NYC's Favorite Twink Handler and Party Host: Vera Westwood

TRAN MAG: Many people know Vera Westwood as a New York City nightlife icon and celebrity host. You are known as the “Mother of the Twinks” and celebrated as a confident, fashionable diva who creates inclusive spaces for queer people throughout the city. Outside of nightlife, what are some of the qualities that make Vera Westwood who she is?

VERA: I grew up as an artist. I was a ballet dancer, I have performed in plays and musicals, I sing, and I am a jazz singer. I am a performer in many ways, and I am getting back into that. You will be seeing more of it.

I also studied psychology and graduated with a degree in psychology. I care deeply about helping my community through nontraditional forms of support. Nightlife is one part of that, but I also work with nonprofit organizations and mutual-aid groups that support trans women, including women in immigration detention. I help raise money, participate in letter-writing campaigns, and support community initiatives.

Outside of nightlife, I do a lot of community work that has nothing to do with drinking or partying. I believe nightlife can also be used as a tool for activism. It can create opportunities to raise awareness, raise funds, and bring people together. I think of nightlife as another way to serve as a community leader.

TRAN MAG: For people who are interested in pursuing nightlife hosting or club promotion as a career or additional source of income, what advice would you give them?

VERA: You have to do it because you genuinely love people and care about your community. I think a lot of people enter nightlife for the wrong reasons. They want access to exclusive spaces or want to appear important.

You have to actually enjoy connecting with people. That is what has allowed me to continue doing this without becoming burned out.

TRAN MAG: What does being a nightlife host involve, and what three qualities do you think make a great nightlife host?

VERA: I genuinely love people, and I am always excited to meet new people when I go out. I try to talk to people, include them, and make them feel welcome.

The first quality is being welcoming. You should be approachable and willing to speak to anyone.

The second is being humble and down-to-earth. I feel very privileged by the way people celebrate me and welcome me into different spaces, so I want to give that feeling back to others. Everyone should have equal access to that sense of community.

The third is confidence. You have to be confident and embrace being a diva. Nightlife is supposed to be fun and glamorous, but it should also be about genuine connection.

I think people need to be prepared for that genuine connection. If you focus too much on sex or networking and lose sight of your community, you miss an important part of what nightlife can offer.

TRAN MAG: What has been your favorite moment from a party you have hosted during your nightlife career?

VERA: That is difficult because there have been so many.

One of my favorite memories was a ballroom boat party last year. I love being on a boat during the summer. You are dancing, you feel the summer breeze, and the Statue of Liberty is right there. I was surrounded by my friends, and everyone was hugging and celebrating together.

Then a Mariah Carey remix came on, and I started crying. I remember thinking, “I am getting paid to experience this moment.” It was incredible.

Another memorable experience was LadyLand, when I was in the front for Kim Petras. Being paid to experience moments like that is amazing.

TRAN MAG: Who has been your favorite celebrity encounter?

VERA: Amanda Lepore. She was one of the most famous trans women in the world for such a long time, so I still cannot believe that I am friends with her and that we have worked together so much.

When I first moved to New York, she gave me a lipstick mirror that she bedazzled herself. I treasure it. It is in my boudoir.

Another memorable celebrity experience was taking shots with Paula Abdul at my table. She was so funny and relaxed. We were just being silly and having a genuine moment together. That is one of my favorite celebrity encounters.

TRAN MAG: Coming from Texas, I am very familiar with the ballroom scene, particularly in Austin. Your last name, Westwood, comes from the House of Westwood, if I am not mistaken. What is the story behind becoming part of that house, and why did you take the Westwood name?

VERA: I moved to New York because I wanted sisterhood. Before moving here, I experienced a lot of isolation and trauma, and I was searching for community.

Within a few weeks of moving here, I met Olive. She asked me if I wanted to walk with her and become part of her house.

I respected ballroom and loved the culture, but I initially questioned whether I should participate because I am a white woman. I did not want to insert myself into a community where I did not belong. However, I was invited, and becoming part of that house meant a lot to me because I was looking for sisterhood.

I competed in realness, which is a category I love. I am very grateful to those women, and I consider them sisters for life. That community means a lot to me.

At the same time, I am conscious of the fact that ballroom has a specific cultural history. I do not want to speak over anyone or treat the culture as something that belongs to me. I was welcomed into that community, and I respect that deeply.

TRAN MAG: You recently moved from hosting to creating your own party, Planet Diva, at the Rosemont in Brooklyn. How have you enjoyed moving from being a host to becoming a party producer? What challenges have you experienced, and what do you enjoy most about producing your own event?

VERA: The best part is being able to create my own marketing and find new ways to make people excited about coming to the Rosemont.

I started thinking about how I could create something that would encourage people to leave their homes and experience something different. I wanted a space where people could escape from the pressures of the outside world, express themselves freely, and enjoy themselves on the dance floor.

I have had a lot of fun writing promotional scripts and creating different ways to advertise the parties. I think some of the creativity and camp that used to exist in nightlife promotion has been lost, and I want to bring some of that back.

I also want Planet Diva to create opportunities to talk about serious issues. I want people to have a place where they can be unapologetically themselves and feel safe.

I love the diversity of the people who come. There are lesbians, trans people, dancers, and people from many different communities. Everyone is invited. I am able to curate a group of people who genuinely enjoy being together.

I also make more money producing my own parties than I do hosting, although it is much more work.

TRAN MAG: You recently completed your degree in psychology while balancing a demanding nightlife career and modeling. What do you see for the future of your education and career?

VERA: Interestingly, I see myself taking Planet Diva very far.

The concept is about queer divas escaping the pressures of the outside world, finding safety within their community, and healing together. I can see Planet Diva becoming a real physical space.

My long-term idea is to create a community center. I imagine a place that could provide social services while also functioning as a beauty salon, spa, venue, and space for skill-sharing.

It could offer legal resources, social services, community programming, and other forms of support. I want it to be a place where people can escape, find community, and build relationships outside of nightlife.

I have always been someone who brings different types of people together. I see myself as someone who connects communities. I do not necessarily see myself working one-on-one as a therapist. I see myself having an impact on many people by leading and creating a community, similar to the role of a mother within a house.

TRAN MAG: A lot of people who follow us are new to the queer community, newly trans, or have recently moved to New York and are looking for fun ways to meet people. What advice would you give them about navigating nightlife? If you had one motto, what would it be?

VERA: Be real, and you will find real people and real connections.

It takes effort, but I think it is important to be yourself and find places where you can be unapologetic about who you are.

Use nightlife as an opportunity to experience freedom and relax. It should not feel stressful. Some people treat nightlife as networking or as a job, but I think you can have much more fun when you do not take everything so seriously.

Especially when you stop centering sex and relationships, you can experience nightlife differently. You can meet people, build genuine friendships, and develop a community simply by being yourself.

It is rare to find people who are genuinely comfortable being themselves, and people respond positively to that authenticity. When you are honest about who you are, it can create a sense of peace and well-being in your life.

TRAN MAG: Vera, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us. We are excited to feature you in TRAN MAG.

VERA: Thank you. I really appreciate it.