Trans Pageant Legend Mimi Marks on 40 Years of Living Unapologetically

Trans icon and Miss Continental 1992 winner Mimi Marks sits down with TS Madison for a raw, emotional conversation about four decades of refusing to hide. From winning Miss Waterloo in 1986 to becoming one of the most legendary names in pageant history, Mimi shares how a kid from Iowa who always knew she was a girl found her community—and her voice—when drag became her doorway to living authentically.

In This Episode:

• How Mimi discovered trans community in Milwaukee drag bars in the 1980s
• Navigating the Jerry Springer era and exploitative daytime television
• The legacy of Chicago's Baton Show Lounge and pageant excellence
• Why "boy team/girl team" never made sense for trans kids
• How Mimi's relationship with her siblings has changed and why
• The impact of Fox News and Pro-Trump propaganda on Mimi's family
• What the next generation of trans performers needs to know about their history
• Mimi's first time seeing Madison's viral Ursula monologue (and falling in love with her talent)
• The importance of being on time, professional excellence, and respecting the craft

Trans history. Pageant royalty. Mutual admiration between two legends who paved the way.

Featured Guest: Mimi Marks (@mimimarks11) - Miss Continental 1992, Chicago Baton Show Lounge icon, Jerry Springer alum, trans pageant pioneer

Topics: transgender history, drag pageants, LGBTQ culture, trans representation, Jerry Springer, Chicago nightlife, trans elders, pageant competition, living authentically, 1980s trans community, Miss Continental, Baton Show Lounge, trans activism, queer history

Subscribe to "OUTLAWS" with TS Madison for conversations that honor the legends who made space for all of us. Check out past episodes with Gigi Gorgeous, Laverne Cox, ballroom icon Sexy Lexy and more!

"Outlaws" is hosted by TS Madison, and is part of the Outspoken Network from iHeartPodcasts and iHeartRadio, co-produced by Turtle Run Entertainment.