Profiles of Transgender Courage: Candy Darling

Candy Darling was a transgender American actress best known for her work as one of Andy Warhol's Superstars. She was born James Lawrence Slattery Jr. As a baby born male, Candy won a most beautiful baby contest, but because of a mistake by her mother.... won as a girl. At the age of 17, Candy's mother confronted her child about being seen regularly in a gay nightclub in drag. Candy left the room briefly and returned en femme. Her mother spoke of the moment in an interview, stating "I knew then... that I couldn't stop Jimmy, Candy was just too beautiful and too talented."

She began hormones sometime between 1963-1964 and was performing under a variety of stage names at that time. There is some debate as to how she came to the name Candy Darling, but the most popular (and likely accurate) comes from fellow Warhol Superstar and transgender actress Holly Woodlawn, who believed she arrived at the name because of her love of sweets and because a close friend of hers called her "darling" so often it stuck.

Darling met Andy Warhol in 1967. The two met through mutual friend Jackie Curtis at a play that Curtis had written and directed called Glamour, Glory, and Gold which had Darling and a young Robert De Niro among the cast. In 1968 Warhol cast Darling in a minor role in his film Flesh and later in the central role in his film Women In Revolt in 1971. 

Candy Darling (right) pictured with friend Andy Warhol (left)

Darling was a muse for a variety of pop culture stars. She was the subject of the song "Candy Says" by The Velvet Underground and was tributed by the Rolling Stones in the song "Citadel". She was cast in many plays from playwrights Jackie Curtis, Tennessee Williams, and Tom Eyen. She appeared in Andy Warhol's artwork and films and appeared in a variety of other films through 1974, working with stars Jane Fonda, Robert De Niro, and Sophia Loren. However, after campaigning for the main role in the film Myra Breckenridge to try and break into the mainstream movie business in 1970, she was rejected which led to bitterness with the movie industry. 

Candy Darling on her deathbed.

Candy died in March of 1974 from lymphoma at the Columbia University Medical center in New York. In a letter on her deathbed, she wrote,  "Unfortunately before my death, I had no desire left for life ... I am just so bored by everything. You might say bored to death. Did you know I couldn't last? I always knew it. I wish I could meet you all again."

Her funeral was attended by mass crowds and was even attended by her long lost half brother, who was unaware of her transition and was visibly shaken by her appearance. She was cremated interred at Cherry Valley Cemetary in Cherry Valley, New York.

In 1997, My Face for the World to See: The Diaries, Letters, and Drawings of Candy Darling, Andy Warhol Superstar was published. The book contains entries from Candy's diaries,, drawings and sketches by Darling, and pictures from her life. The diary entries talk about her sexual confusion, depression, experiences, and desire to become fully female as well as her dreams of stardom and notoriety. Most pages reflect her desire to belong in a society that was unappreciative of her life experience. Her life is summarized in a poem at the end of the book, the poem is entitled "Stardusk". This memoir documents the fact that Darling was a talent who could not be fully appreciated by the culture of the day .My favorite quote of hers speaks volumes to the reality of the struggles one faces with gender dysphoria.

"There is one thing I must tell you because I just found it to be a truth . . . You must always be yourself no matter what the price. It is the highest form of morality."