Lust List 2015: Frankie: Barber, the Shave Barber Shop

Age: 25

Relationship Status: Has a girlfriend

After almost dying in a car accident six years ago, Frankie decided to keep track of life via a journal-style scrapbook. The book, packed with assorted photos, movie tickets, and other memorabilia, serves as a reminder to the 25-year-old Snellville-born, ATL-dwelling barber that life can come and go at any time, so it’s best to take note of the positives and keep it moving. Though Frankie has dreams of running a shop, the six-foot-two, androgynous blond has also been doing some modeling and awareness-spreading for non-binary fashion designer Elliott Alexzander’s #GENDERFLUX campaign. Death is easy. Navigating gender fluidity and politics in the South? Not so much.

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GENDER IN FLUX

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I am gender fluid, gender queer — put them in that same category — the gray area. Some days I feel more masculine, some days more feminine, whatever. ...

And as far as gender fluidity, I feel like Atlanta itself has almost grown, too. I mean we’re still very backwards-ass as shit, but I feel like there’s been improvements, as far as just, like, um, maybe, acceptance?

It’s getting a lot more liberal, to be honest with you. My real name is Carla, and that is my birth name. I changed my name because at the salon I used to work at before the Shave ... another girl ... worked there named Carla, and when you work at a salon you have to change your name. It was actually perfect for me. I was like, “absolutely.” I’ve never felt like Carla. That is my name, and there are people that still can’t call me Frankie, but I feel like I’m Frankie and I don’t feel like I’m Carla. So I would say that that is pretty big for me because it has really made me feel like myself. And I recently came out as gender queer, or as gender fluid, androgynous, about a year and some change ago. So it’s relatively new.

I wear mostly men’s clothing and prefer sometimes to be called “he” or just Frankie. So I do like that Atlanta is opening up to the idea of that, and that’s one thing that I’m really passionate about .... Georgia is going to be one of the last states to legalize gay marriage. But Alabama just dropped the ban. Like, what the hell?! Without Atlanta, we would be Alabama. That’s the one negative thing about Georgia, I would say, for me. I just find it archaic. It’s like, oh, if I wanted to marry my girlfriend I would have to leave this state and get my license, and when we come back we’re not technically married.

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If you could wake up tomorrow having gained one new power or ability what would it be?

To fly; it would just be convenient, you know? I would be like, “Hey, want to go to the bar? Let’s just fly there. You know, fuck Uber.”

Do you have a mantra?

I have had this since hair school: “Every head is my canvas.” Before I did hair, I did photography for like 30 seconds. I’ve always been an artist. I was like, how am I going to be an artist and be able to be myself and make money? I decided on hair, and every head that I do I literally think of as a canvas.

What’s the last book you couldn’t finish?

I would say the books that I’m still continuing to finish, and the only book that I have time for would be Milady’s Standard Professional Barbering. I’m in the process of getting my Master Barber license, and that’s all I have time to read.

How would you hold up under torture?

I find that I would hold up pretty well.I have a very high tolerance for pain, as you can tell by all my tattoos.I’ve been through a lot. I feel like if there was a person involved I could maybe try and get in their head a little bit.

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What band were you obsessed with at age 14?

If we’re going to be honest here, I would probably say Dashboard Confessional.

And what was it about Dashboard Confessional?

That was when I was in a different mindset of Frankie back then. I related to the lyrics. Chris Carrabba is an extremely intelligent and amazing writer. And not only was the music great but his writing just kind of soaked my soul, if you will.

Who was your first celeb crush?

The first real crush that I can think of and really remember; I was really into Lance Bass. Which would be the gay N’Sync member, which is ironic. But I would probably say my other big, huge first crush would be Angelina Jolie. I was obsessed with her. And then she got weird. She definitely got weird. I still think she’s extremely talented, but I was like, just really young, like “Damn, why do I like that person so much?”

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What’s your guilty pleasure?

Probably Lunchables.

I love Lunchables!

Lunchables are so good. And then I feel like a 12-year-old boy when I eat them. I am 25 years old though, and I will eat them all day. I’ll go down to the store and pick up, like, five for me and my girlfriend, and they will be gone within like three days. And I’ll be like, “Babe! Did you eat the last Lunchable? The fuck?!” laughs

What’s the most romantic spot in Atlanta?

Either Piedmont Park, which I love, or the glass elevator at the W Midtown.

What’s your least favorite household chore?

Dishes, for sure. I always get pegged with the dishes. It just haunts me.

What’s hanging above your sofa?

I think there are antlers, like moose antlers? We sublet our friend’s apartment, so it’s mostly their stuff. So people come over and they think we have really nice stuff, but I’m barely in the damn living room.

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What do you love best about your job?

Initially when I was doing hair I was doing a lot of color and cut, and once I started specializing in barbering, that was when I really — I mean I’m just in love with it. Everything about men’s grooming in general. Beards? I mean I love all that shit.

What is the sexiest part of the female anatomy?

I would definitely say I’m an ass kind of man, for sure. You’ve got to have pretty eyes and lips, but ass all the way, probably.

What’s the best album to make out to?

I’d say it depends on the mood. It can go from anything to, like, Sneaker Pimps to, like, Portishead to Deftones. It just depends on how I’m feeling, and the amount of clothing that’s being worn in this make out session.

What would you absolutely not put on?

My least favorite thing I could think of would be like Nickelback. I would rather pour acid in my eyeballs.

What was the first album you bought with your own money? I’m guessing it wasn’t a Nickelback album.

Probably Spice Girls.

So I’m assuming you saw Spice World, the movie?

Um, it’s incredible. How could you not? You should watch it now because you’ll thank me later. I have it, so if you want to borrow it, I got you.

Where does most of your disposable income go?

A lot of it goes to whiskey and bourbon; that’s probably one of the main things. Oh, wait, no, probably tattoos. Tattoos, whiskey, and my girlfriend.

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Have you ever stolen a friend’s girlfriend?

If it was a best friend and they were, like, head over heels for some chick, I would not be like, “Yo, bro, let me snatch that up.” I can say that I have definitely stolen a girl from someone, whether it be a guy, girl, whatever. I’m not proud of that, but I definitely say that that has maybe happened a few times.

What’s your least favorite thing about Atlanta?

I would say probably the combination of traffic and Park Atlanta. But I don’t know anybody that likes Park Atlanta, even if you work for Park Atlanta.

Earlier you mentioned a car accident. Was that the closest you’ve come to death?

I was 19, and it was raining. I hydroplaned and I went over the middle lines, and someone T-boned me. I was in a coma for 11 days. You know those cheesy Grady Memorial Hospital commercials? Like, I am totally one of those cheesy Grady commercials. If weren’t for Grady ... I wouldn’t be here. I mean, I had a tracheotomy, I had throat surgery a year later, broke a million bones — so, I mean, I definitely am thankful. When that kind of stuff happens to people, it affects them negatively. It completely did the opposite for me. I embrace life, and I don’t take it for granted. When I first got out of the hospital everyone thought I was this crazy psycho, because I was like, “Oh my God, the clouds are so beautiful and the trees are green.” But the reality of it is that I was just thankful to be alive.