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8 DENVER DRAG’S LONG AND STORIED HISTORY 10 EDM AND LGBTQ: A QUEER HISTORY OF TECHNO
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CONTENTS
FEBRUARY 19, 2020 VOL43 NO22
16 QUEER RENAISSANCE MAN BUDDY BRAVO
28
34 RECLAIMING THE DIY WITH EVELYN EVERMOORE, COSTUMER EXTRAORDINAIRE
20
THE SEXY HISTORY OF BURLESQUE
CHANTICLEER P. HOLES IS FILLING US WITH DRAG KING PRIDE
30
38
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS BRITTANY MICHAELS
24
32
THE MONSTER WITHIN: TRANSWITCH WANTS YOU TO DO BETTER
ONE-ON-ONE WITH DRAG LEGEND TRIXIE MATTEL
DIVERSIFYING THE RUNWAY: SLAY MODEL MANAGEMENT
REVIEW: 'THE QUEEN'
42
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 5
FROM THE EDITOR
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any don’t realize the power of drag. To outsiders, it can simply look like an excuse for folks to pull off some serious lwwks and win awards. It’s even becoming more mainstream, and lots of people are taking notice. But there is a lot more to it.
the larger queer community, as it is full of all types, including those who aren’t quite ready to open up and give a new platform to performers. It’s through discussion, dissection, and drag performances that challenge the norm that the scene makes headway.
For many, drag is a rite of self-expression. It’s a lot more than playing dress up or wearing cool clothes. It’s about identity, whether that identity is a gay man wearing a dress; a trans man, trans woman, or nonbinary person expressing their gender with a megaphone; or a young person who isn’t quite sure of their identity playing with gender. Drag can be a means to find oneself and truly express oneself.
It’s pretty common knowledge now that the first Pride was a riot carried out by black, trans women. But it’s also true that the first drag performers were black, trans women who were showcasing the outfits they rocked every day. With that history in mind, the drag community still has a long way to go to fully align with its roots, but as the scene in Denver shows, it is making progress every day.
Still, as wonderful as that may be, drag isn’t without the drama. There have been call-outs inside the scene about folks not being accepting enough and not using their platforms the way they should. In many ways, the drag scene mirrors
-Addison Herron-Wheeler
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Denver Drag’s Long and Storied History by David Duffield, History Coordinator, The Colorado LGBTQ History Project, The Center on Colfax Photos and images provided by David Duffield
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rag is about people. In Denver’s case, drag appeared almost as early as when the city was founded in 1859. During the Civil War and Gilded Age (1861-1877) there were few people in the Western U.S., and the ratio of men to women was nearly seven-toone until 1900.
Susan K. Johnson noted in her book Roaring Camp that miners in the California gold rush would crossdress for fun, and same-gender relationships among them was common. This was also the case in Colorado, and female 8 \\ F E B R U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
impersonation was used as a form of entertainment. In one case, Soapy Smith, a famous swindler and leader in early Denver, entertained at the “Great St. Leon” at the Palace Theater during the 1880s. Unfortunately at the time, female impersonation was often paired with performative blackface. Yet other cases note “male impersonators” in burlesque shows. According to Lisa Duggan in Sapphic Slashers, Annie Hindle, a popular, late-19th-century male impersonator, came through Denver around 1870. Hindle later married her partner, Annie Ryan, in 1886 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In 1891, when Joe Gilligan was reportedly busted for passing bad checks, newspapers reported police finding dresses in his closet. They also found correspondence between another female impersonator friend in Pueblo who committed suicide. Other cases note Southern “negro minstrels” who had female impersonators in their all-male troops. Drag certainly had a presence on Denver stages and a regional presence in Colorado, and it wasn’t even an allwhite presence, despite the problematic nature of some entertainers. As the 19th century ended, anticrossdressing, or “masquerade laws,” emerged across the U.S. which regulated gender presentation in public. Crossdressers themselves, according to historian Peter Boag in Redressing America’s Frontier Past, were viewed more as criminals than citizens. Still, female impersonation thrived in Chicago and New York at circuits like Vaudeville as part of the so-called Pansy Craze for queer theater. Julianå Eltinge was one of the most popular female impersonators during the early 20th century. Between 1905 and 1926, Eltinge
