Walking through the picturesque streets of Cardinal Hill, you find Shira Bardot, the 28 year old photographer for the Cardinal Chronical originally from Portland, OR. Living alongside her in such a small town, you know that she’s adaptive and impulsive, but what you might not know is that she is a witch, and that she’s hiding something… ― Hunter Schafer, pansexual , trans woman, and she/her.
previous threads - visage - musings - wanted connections
current threads - mood board
Name: Shira Rose Bardot
Alias: Shi, Rose (only if you know her really well)
Gender/Pronouns: Female, She/Her
Age: 28
Birthdate: 06/02/1964
Big Three: Gemini, Sagittarius, Cancer
Occupation: photographer at the Cardinal Chronical
Height: 5’7"
Hometown: Portland, OR, USA
Family: mother (Helen Bardot), father (Clint Bardot), older brother (Wyatt Bardot), younger sister (Calamity Bardot)
Friends: Elias Schwarz (wcirdo), Silas Addams (ritualove), Leonidas Desai (blackcatxmagic), Luciana Castillo (veilxstars)
Mentors: Beaumont Proctor (twistxdcrafts) and Marisol Hargrove (veilxstars)
Relationship Status: single
Sexuality: pansexual
Other Relationships:
Character Inspiration: Victoria Page - The Red Shoes (1948), Carrie Bradshaw (Sex In the City), Susie Bannion (Suspiria),
Likes: Formula 1 racing, cold matcha , Bauhaus , hot sauce , David Cronenberg , convertible’s , Kim Chee sauerkraut , Esperanto
Dislikes: jerks , spongey foods , elevators , cold coffee , hard eggs
TW: illicit substances mentioned if you squint, abandonment of a child , unaccepting parent, sex work
Shira Bardot’s life began in the rain-soaked streets of Portland, OR, a city both beautiful and melancholic, much like her existence. Born a trans woman in a world where witches exist but are hardly understood or even recognized by all, Shira's early years were marked by isolation and turmoil. Her childhood unfolded in a middle-class neighborhood in the Hollywood district of Portland. Where the perfect backdrop of a nuclear and well educated family line contrasted with the turbulence that brewed within their family. As the middle child in the household, which included her older brother Wade, her younger sister Bernadette and their mother Helen, Shira often felt like a whisper. Struggling to carve out an identity for herself in a world that seemed to shove her into the shadows. Wade, her older brother, was the epitome of masculinity. He excelled in sports and usually was the one to draw the attention of their parents. This was a fact that made her feel proud but also envious. She always admired how confident and sure of himself that he was. Bernadette, her younger sister was a bubbly child who's innocence casted a light over their family even in the darkest times. Shira often would take on the role of her protector, shielding her from the harsher realities of home life. Their mother Helen was ambitious but often times distant-- who saw her not as kin but as a means to an end. Desperate for a "ticket" to a better life. Helen was consumed with her own selfish dreams and saw her children as extensions of herself to polish and improve rather than actual people with opinions and personalities. She pushed her children in traditional paths, wanting them to have a future that was suitable for her delusions. A main focus for her was keeping up with appearances, needing to look like the part of the American Dream. This meant Shira's emerging identity was met with disapproval from her mother at first. But the turning point was when Shira was nine years old. The memory etched into her heart, scorned. When her father Clint discovered her true identity, it left ripples in her mother's perfectly fabricated illusion. He couldn't accept her for who she was so he left, leaving a whole that would haunt their family for years and thrust Shira further into a world of instability.
Following her fathers departure Helen often redirected her grief and anger towards Shira. Any maternal affection completely replaced with a resentment so cold it used to give her the shakes. Her trainings became more frequent and her mind was a minefield; during all of this she tried her best to shield Bernadette from reality. Amidst all of this turmoil, she sought solace in dance. Finding happiness in the rhythm and high that the ballet offered. What was once something she loathed -- became something of an escape for her. At least her instructors were harsh because they wanted her to get better and improve herself. Her mother was harsh because, in her eyes, everything was Shira's fault. And that stung more. It actually became a refuge for her but every day felt like a test of grace and endurance. Training was rigorous. The days began with early morning classes that seeped into late evenings, leaving little room for anything else. The atmosphere was intense and often times unbelievably unforgiving. The studio air was always thick with sweat and rosin, a scent she could still smell on occasion. Her instructor's harsh corrections snapped through the air all day, ringing in her ear's long after training had ended. She was taught to embody total precision and control -- her body transformed into a vessel of art. Discipline was relentless. Every step, every plié had to be perfect. There was zero room for error and at times the pressure felt suffocating. The line between passion and pain blurred as she was pushed to her limits. Shira’s raw talent shone brightly, and she joined a prestigious ballet company as a teenager. For a while, the discipline and grace of ballet provided a rare sense of purpose and escape. One she so desperately needed. The camaraderie she felt dancing with the other girls was unlike anything she had ever had in her life. She felt she had finally belonged somewhere, that someone enjoyed having her around.
