As I learned more about the LGBTQ+ community I discovered drag.
Drag is the art of female impersonation.
When a gay man portrays himself as a woman with the use of a wig, make-up and elaborate feminine costumes for entertainment, he is a drag queen.
After a year of thought, I became interested in drag performance.
I have begun to work with my friend Sondra on my drag persona.
As a drag queen herself, she helps me transform myself into my persona while teaching me make-up, hair and costuming tips along the way.
She is my drag mother.
A drag mother is someone who mentors an up and coming drag queen, in the art of illusion.
Sondra has been doing drag since the 1980s when she was in high school. While I was afraid to come out my first two years of high school, she was not.
She was out and proud in high school and lived her life in drag.
I am not going to be living my life in drag, but I will be performing in drag for fun.
The courage it took for Sondra to go in drag, and not care what others think is one reason I am interested in drag.
I love her for that.
While in drag, and out of drag, I hope to learn that confidence.
In drag I will be going by a name given to me by Sondra I will also take her family name as my last name, much like any actual family name.
The family that I am a part of is “St. James.”
As a St. James, my persona will be a strong person, who doesn’t care what people think, and is willing to do what it takes to get the job done.
I will be performing as a more elegant queen, one that wears ball gowns and fancy dresses, the glitz and glam much like a pageant contestant.
Recently drag has hit the main stream with RuPaul’s Drag Race competition.
Drag Race is a reality television show that drag performers compete for a prize and the title of “Drag Superstar” for that year.
These queens have either been doing drag for awhile or are novice but they learn different techniques through the show.
The show is entertaining, but not something I would want to do.
I am very interested in drag for the opportunity to give back to my community. Through drag, I can help raise money for charity groups.
Many performers are members of non-profit organizations known as an Imperial Court.
As I learn the art of drag, I hope to be a more well-rounded person, that is able to help the fight for equal rights, and help change my community for the better.
