Australian Femme Lexi Laphor's approach to magick, mental health & sexuality

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Aug 17

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PHOTO: MICHAELA SOPHIA VUJOVIC @MANGEDEBAUCH

In a world where we are able to pursue many different interests, to follow a path that is not always straight is still no easy feat (especially for those of us who are, uh hm, not straight).

Lexi Laphor not only has made bold and brave strides into unknown waters as the adventurous Australian mergrrrl she is, she’s been a key encourager for other queer kindreds to follow their bliss and connect with their cores on a deeper level.

Known on social media as FEMME AS FUCK, this Internet princess waxes poetic on important elements that make up her personal infrastructure for a stronger sense of self and a well-fed creative spirit in the Cool Queers section of Wussy’s 4th print issue.

On mental health.

Gaining a following originally on Tumblr, Lexi’s imprint began in a community that desperately needed support, especially for queer kids who were isolated with only social media to connect them to a larger community. Much of her audience was not only exploring their sexualities but also their tangled inner webs of emotions, a deconstruction in which Lexi always responded in kind. With encouragement of boundaries, safety and self-care, she offered constructive advice on how to grow beyond fears and foster innovative methods of coping. Lexi’s approach at the intersection of many issues has always been upheld with outstanding tenderness and deep reaching wisdom that younger generations craved to develop within themselves. Brave and honest, refusing to be limited by shame or judgement, her ability to be vulnerable in such a public manner helped spark an entire community of mental health awareness and support on social media for the queer community.

On fashion.

Lexi’s love for underground designers and ultra-fashionista freaks led her to modeling gigs, posing for the likes of plexiglass badass Marina Fini and punk dolly Nikki Lipstick. It’s easy to see why Lexi gets invited to walk Berlin Fashion Week: she appeals to everyone, has an incredibly individualistic look and dons a branded style that is carefree, charming and playfully imaginative. Lexi was counterculture during a time where the stakes were high, if not aggressive, against overt femme expression. What once was met with ridicule has become part of her resume, a stake she’s unwavered from in the fight for queer creative self-expression. Moving forward, she has gotten involved behind the scenes, styling shoots for designers and magazines and reporting on runway shows in NYC for the likes of Chromat and Namilia. Now proudly documenting underground queer parties through her unique photographic lens, Lexi aims to catalog the creative communities that both inspire and challenge norms in the fashion and art worlds.

PHOTO: MICHAELA SOPHIA VUJOVIC @MANGEDEBAUCH

On porn.

As someone who views participating in porn as a way to express queer sexuality creatively, and with ability to curate and collaborate, Lexi’s comfortability with performative sexual work flourished in the midst of ethical crews and communities making moves towards what we now are familiar with as “queer porn”. Collaborators ranged from comrades around the globe, mostly notably the underground porn curator and media maven Courtney Trouble, known to spotlight a spectrum of genders, sizes and kinks in a progressive yet playful setting. “I really have loved and cherished my connections and time spent in The Bay in San Francisco and Oakland, especially because such a political and sexually liberated community but also so many witches!,” Lexi says. “It's certainly a very special place.” To read more on Lexi’s sexual personae in the industry, check out this article on Slutist.

On astrology.

As a Virgo priestess of hyper present groundedness and dream divination, always ready to experience and soak in life as an opportunity to grow, Lexi’s curiosity about the art of astrology came easily as a young child who already identified as a witch, peeking at horoscopes in the newspaper. “I hated reading my sign, Virgo, and thinking I don't relate at all!”, she hilariously explains. “The weekly snippets would always be like Virgos are great with finances... here's more about finances. Ugh! I learnt so much more about it when I first visited San Francisco. As a queer in the bay you find out your birth chart pretty quickly!” Lexi’s interest ran deep: she now runs an astrology column on her site femmeasfuck.com where one can learn more about Chiron and the inner workings beyond the basics from just a few of her astutely expressed articles.

On early spirituality.

With a Greek Orthodox Yaya who would naysay when little Lexi would talk about ghosts and witchy woo woo, her upbringing did not always provide the foundations for the type of spirituality she craved access to. On the opposite spectrum, her mother did not have much belief in spirituality at all. At one point in her childhood, Lexi begged to be taken to Christian church (“I liked the relaxing morning songs and stain glass windows, the revered space and the mass chants and prayer”) but eventually the early Sunday drives became too much of a hassle. In teenhood, however, her mother’s lax nature allowed Lexi the opportunities to explore Pagan nature-based teachings.

On strong fictional femmes.

“I've always loved and admired wild women who are defiantly themselves either in reaction to or despite the normative and oppressive people or settings they are in. Characters I loved growing up were often subversive or outcasts and definitely shaped my personal style!” Lexi’s leaning toward the psychic and witchy is a given, especially as a young child who devoured fantasy novels, but she also has a particular love for characters who also happen to be employed in the oldest profession in the world. “I loved sex workers who harnessed and owned their feminine power and sexuality and took autonomy and control - characters like Gail played by Rosario Dawson in Sin City,” Lexi says. “I loved defiant femme characters like Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy and cultural icons like Nina Hagen, Lil Kim, Yoko Ono and Stevie Nicks.”

On future & hope.

“Queer community or any community is difficult, especially in this time of intense capitalism, heteronormativity and individualism. I think all queer community no matter how nuanced or potentially negative and/or problematic has/can be has been powerful and important. I am always so grateful that there are other people out there living as themselves and building alternative systems that are more diverse and sustainable than the current culture of stepping on everyone on the hierarchical ladder in an attempt to get to the top. This way of living that tells you you will benefit more from fitting in, that you are more for being less of yourself.”

Follow Lexi @femmeasfuck on IG and Tumblr!
Follow Michaela Sophia Vujovic @mangedebauch

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