But fate had other plans, as it often times does. One fateful evening, while exploring the desolate train tracks on the industrial side of town, Shira suffered a devastating leg injury. The break was severe, and her dreams of dancing ballet professionally were shattered. The pain from the injury was matched only by the emotional void left by her mother’s indifference and the loss of her life's passion.She didn’t think she would ever be the same after that night. And she would be right about that. Shira continued to sit in on dance practices, but they were never the same either. Eventually, she drifted from her dance friends and found solace in more… underground groups.
One day as she strolled down the Alberta Arts district (by far her favorite section of the city), she spotted a flyer. It was brightly colored and it read ‘QUEER DANCERS WANTED’. It was as if the heavens shone a light down from up above, glistening just for her. She quickly wrote the phone number and address in her pocketbook before she scurried home, toothy grin plastered to her lips.
The first time she met up with the queer dance troupe, she felt like she was in another universe. Shira had never even met another trans girl, and now she was meeting several. Ones she would soon call sisters. Those same sisters introduced her to Ballroom dance, and she fell in love instantly. She found a home in the Portland queer community and soon she joined a House, dancing for them for two years. During those two years one of her sisters told her about the Golden Dragon, a strip club that allowed 18 year olds to dance, they served no alcohol but at least she could make some money. And as soon as she turned 18, boy, did she make money! Enough money to allow her to move into her own place. It wasn’t big but it was just right for her.
As Shira continued to grow more independent, she turned to the world of full service, seeking control over her destiny and a way to redefine herself beyond the confines of her past. She completely stepped into the role of dancer and call girl, carving out a niche for herself in Portland’s underground scene. She was a fan favorite for many, including some very affluent business men. Usually something about projecting managing, mergers? Acquisitions? She didn’t know, and she didn’t really care as long as it filled her pockets.
Alongside her performances, she started a side business photographing dancers for the local exotic magazine, showcasing their beauty and strength through her lens. Shira was sick of seeing the creeps who took pictures of the girls for the magazine and decided to take it into her hands. She would be their safe space.
Everything was looking up but Shira's life took a dark turn one night. Fearful of the consequences and the power she didn't yet understand, Shira fled her hometown, crossing state lines to Washington. There, she hoped to start anew, to learn about the abilities that had lain dormant for so long, and to find a way to come to terms with the fragmented pieces of her past. She was smart enough to pack the essentials, including her photography gear; it only seemed natural that’s what she should do.
When she arrived in Cardinal Hill, she was able to secure a job taking pictures for the Cardinal Chronical. She was very thankful for her new life and her new job but she’s haunted. Everywhere she looks she can see his face, she can hear the sounds of his last rasping breath. She succumbs to the irresistible numbness that only certain vices can bring.
Shira Bardot—dancer, survivor, photographer, witch—continues her journey, seeking not just survival but transformation, in a world where magic and reality blend in the most unexpected ways.
Headcannons/Additional Information:
Shira has a hidden spell book that she jots down incantations and spells that she learns from older witches and non witches alike in the community. Most of these come from Beau but there are a few other honorable mentions.
She also has a dream diary where she writes down her vivid dreams and all of her interpretations of them. Often times they contain messages or symbols that correlate with her real life challenges.
Sometimes she hosts workshops to help young dancers find their voices and navigate the complexities of identity.
Shira discovered she has the ability to communicate with spirits. Particularly those who were marginalized or gotten lost. She uses her photography sometimes to capture all of their stories.
a/n: if any birthdates or numbers seem incorrect, feel free to correct me, I have dyscalculia. I’ll be working on my blogs soon, hope everyone is having a good weekend ! 🫶🏻 I’ll also be editing both intros with updated information as time goes on. Sorry this took forever I’m unpacking my house also ! 😌
