Friday night was supposed to be fun. And not the typical wander Dirty Sixth/Red River/Eastside until the right party – or drinks – appear. No, this Friday was supposed to be about Blackheart Burlesque, the Suicide Girls’ internationally touring risqué dance troupe.
Six of the site’s most talented girls were to descend on Emo’s for a “geek fantasy spectacular” with the “sexiest striptease numbers.” However, due to “scheduling conflicts” the show will not go on.
Blackheart Burlesque was scheduled to take place at Emo’s, but on November 3 – just 10 days before the Girls were to perform – the calendar was cleared. During last year’s Blackheart Burlesque tour, the Girls had a successful show at Emo’s. One attendee estimates that the venue was at 75% capacity.
“The show has been canceled,” confirms Suicide Girls co-founder Selena Mooney, aka Missy Suicide. “We love Austin and are deeply saddened, but will be back for sure next tour!” Missy, who started the softcore pinup-inspired website in 2001 with Sean Suhl, is also partially responsible for building what is, today, a vibrant Suicide Girl community right here in Austin.
During a SXSW visit four years ago, Missy reached out to a local Austinite – now known as Charmaine Suicide – to help build a stronger SG community in town. “At the time there weren’t a lot of Austin-based Suicide Girls even though the culture here seemed like the perfect place for it,” explains Charmaine, who admits she (now 25) has been a fan of the Suicide Girls since she was 12.
Charmaine accepted Missy’s offer and did her first shoot for the website the following day with Missy working as the photographer. “We were at her Airbnb in South Austin. I wore cowboy boots and jean shorts – very Texas.”
In her role as Austin’s Suicide Girl recruiter, Charmaine found that lots of girls were interested in joining the sisterhood. “Missy has made a really cool thing. There’s so much camaraderie, and body positivity. SG helps women take control of our bodies. And getting together with women and taking photos feels awesome.”
Letting women control how their sexuality is depicted is one of the main reasons Missy created the site 14 years ago. According to Charmaine, that mission has been a force of positive change in many of the girls’ lives. “A lot of women have body insecurities, but to have another woman take a photo of you lets you see yourself in the light that a lover sees you. It transforms your confidence. It’s my favorite part – realizing you’re beautiful with the help of other women.”
Though Charmaine still calls Austin home, she’s spent some time in L.A. working at SG headquarters, and she’s currently in Toronto. Her travel has only cemented her love of the job. “No matter where you are, there’s a sisterhood. In any city there’s a built-in group of girls to reach out to for places to stay, hanging out, recommendations – I’ve made lifelong friends through the Suicide Girls. The site was something constructed, but the caliber of women who decide to join are more accepting. Missy threw it out into the world, and these girls keep it up.”
If waiting until the next tour is too long, Blackheart Burlesque will be performing in San Antonio tonight (Nov. 12), and Dallas Saturday night (Nov. 14).
This article appears in November 13 • 2015.