With gay rights in America According to entertainer and LGBT ac- fully out of the closet, the last outcasts tivist Miley Cyrus’ support site, “Happy still crowded in the smoky closet of dis- Hippies Foundation,” 1.6 million youth crimination seem to be pot smokers. are made homeless each year, with 40 Twenty-six year old Jay Jackson, aka: percent identifying as LGBT, and fam- Images by Drag Queen extraordinaire Laganja Es- ily rejection at the top of the list for rea- Robert Hayman tranja, would like to help open that door, sons. Twenty-five percent admit to be- strutting her stuff and waving a multi- ing sexually or physically abused, with shaded green flag for Ganja; speaking nearly one in three transgender people out for the plant as a patient. being turned away from shelters due No small task, as the cannabis industry solely to their sexual orientation. is a somewhat male dominated affair According to The Trevor Project, sui- with the only scantily clad objects of de- cide is the second leading cause of death sire typically female in form. among young people ages 10 to 24, with LGB youth four times more likely to Don’t Mess With Texas attempt to end their lives than their Lucky for Laganja, she is no longer straight peers. Where transgender youth daunted by the rhetoric of homophobes, are concerned, it’s been reported that up for her male persona hails from one to 50 percent have seriously considered of the more conservative states in the taking their own lives, with one quarter union when it comes to sex or pot, in or having made an attempt. Add POC (Peo- out of the closet. He came up and out ple of Color) and the numbers double. in Texas, where cannabis law is tough, with up to two years in the slammer for Coming Out in the Bull Horn State small possession, and tonnage weigh- When Jackson was seven years old his ing in with up to 99 years behind bars as parents enrolled him in a musical the- punishment. ater class, by 14 he was touring nation- Two years ago two bills reducing pen- ally with the Will Rogers Follies, and by alties failed in the Texas House of Rep- 17 he was a Presidential Scholar in the resentatives, leading observers in the Arts for Choreography,” to name just a cause to note Texas needs fewer Repub- few of the many honors bestowed on the licans in the House or more Cowboys young song and dance man. and Cowgirls who smoke the herb out Jay’s theatrical penchant came with a of the closet. cost, and big sister Jordan’s own journey Jackson said, growing up in a conserva- unknowingly paved a path for her little tive state, in the arts with a penchant to brother who is eight years younger. the feminine side and a focus in musical “I came out in ultra-conservative sub- theater, he was messed with often. urban Texas when I was sixteen,” Jordan “As a young gay man in Texas, I was said. “It was difficult, but I’ve never been picked on a lot,” Jackson explained. “Be- the kind of person to hide who I am, and cause of my outlandish style I called a because of my experience Jay was raised Celebrity Advocate in a house where homosexuality was a lot of attention to myself and was often put down. Luckily I had a great support reality, not just a show on TV.” Big sis system at home.” Jordan taught Jay to say, “It’s okay to be gay,” at a young age, but he still had his LGBT = PTSD own battles to fight. Laganja Estranja A paper published in the Harvard Ga- “When I left for college at 17 Jay was zette (2012) recognizes that the incidence just eight years old, but was already of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders being picked on in school for being so (PTSD) in those identifying as lesbian, flamboyant. At seven they called him AKA Jay Jackson “Gay Jay.” I told him, ‘fuck them, who gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) is much higher and starts at a younger age cares what they think,’ and taught him than heterosexuals, coming with a laun- to stand up for himself and not be con- Death Drops and Daily Doses dry list of lifelong disorders, including cerned with other people’s opinions.” anxiety, panic attacks, and depression to Their parents, both counselors, were aware of other lifestyles and open to EMERALD | SEPTEMBER 2015 SHARON LETTS Photo by Mike Brooks – Laganja Estranga a time.” at and one plant heels, two one wig, the world “Saving name just a few symptoms. THEEMERALDMAGAZINE.COM Image by supporting their children’s leanings. cles, joints and tendons has become a Sharon Letts Jordan said they initially put Jay into all big part of his wellness regime, with the typical male sports, but as soon as he his triple threat in theater equal to his showed an inclination to perform, com- triple threat in medicating via smoking, bined with continuing bullying at the ingesting, and topical use. local high school, they enrolled him in a Dallas Arts Magnet high school. Glitter, Glue and Good Medicine Already suffering from anxiety, eating With both the LGBT and the cannabis and sleep disorders, with a list of extenu- communities often seen in a negative ating symptoms classified under PTSD light, it’s Jay’s hope to bring the two leading to depression, there was no groups together in solidarity with “one education on cannabis to help Jay while wig, two heels, and one plant at a time.” in the conservatively red state, though “I’d like to unite my brothers and sis- there were a plethora of prescription ters in education on this herb, and I’d meds for kids. like to show the other side how much fun we have in liberating this plant,” Jay California Dreamin’ said, raising his head high, channeling Due to extensive honors and awards Laganja, “Girl, I spent a long weekend during his childhood in the arts, Jay in the fields of the Emerald Triangle received a partial free-glide in dance in Northern California, and let me tell via scholarships at the renowned West you, those ladies got nothing on me. I’m Coast arts enclave Cal Arts (California their rep now, you listening?” Institute of the Arts) founded by Walt Laganja participated in season six of Disney himself. Logo Channel’s RuPaul’s “Drag Race,” “Moving to Los Angeles really allowed but was unable to medicate during pro- Laganja Estranja me to explore my sexuality and individ- duction. Without her medicine, she said makeup line uality,” Jay explained. “The move also her emotions were all over the place, helped me physically and emotionally, with her pain level reaching an all-time because I found my medicine here.” high. The first to recognize cannabis as Today she’s featured regularly in top medicine, the historically liberal State clubs around the world, is recording #TEAMGANJA of California has been a safe haven for music, and will be on stage with host Mi- many with real illnesses since its Propo- ley Cyrus during this year’s MTV Video sition 215 was passed by voters in 1996. & Music Awards (VMAs). During his third year of college an “My life is as fast as a little red corvette injury caused his Cali Chiropractor to right now, sugar,” Jackson said, with a suggest he ingest cannabis for pain and wink. “But it would mean everything to inflammation, with great results. me to be accepted in the world of weed. “Medicating with cannabis works the Let me dance for you – start the drum best for me, because it solves all my circle, I’ve got this!” problems at once, rather than popping Jackson said Laganja has only begun a half a dozen pills from big pharma,” to spread her famous foliage, with her he explained. “I use strains of Indica at current triple threat in song, dance and night to help me eat, sleep, and unwind acting as a springboard to everything. from my typically long days. And I’m “The future is endless!” he exclaimed. very excited about my new method of “I dream of being a model, a photogra- juicing the leaves. It gets my day started pher, dancer, director, hip-hop rapper – I off in a new, refreshing, energized way want to do it all - in stilettos, baby! Can without the psychological effects of the you just see a Cirque de Soleil extrva- THC [tetrahydrocannabinol].” GANJA in Vegas directed by none other The physical side of sporting eight than Laganja Estranja herself? “I can. inch heels and dancing is grueling on And the plant will be beside me every his body. Known for his “Death Drops,” a dance step of the way!” contortionist’s movement in dance that Get involved by visiting: The Trevor Project, Thetrevorproject.org plunges him face first to the floor, then GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against on to splits in just seconds, it’s enough Defamation) Glaad.org to make his mother cringe. laganjaestranja.com Happy Hippies (Miley Cyrus’ support site for Applying cannabis salve on sore mus- LGBT) Happyhippies.org