FREEDOM
THE CULTURE ISSUE BEVERLY TIGHT LIPPS EMA CROMPTON
CONTENTS p4 Editor’s Letter p5 Photography From Film p6-13 Feature: Beverly Tight Lipps
EDITOR: Georgia Roberts
MODEL: Beverly Tight Lipps PHOTOGRAPHER: Ema Crompton 2
PRINTED BY: Hobs Reprographics
THE CULTURE ISSUE
As a fashion student, I have made it no secret that I have struggled with finding my own creative identity. I have pressured myself in the past over everyone else’s distinctive creative flair in comparison to my own mish mash of styles and ideas. When produced with the starting point of “British Culture”, I felt immediately and intrinsically challenged however I took it upon myself to think outside of my comfort zone at an area I would never really have touched on before. As a person who has previously been inspired by political and musical revolutions in her A-Level Textiles coursework, I looked to David Bowie and his work to provide me with my concept.Bowie explored his character in ways unthought of at the time and provided many individuals with a identity they desired and sought in their lives. He pushed the boundaries in terms of sexuality, politics and music. I felt a real connection with his openness, and thought of the group of individuals that continuously push the boundaries and express themselves through their clothing and personalities. Drag queens. Casting a spell over these pages is an indivdual so cool and so crazy, that they have inspired me to always work outside of my comfort zone - if it means I can continue working with people like them. Georgia Roberts, Editor
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“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.”
Photography by Ema Crompton
B E V E R LY TIGHT LIPPS DJ, PERFORMER AND ALL ROUND QUEEN: FROM MAN TO DRAG I felt excited to be on Canal Street as soon as I started walking on the cobbles towards Bar Pop in Manchester. I was excited to visit Canal Street ever since I confirmed my meeting with Dannii via Facebook Messenger. I did not want just any drag queen to film and photograph. I was eager to meet a person with character. Beverly was just that. Dannii - Beverly in predrag form - greeted me and Ema mid-way up the winding stairs that lead to the upstairs bar area, where he and fellow queen Krystal Kane were practising their Mamma Mia perfomance for the following weekend’s event. Me and Ema watched for a while, as they mimed and danced to “Waterloo”. We were then shown through the back corridor of the club down to the dressing rooms in the basement. Purple paint and iresescent fabrics donned the walls along with a long mirror so that at least three people could get ready in the one room. G: When did you decide to become a drag queen? B: When I was 15 so I could go out and rave. I got hold of some women’s clothes, started wearing them and then going out because drag queen’s don’t get ID’d. Then someone offered me the opportunity to perform and I got the bug. G: How would you describe Beverly? B: Hmm my character’s very... whorry. You’re either classy or a whore. G: Does what you’re wearing affect how you act or feel? B: Oh yeah definitely, when I wear a gown I feel classy and sophisticated, and when I wear a short, tight dress I feel sexy. G: Does everyone start working here because they
know eachother? B: Yeah sometimes, but it’s a community so most people know eachother anyway. G: Can you tell who’s a good performing drag queen and who isn’t? B: You can’t tell by the way they look because there might be one who’s beautiful and has made a lot of effort, but you can tell by the way they act. G: Are there any shy queens? B: There can be. I can be a c*** but not in a viscious way, like in a jokey way. But if I think I’ve gone too far, I can tell and I’ll say ‘look, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said that’. G: What are you wearing tonight? B: I haven’t decided yet. But I’ll see what mood I’m in when I’ve done my hair and make-up. G: Have you ever been to a Pride event? B: Yeah they do two prides, I want to go to one in Gran Canaria. *Sings to supercaligragialisticexpialedoscious* G: Do you love music and musical theatre? B: I like musical theatre but only until a certain point. G: Did you go to college and uni? B: I went to two different college, studied two different things and dropped out of them both. The first time I went to college I studied psychology, sociology, media and film. And then the second time I did make-up. I find for me, that I don’t fit in that kind of environment, in education. I have worked since I was 15 anyway, so it’s not like I’ve not done anything, I don’t scrounge, I’ve always worked. G: Do you think of nights like tonight as a night out
“I CAN BE A C*** BUT NOT IN A VISCIOUS WAY. LIKE IN A JOKEY WAY.” 8
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“I DIDN’T SHAVE MY LEGS BECAUSE I DIDN’T WANT TO SHAVE THEM”
or work? B: Depends what you’re doing. When you DJ it’s not really a night out because people are always bothering you. G: How do you give yourself the boobs? B: I stuff blue roll in mine. I used to use rice in tights. G: What kind of make-up do you wear? B: I don’t see the point in spending a lot of money on make-up. I have my foundation sticks and they’re £5 each, and my eyeshadow pallette which I use for my lips too. G: How to do you prepare yourself in terms of getting ready? B: Well I haven’t shaved my chest or armpits tonight. G: Have you got two pairs of tights on? B: No I’ve got like eight... I normally wear dance skins but can’t afford it. I normally wear two pairs of dance skins and like three pairs of normal tights too. But I haven’t been to the shop. I didn’t shave my legs cos I didn’t want to shave them. G: Where do you get your wigs from? B: Bonnie Bon Qui Qui bought me it. As a thank you. I’m wearing this long blonde one tonight, it’s four or five years old. I filmed Dannii change from man to drag in more ways than one. Beverly was definitely an extension of Dannii, not a totally different character as some people may think. It was fairly obvious that Beverly was a means of expression to Dannii in an innocent and light hearted way. Beverly was the exact character I had wished to meet, and more.
Words by Georgia Roberts
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BY GEORGIA ROBERTS