Arts & Entertainment

Genesis P-Orridge, who pushed the boundaries of gender and self, passes away

Published

5 years ago

March 15, 2020

***Genesis P-Orridge*** *(Image via YouTube)*

Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, a queer pioneer who identified with third gender pronouns and became an avant-garde icon, has died at the age of 70.

Born Neil Andrew Megson in Victoria Park, Manchester UK, s/he grew up in Essex, where as a teenager she became interested in occultism, avant-garde art, and music. After dropping out of college at the University of Hull, s/he founded a music collective, COUM Transmissions, and changed h/er name to Genesis P-Orridge.

As the Dadaist-inspired group was disbanding in 1976, P-Orridge formed the band Throbbing Gristle, alongside Chris Carter, Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson, and Cosey Fanni Tutti.

According to Pitchfork:

“The band incorporated white noise, tape-based samples, and spoken-word poetry into their work, and were notorious for provocative imagery—such as Nazi concentration camps and pornography—used at their live shows. Their abrasive blend of rock, electronic, and punk ethos would go on to become the groundwork of industrial music.”

Throbbing Gristle would release nine full albums during a career that was experienced a two-decade gap after an break-up in 1981.

Despite being known for h/er music (s/he was known as “the Godparent of Industrial Music”), as well as for various art projects (such as Psychic TV) and h/er viewpoints on occultism, sex work, violence, and other taboo topics, P-Orridge’s most famous legacy is her status as a non-binary explorer who pushed the boundaries of gender and self.

According to the New York Times, P-Orridge first conceived the alter-ego by which s/he would become known in the psychedelic era of the 1960s, envisioning a re-creation of h/erself as in a new form which could become “a canvas for a wide range of experiments: artistic, pharmaceutical, surgical and spiritual.”

“I’d grown up thinking that the world was what I saw, and then I realized it wasn’t — it could be anything at all,” s/he told the paper in 2018.

With h/er second wife, Lady Jaye, P-Orridge underwent the “Pandrogeny Project,” receiving body modification surgery to resemble one another as a single “pandrogynous” being named Breyer P-Orridge. They adopted gender neutral programs and spoke individually as a single combined entity, outside the binary model of gender. Injuries from a 1995 fire led to a cash influx for Genesis, after which they continued to fuse their identities with further physical alterations.

“We’d go to our plastic surgeon and say, what else can we do now to look more alike?” Genesis said.

Lady Jaye died of stomach cancer in 2007. P-Orridge continued to identify as pandrogynous for the rest of h/er life.

P-Orridge’s cause of death was leukemia, according to a statement from manager Ryan Martin. S/he is survived by h/er daughters, Genesse and Caresse, and a granddaughter.

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Arts & Entertainment

Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns bigger than ever with two-day WorldPride celebration

Published

22 hours ago

April 15, 2025

Staff reports

The Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier will be extended to a two-day celebration in honor of WorldPride coming to D.C. this year. Taking place on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7 at The Wharf, this year’s event promises more entertainment, more community, and more pride than ever before — all set against the stunning waterfront backdrop of our nation’s capital.

With the addition of Friday, the party kicks off at 3 p.m., with the inaugural WorldPride Boat Parade at 7 p.m. As an Official WorldPride Partner event, the boat parade will feature 30 decorated boats parading along the Washington Channel. For information on signing up for the boat parade contact Stephen Rutgers at [email protected].

Saturday’s signature Pier Party kicks off at 12 p.m., featuring a drag show, DJ’s, streaming of the WorldPride Parade, and the iconic Fireworks Show Presented by the Leonard-Litz Foundation — one of D.C. Pride’s most anticipated spectacles.

“We’re expanding Washington Blade Pride on the Pier to reflect the excitement and momentum building for WorldPride in D.C.,” said Blade publisher Lynne Brown. “It’s a celebration of our community’s progress and a powerful reminder of the joy and visibility Pride brings to the heart of our city.”

Now in its seventh year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.

Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access, hosted bars, and private viewing areas for the boat parade and the fireworks show. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.

Friday VIP: 5-9 p.m., enjoy an air-conditioned lounge, private bathroom, cash bar and complimentary drink.

Saturday VIP Session #1: 2-5 p.m., enjoy an air-conditioned lounge, private bathroom, catered food, and an open bar.

Saturday VIP Session #2: 6-9 p.m., enjoy the air-conditioned lounge, private bathroom, catered snacks and dinner, and open bar with a front-row view of the fireworks.

Event Details:

📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq., S.W., Washington, D.C.)
📅 Dates: Friday, June 6 & Saturday, June 7, 2025
🛥️Boat Parade: 7 p.m. (June 6). 🎆 Fireworks Show: 9 p.m. (June 7)
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP

Event sponsors include Absolut, Capital Pride, DC Fray, Infinate Legacy, Heineken, Leonard-Litz Foundation, Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, Relish Catering, Washingtonian, and The Wharf. More information regarding activities will be released at www.PrideOnThePierDC.com