played theaters like the Orpheum and Empress along Denver’s “Electric Mile” near 16th and Curtis. During WWII, female impersonators performed at Buckley Airforce Base, while bars like Mary’s Tavern were blacklisted for being queer spaces. During the 1950s, there was a crackdown on vice nationwide, and anti-cross-dressing laws were updated. In an effort to target men who crossdressed, drag was effectively outlawed in Denver, in 1954. In the late 1950s, the longest-lasting drag troupe in history, the Jewel Box Revue, came through town on several extended stays. Stormie De Levarie was a member of the Revue as well as a notable drag king who is remembered for inciting the Stonewall Riots. Drag, just like all queer life in Denver, was effectively closeted in the 1960s, yet seeds of resistance abounded. In the early 1960s, a drag troupe called The Turnabout Review did Christmas shows in Evergreen led by local performers including Dick Reece. Eventually, they worked out a deal to establish a bar near 13th and Lawrence in the Auraria neighborhood. Called the Gilded Cage, the bar was decimated a few years later in the flood of 1965 followed by urban renewal. Many of the members of this troupe later went on to form their own crossdresser groups and Tri Ess Sorority in the 1970s. Drag and trans activism was rooted in the same oppression, and seeds of liberation were planted among the same spaces. Just a few years after the Gilded Cage disappeared, LGBTQ bars sprouted up all over downtown Denver, and drag became more popular. The International Court of the Rocky Mountain Empire (ICRME) was founded in 1974, and the anti cross-dressing laws ended that same year in Colorado with the Gay Coalition of Denver.
For years after it became legal, drag was still risky. Performers had to follow the three-piece rule which was widely used to arrest people, though technically the rule never existed. The alleged law required performers to wear men's clothing under their women's clothing. During the HIV/AIDS epidemic, many of the founders of the Imperial Court of the Rocky Mountain Empire passed away. Still, drag was at the center of many fundraisers, while Denver’s drag culture flourished with artists like Nina Montaldo, Christi Layne, Tiffany Todd, and Scotti Carlyle. Likewise, leaders like mayor Wellington Webb and Gov. John Hickenlooper held fundraisers alongside them. Today, we celebrate drag with stories of youth performers, though this practice dates back at least a century to female impersonators who were often only as old as 16 and as young as 10 in the late 19th century. For these young performers, drag offered protection, hope, and community. Then, as well as now, and perhaps always, drag offered a place to belong––a queer, safe space. Even though today we see folks protesting drag shows like Dragutante, drag, and in fact youth drag, is nothing new. When one sees a nationally known performer like Yvie Oddly, one sees a culture that has flourished and grown. When one sees drag stories entwined with Colorado history, one sees a queer culture emerging from a closeted and forgotten past. Drag in Colorado is, and always has been, about people finding their space and each other. O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 9
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EDM and LGBTQ:
A Queer history By Padideh Aghanourny
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f house music is as American as apple pie and pre-existing conditions, then techno is the bridge between the American Midwest and the rest of the world. While Chicago queers found a haven in the Warehouse, a different type of storm brewed in Detroit. As house music burned up the dance floors in Chicago, Detroit faced myriad, complex issues that influenced the direction of electronic music. White Flight held Detroit tightly within its grips, catalyzing rapidly growing economic decline. The riots of 1967 forced the city of Detroit to critically examine, above other issues, the discriminatory hiring practices running rampant throughout the city. This led to a massive push to hire minorities, feeding into the reasons behind white people deciding to move to the suburbs. Factories began melting away, as the automotive industry spiraled. Throughout the 60s, Mayors Jerome Cavanagh and later Coleman Young squandered public funds on lavish, new building projects and an impractical monorail system rather than invest in education—all the while racking up enormous debt, having 1 2 \\ F E B R U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
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Photos by Javier Aguilar
plundered funds set aside for pensions and retirement healthcare. “While the 1967 riots are seen as a turning point in the city’s fortunes, Detroit’s decline began in the 1950s, during which the city lost almost a tenth of its population. Powerful, historical forces buffeted Detroit’s single-industry economy, and Detroit’s federally supported comeback strategies did little to help,” said economist Edward L. Glaeser. All these elements came together in a style of music that appealed to a marginalized, underground population by embracing themes of Afrofuturism through the repurposing of technology. Especially within the context of Detroit, where the rise of robotics led to a massive loss of jobs around the time that techno came about, technology felt almost inescapable. Building off the groundwork set up by Frankie Knuckles, producers Juan Atkins and Derrick May in particular led Detroit’s techno movement. Rather than retreat from the technology transforming their landscape, Atkins and May embraced technology as a tool to create a better future. As house music was having its moment in Britain in 1987, Derrick May’s
