ISABEL TOLLS
Singer and trans pioneer La Veneno, who died in 2016, was an icon among Spain’s LGBT community. One of the first public transgender figures in her homeland, her scrappy personality with a flair for the tall tale endeared her to many and led to routine appearances on popular talk shows of the late 90s. The least illustrious bits of her life (such as a several-year prison stint) only furthered her iconic status, for above all she was outrageously and unapologetically her in an era with few trans figures of her profile. That no-fucks-given attitude inspired other Spaniards to transition – among them journalist Valeria Vegas, who co-wrote La Veneno’s extravagant memoir. Said book became the basis of Veneno, an HBO drama released to critical acclaim in 2020. Particular points of praise were its raw look at the highs and lows of her life and the hiring of trans actresses to depict her (three actresses for the various stages of her life).
The actress who portrayed adult La Veneno, Isabel Torres, was herself a trans pioneer of note. She first fought against Spanish anti-trans laws in the 90s, and later that decade became the first transgender person in the Canary Islands to legally change her name and gender. Though a passionate individual with a lasting presence on Spanish TV, she evaded full stardom until Veneno. Said career apex was short-lived, with a lung cancer diagnosis leading to her final transition aged 52. It is public trailblazers like her I ought to be grateful for as I quietly change my estradiol patches out of the spotlight…
Torres was a classic “fortune favours the brave” obit gamble, with coverage of her illness limited entirely to Spanish-language media and specialist magazines. After her death, she’s run the whole gamut of UK tabloid QOs – perhaps signaling the clickbait power of a youngish trans death. A trio of contenders picked her and now compose the current podium – current leader Smart Beta, former champion David Quantick’s Showbiz Pals (who himself ran a trans-oriented theme team in 2019), and regular high-flyer Banana’s Peel Slippers. Two major gambles paying off before Valentine’s Day is a strong position indeed for Smart Beta, but there’s plenty of time for other poolers to stop them the way my spironolactone pills stop the production of testosterone. Or something.
Isabel Torres
14 July 1969 – 11 February 2022, aged 52
3 TEAMS (💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀 9 POINTS)