One might think Athens Boys Choir would sound like smiling boys in matching robes, crooning in harmony. But Katz, the only member, is far from it.

“There’s nothing choir about it. I’m beyond terrible of a singer,” he said.

Katz – whose legal first name is Elizabeth – is a transsexual man who also goes by the name Harvey.

“When people hear it’s a poetry event, it conjures up a specialized group of people,” Katz said. “But my work is not traditional poetry; I do X-Games poetry, and I definitely have a sense of humor.”

Ryan Byrd, a University alumnus from Augusta, has been to Athens Boys Choir shows numerous times.

“It was literally a life-changing experience,” he said. “The shows have a tremendous amount of energy. (Katz) has the ability to challenge and entertain. I am also just a bit amazed at his power with words.”

Katz has been touring the country since 2003, using spoken word to address issues of gender, politics, love and sex. He has shared the stage with feminist and activist Ani DiFranco, The Indigo Girls, and poets of HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam.”

Katz said he mixes wit, pop culture references and video along with his more complex issues to add fun to his “serious, deep political stuff.”

“He diffuses anxieties people would have,” Tiago Moura, a University alumnus from Atlanta, said. “He makes fun of stereotypes and sometimes refers to his work as ‘poetry with a kick in the ass.’ He also loves (Sue Johanson) from the TV show (‘Talk Sex with Sue’), which he talks about in his performance.”

An independent artist, Katz is developing a new hip-hop project, “Fresh Fruit,” with one song entitled “I like you, but I love your jazz hands.” His latest album, “Jockstraps and Unicorns,” was released last April.

Katz doesn’t just profess his beliefs; he said he wants to change the world for the better.

“People either see transsexuals as drag queens or as a person born in the wrong body. Neither of these assumptions is true. I have the right body. I’m just like you. I wash dishes and have relationship problems, too.”

Katz encourages all people to come see his performance.

“I recently took a friend of mine to his first show,” Byrd said, “and he described it as though he were a snow globe, and Athens Boys Choir shook him all up.”

As for the name Athens Boys Choir, Katz said, “Me and another buddy, who are both transsexual men, wanted a name with a bit of a gay undertone, and we wanted to include Athens. It takes a little explaining sometimes, but I can’t change it now.”