Joan Jett-Blakk, aka Terence Alan Smith, was born in Detroit, Michigan, on January 17, 1957. Smith moved to Chicago to pursue his theatrical aspirations. He was active in the Chicago drag scene and became involved with the Radical Fairies and Queer Nation as his Drag persona, Joan Jett Blakk. After running for Mayor of Chicago in 1991, Blakk became the Queer Nation candidate for President of the United States in 1992.