Rasa von Werder
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Rasa von Werder | |
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| Born | Rasa Sofija Jakstas July 16, 1945 |
| Other names | Kellie Everts |
| Occupation(s) | Bodybuilder, stripper |
Rasa von Werder (better-known as Kellie Everts; born Rasa Sofija Jakstas, July 16, 1945) is a former stripper, female bodybuilder, evangelist, author, photographer and founder of her own church.
Personal life
Kellie Everts was born on July 16, 1945 in Calw, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, as Rasa Sofija Jakstas.
Career
Bodybuilding and stripping
Everts trained for the 1981 competition but was barred from entering the Caesar's Palace Boardwalk Regency IFBB competition in Atlantic City.[1] She picketed them in a white bikini, speaking for 30 minutes on a radio show.[which?]
On February 2, 2007 the World Bodybuilding Guild (WBBG) awarded her "Progenitor" of Female Bodybuilding and in August 2007 inducted her into their Hall of Fame.[2]
The Stripper for God
By strutting and bouncing around totally nude in front of a totally nude audience Rasa won the titles of Miss Nude Universe in July, 1967, Miss Americana 2nd place and Best Body in 1972 (on the same stage with Arnold Schwarzenegger), Miss Body Beautiful 2nd place in 1973, Miss Body Beautiful U.S.A. first place in 1974, and Miss Americana 2nd place & Best Body 1974 (the same stage with Arnold Schwarzenegger again). She made nine appearances in Playboy. She first appeared as Miss Nude Universe, hers was the first female body builder as "Humping Iron", May 1977, predating Lisa Lyon's appearance by three years.[2] She had two pages of pictures on her "Stripping for God" in Playboy. Her dancing career went from March 1966 to August 1987, dancing coast to coast and all over Canada. She quit to become a producer of her dancing and female domination videos, making enough money to purchase a large property with island upstate New York in 1989.
Ministry
In Sept. 1973, Everts gave her first spiritual talk (prior to dancing) at the Melody Theater in Times Square. religious minister. The combination of stripper and evangelical religious conviction led to the creation of what the press called the "Stripper for God".[3][4][page needed]
Everts traveled in the United States and Canada, giving over 1,000 sermons in burlesque theaters and nightclubs.[5][page needed][6][page needed][7][page needed][8]
She also travelled several times to Canada, and made one trip to the United Kingdom[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] In 1988, she appeared on The Morton Downey, Jr. Show.[citation needed]
Everts later changed the emphasis of her mission to the return of matriarchy and the feminine divine. On June 16, 1978 she preached on the message of the Three Secrets of Fátima in front of the White House, with the aim of bringing about the conversion of Russia.[18][page needed]
Author
On May 24, 2004, Everts, under her present name Rasa von Werder or Guru Rasa of the Church of MotherGod, started the Woman Thou Art God Website.[19] She has since continued publishing online on her religious beliefs, and has twenty two books published, (twenty available on the internet) on female empowerment, her biography, matriarchy spirituality and other subjects.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Terry Brennan. "Lady body builder fights stripping of credentials". Philadelphia Journal. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Kellie Everts: The Progenitor of Female Body Building". Retrieved 27 November 2015.
- ^ "The spirit and the flesh". Salon. 11 December 1999. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "The Binghamton Press", Binghamton, February 2, 1979.
- ^ "Washington Post",June. 16 1978
- ^ "SF Chronicle", June 1978 "God told her to strip"
- ^ "NY Daily News", Sept. 1973 "Stripper mixes Spiritual Light and Spotlight"
- ^ "She says God told her to strip". The Spokesman-Review. 15 June 1978. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
- ^ Kellie Everts (2009). I Strip for God. Lulu. p. 103. ISBN 978-0557072286.
"Hot-Gospel Stripper Finds It Cool In Britain": cover image from Titbits magazine, 2–8 January 1975
- ^ SHE Magazine "Bird of Pray"
- ^ The Express, Oct. 8 1979 "Ihr grosses Vorbild war Josephine Baker"
- ^ "Stern", Nov. 1974 "Personalien"
- ^ TV Zeitung Nr.47 "Die Pastorin, die nachts in einer bar heisse Tänze zeigt"
- ^ Montreal Star, November 18, 1977 "Stripper peals for Church"
- ^ "Journal de Montreal", July 13, 1978 "Une Effeuilleuse amasse des Fonds pour batir une Chapelle"
- ^ Toronto Sun, April 3, 1979, January 17, 1985 "The Lord moves in mysterious ways"
- ^ Ottawa Citizen, August 1, 1978 " 'God's strip dancer' to shed on Hill"
- ^ Washington Post Style Section "The Spirit moves Her", January 17, 1978
- ^ "The University Of Mother God Church". Woman Thou Art God. Retrieved 2012-10-11.