“Strings of Life,” took the European dance market by storm, succeeding in exporting Detroit’s sound. May, along with Atkins and many others, drew influences from proto-techno artists like Kraftwerk—so naturally, it made sense that techno had come full circle. Detroit producers such as Chez Damier, Alton Miller, and George Baker, inspired by the solidarity and momentum of the movement in Chicago, started a club of their own in downtown Detroit, The Music Institute. The advent of the club united a previously scattered scene into an underground “family," giving space for collaboration, and helped inspire what would become the second wave of Detroitarea techno. After the initial wave of Detroit techno, the second wave washed over the city with likes of Jeff Mills, Carl Craig, and Octave One who took the sound further into the stratosphere with a harsh, hardcore sound full of riffs and industrial bleakness. The club scene created by techno in Detroit served as a way for suburban black folks to distance themselves from "jits," slang for lower-class African Americans living in the inner-city. "Prep parties" were obsessed with flaunting wealth and incorporated many aspects of European culture including club names like Plush, Charivari, and GQ Productions, reflecting European fashion and luxury. This Europhilic attraction was a double-edged sword as well, as by the mid 90s, the European strain of techno had veered into the direction of vulgar anthemic and cheesily sentimental sounds. The names of these clubs also may have harkened back to the high days of ballroom culture where luxury served as a form of protection from violence, often based in some form or another of discrimination. In addition, prep parties were run as private clubs and restricted who could enter based on dress and appearance.
In these ways, the queer pillars of dance music and culture were being weaponized to discriminate rather than unite. However, identity politics of Detroit techno focused mostly on race in that a constant, progressive desire to move beyond essentialized blackness stood out as a persistent rallying cry. Despite the classist nature of techno, the artists and producers sculpted their own vision of idealized spaces existing in different, alternative societies. These alternate societies aimed at moving beyond the terrestrial limitations of social attitudes at the time. In essence, the Detroit techno movement embraced the same ideals as the Chicago house movement in the longing for a safe space to just be. Adding to the growing canon of club music, techno grappled with issues that plagued queer communities: racism and classism, both of which divided Chicago during this time. However, the larger embrace of dance culture around the globe also carried with it the idealistic goal of a safe dance floor, free to love and free to move. With each addition to the club music movement, the embrace of queer identity in all its permutations grew as well. This is part two of a series exploring the queer history of dance music. The first addition in this series, “A Queer History of House Music,” ran in a previous issue.
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 1 3
How to Break Free from the Torment of Renting Sponsored Content
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f you close your eyes and picture your dream home, what do you see? Do you see yourself in a trendy, downtown loft inside a modern-meets-retro highrise, or do you picture a beautiful, crafty home near Sloan’s Lake with hardwood floors and a spacious yard? Or maybe, like most of us stuck in the rental market, neither of these dreams feel like they could ever be an option. How do we know if this dream could become a reality, and when is the right time to look at taking the massive plunge into home ownership? Where do we even start, and what can we expect from the process? While the list of questions may be long, there is a group of realtors who are ready and excited to answer these questions and more in order to get you out of the rentals and into your own home. “It really comes down to asking yourself five tough questions,” said Alex Tooke of The Peak Properties Group. “What is your financial situation; are you in debt, or have you saved any money for a down payment? Do you love the city you live in; is your job tied to the location you live in, and who is on your team?” Tooke has been in the real estate game for more than ten years, and he, alongside his husband, has helped all kinds of folks and families clarify their vague visions and navigate through the overwhelming process of purchasing a home.
