women to walk.

“I started a women, butch, transman ball scene and that’s how I met DJ M — she loved the concept and wanted it to be more mainstream,” she says.

Getting women and transmen to walk is still difficult. While men’s house ball parties can last six hours, there are still too many women who would prefer to just watch. Balenciaga is working hard to get women and transmen to come out of their comfort zones because to walk, to show creativity in makeup, clothes, hair, sneakers — it all brings confidence to an individual, she says.

“This is my way of giving back. I didn’t have a confidence coming up, but walking has given me incredible confidence in myself,” she says.

The show’s characters, while they know are being filmed, are all true to who they are and having mics and cameras around does not influence how they act, Balenciaga says.

“I identify as queer and this show taps into every sexuality with women and men. People can relate to our daily problems and struggles not only as LGBT women, but as women, and as women of color,” she adds.

 

Top photo: DJ M of Traxx Girls (center) with rapper and actress Da Brat (right) and LisaRaye, at a recent Traxx Girls party in Atlanta. (Photo by Shinehog.com)