JADA & BRANDEN

Sister: Jada (Age 30)

Brother: Branden (Age 30)

Atlanta, GA

From Brother to Sister

Sister and brother, Jada and Branden, are a truly unique pair of siblings. They have lived nearly mirrored lives working in similar careers, living together and even sharing their own made-up language. So much is the same between these extremely close siblings, except for one major difference. Jada is a strong and confident woman, boasting a curvaceous and beautiful physique and Branden is a handsome and outspoken man… but that wasn’t always the case. The siblings were raised in a working class neighborhood of New Orleans. They were always vaguely aware that they were “different” but not entirely sure how to explain it. Sure, they were twins, but that wasn’t the whole store. Jada was effeminate, sassy and outspoken and Branden was sweet and shy. He was his brother’s shadow. They were bullied for these differences, turning to one another for acceptance and support.

Jada knew from an extremely early age that she was a she, and not a he. It took years and an incredible amount of courage to finally reveal her true self to the world. Jada and Branden were both presented male but Jada transitioned into a woman in her early twenties. While Jada and Branden have a deeply close relationship now, Jada’s transition caused some temporary friction between the two when Branden found a book about gender transition that Jada had ordered in the mail and Branden refused to talk to Jada for four months. At the time, the two were living together in a studio apartment! Branden was having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that he was about to “lose his brother”… or at least that’s what he thought was about to happen. Meanwhile, Branden had a secret of his own he was keeping from the world: he is a gay man. Through the experience of watching Jada come into her own power and show her true self, Branden was inspired to reveal his sexuality to the world. Because of Branden’s support of Jada’s transition, their mother solidified the familial support system by telling Jada that she is “the daughter she never had.” In that moment, the struggle and pain to show the world their most true self was all worth it.

The siblings have spent the majority of their lives together and have always had each other’s backs. When Branden decided to move to Atlanta in the early 2000s, it didn’t take long for Jada to pack-up and follow her brother. Then, when Branden moved to New York, Jada followed again. Then Jada moved back to Atlanta and, well, Branden of course had to follow. The two have separation anxiety, they simply cannot be apart for too long. They insist that they can maintain their independence and even feel at times that they don’t want to tell each other EVERYTHING about their lives… but eventually it all comes spilling out from one sibling to the other.

They developed their own language at a young age, which to the naked ear sounds like complete gibberish, but in actuality it is far from it. Jada and Branden created this language in order to talk to each other in front of anyone at any time, something they still do to this day. They feel that they are the same person living in two different bodies, and even though their genders may not be the same, their soul is. To that degree, they love dressing up in a way that compliments each other’s outfits. He will go with his sister and help her buy dresses, and sometimes even bras and panties! In turn, Jada will dress and style her handsome brother. This intimacy has led people who don’t know them well to believe in the past that they are a couple. Even though they’re mature adults, these siblings still choose to live together. They maintain their home together, share a bathroom together, cook and clean together, and navigate their personal lives, together.

Branden is in a relationship with a man named Kyrie and they have just reached their one-year milestone, a first for Branden. Jada is still looking for a beau of her own. She has had an extremely difficult time finding someone special who love and accepts her on all levels. Dating is hard enough but trying to find honest and pure love with a truly equal partner while being transgender is nearly impossible. Men either fetishize her, keep her a secret, or delegate her to “being beautiful.” Jada wants a partner to build a life with whom she connects with on a number of levels, not someone who simply thinks that she is nice to look at. Although Jada is happy to see her brother content, she can’t help but feel jealous that his life is taking off and her dreams of a happily ever after seem like a bridge too far.

Although, these two are confidants are beyond close they still infuriate one another. They are absolutely competitive with one another. If one tells a story, the other has to tell a better story. If one person looks good, the other has to look even better. If one person has a terrific opportunity, the other will either feel resentment or jealously. Although, they love and support one another, it doesn’t come without classic sibling rivalry.

Jada and Branden have a shared passion for cooking and baking. They are taking their talents to the next level, by starting a business of their own together: a food truck! They just signed a lease on a kitchen and purchased a truck, so their dream is REALLY happening! They plan to serve Jada’s gumbo, seafood pasta, and other Louisiana dishes that they grew up on, with sweet pastries and beignets by Branden. Of course, they are both excited about this upcoming endeavor but also know that the truck will be a small place for their big personalities, a new way to test their unbreakable bond. Fireworks, or flares, will most certainly fly.

Jada competes in ballroom dance competitions, but this isn’t your typical waltz, salsa and meringue. Jada competes in the underground ballroom competitions as popularized on shows like Pose and Legendary where voguing teams, called “Houses,” compete in dance challenges and showcase fashions for a chance to win cash prizes. To Jada, her representation in these competitions is both exciting but also historic: she is regularly competing to be the first trans woman to be crowned Ballroom queen at most of the competitions she participates in. Branden is a big supporter of his sister’s dancing dream, and regularly helps his sister prepare for competition. He helps her brush and style her plethora of wigs. He helps her choose her outfits and, of course, helps her pose and critique her performances.

Jada and Branden are hopeful and excited about their future together. They don’t necessarily foresee a time where they are not living together, unless things progress for Branden and Kyrie, or Jada finds a partner of her own. But no matter what their living situation is in the future, they will always be close, which is how they have managed to survive a life of judgement and misunderstanding. Jada is happy with how she looks and feels but does admit that cosmetic procedures are part of her maintenance as a trans woman. Beyond taking hormones, buying clothing, hair and makeup, becoming and a being a woman is a full-time job for her, something that brother Branden has and will continue to be a part of for his sister.

They will always lean on each other, because they were born in the same womb, and have been inseparable ever since. As they say both say, usually at the exact same time: “how would we NOT be the closest person in each other’s lives? We were the first people both of us have ever met.”