Black woman’s three-part ‘Humans of New York’ post goes viral; fans want movie made

A woman who goes by the moniker 'Tanqueray', appearing on 'Humans of New York' Facebook posts has become so popular some want her story to become a film

Cinema signs advertising adult and martial arts films on 42nd Street, New York, circa 1977. (Photo by George Freston/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The popular Facebook photo series Humans of New York is no stranger to public adulation, but the story of one colorful Black woman whose lived an incredibly interesting life (and isn’t afraid to talk about it) has been captivating readers all week and has gone viral as new installments continue to be shared with readers.

The first post from the woman, an ex-stripper who goes by the name Tanqueray, went up Monday, detailing a her days of glitz, glamour and gay bars during the 70’s and instantly people began asking that her story be turned into a movie or a memoir.

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“My mom threw me out of the house at seventeen for getting pregnant, then had me arrested when I tried to get my clothes. Then she f**ked the head of parole to try to keep me in jail. She was some prime p***y back then. But the warden did some tests on me and found out I was smart, so I got a scholarship to go anywhere in New York. I chose the Fashion Institute of Technology, which I hated,” she begins.

“But by that time I was already getting work making costumes for the strippers and porn stars in Times Square. All my friends were gay people, because they never judged me. All I did was gay bars: drag queen contests, Crisco Disco, I loved the whole scene. And I couldn’t get enough of the costumes. My friend Paris used to sit at the bar and sell stolen clothes from Bergdorf and Lord and Taylors, back before they had sensor tags. So I had the best wardrobe: mink coats, 5 inch heels, stockings with seams up the back. I looked like a drag queen, honey. One night a Hasidic rabbi tried to pick me up because he thought I was a tranny. I had to tell him: ‘Baby, this is real fish!”

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After receiving With over 29,000 shares and 28,000 comments in record time, Tuesday, a second installment was shared which finally revealed her name of choice.

“My stripper name was Tanqueray. Back in the seventies I was the only black girl making white girl money. I danced in so many mob clubs that I learned Italian. Black girls weren’t even allowed in some of these places. Nothing but guidos with their pinky rings and the one long fingernail they used for cocaine,” she explained.

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She also pointed out that she never slept with the booking agents or her clients unlike some of the other girls who had no qualms doing so.

“One night after a show, I caught another dancer sneaking off to the Tate Hotel with our biggest tipper,” she recalls. “Not allowed. So the next night we put a little itching powder in her G-string. Boy did she put on a show that night. Didn’t see her again until ‘The Longest Yard’ with Burt Reynolds. So I guess she finally f**ked the right one.”

After releasing that bombshell, it only seemed right that we all be treated to more of Tanqueray’s story, and fortunately on Wednesday, Humans of New York obliged by sharing the third installment of this eye-catching series.

You can check out all three of posts below.

Editor’s Note: Some objectionable language in the following content.

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