thousand questions, even the questions you don't know you want to ask.” The great thing about the consultative approach is that Tooke and his team take away any feelings of pressure or expectation right off the top. Their only stake in the game is making sure every person is prepared, comfortable, and ready to pursue the process. “When you sit down with somebody, and you haven't really met them, or you don't know if you trust them, you automatically assume that they're going to try to spend all of your money,” Tooke said. “So, it's talking about what's within your comfort zone and figuring out what all the pieces are because at the end of the day, no one's going to buy anything if they don't want to.”
For folks who are ready to enter the housing market, this truly is an ideal time to start looking. With interest rates historically low, your dollars could be stretched a lot further than even this time last year. Tooke explained that there are even more benefits on your side as a first-time home buyer than most people are aware of, and the experts of Peak Properties know exactly how to take care of every individual situation. “There's so many programs out there for down payment assistance or programs that have no money down and pay all of your fees; there's so many different opportunities out there that people may not know about,” Tooke said. The ultimate goal of Tooke and Peak Properties is to allow folks to break free from the renter’s market and to finally get into a space that will become a long-term investment for themselves, their families, and their future needs.
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A CHAT WITH BUDDY BRAVO Queer Dance Parties, Kiki and Balls, the Drag Scene By Addison Herron-Wheeler 1 6 \\ F E B R U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
Photos by Buddy Bravo
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uddy Bravo is known around town as a queer renaissance man excelling as a DJ, graphic designer, dancer, and queer event planner. He’s also one of the key players in the current surge of Denver Ballroom Scene interest, DJing balls and queer events like no other DJ in town. We talked with Buddy about the ways in which the ball scene has influenced our modern queer scene, how his role in queer nightlife has helped highlight ballroom in Denver, and what’s important to him when creating new, queer events in Denver.
How did you get involved with the ball community in Denver? A few years ago, there was a brand-new, ball-inspired event at Tracks Night Club called Vogue Ball created by Morgan Taylor. He asked me to come in and provide music for the event. It wasn't a major event ball that you’d see in larger ballroom communities, but it was a great way to get people in Denver interested in ballroom. I joined the group and provided music for the event. I was excited to join because ballroom and vogueing require a very specific type of music; there are specific songs; there are specific artists that you really should know if you want your ball or event to be taken seriously. It’s not just club dance music, so I was excited to help bring that to the show.
space. We really became a mini-family with people in the community.
How does a ball differ from a drag show? First and foremost, the ballroom scene was created for, and by, black and trans people. So, that is the numberone priority, to allow black and trans individuals, disenfranchised even within our LGBTQ community, to really have a platform. In a ball, there are rules; as much as you can express yourself and be free about performance, there are still very strict guidelines. That's something you wouldn’t see in a drag show. You wouldn’t see a drag artist’s performance get the chop in the middle of a number, but you would definitely see that at a ball! A chop is when you aren’t following the guidelines and need to be checked. Imagine a drag performer getting chopped for not knowing their words! I’m here for it. Also, in the drag community, you pay your dues with longevity and participating in contests, pageants, or hosting your own show. In the ball scene, you get your accolades by competing in battles. So, when you say
After that show completed a season at Tracks, me and the group that helped develop The Vogue Ball decided to take that show and revamp it into something closer to what an actual ball would be. We created The Chanté Soírée Kiki Ball. A kiki ball is a great way for beginners and first timers to get experience compared to a major function ball, so we thought it was a good next step to take. The goal was to allow people a space to get used to being on the runway, get some experience performing, begin developing personas, and used to actually being in a battle and learning the rules of ballroom etiquette, along with providing rehearsal space and then eventually encouraging them to compete in a proper ball. We created Chanté Soírée as a kind of bridge between a ‘ball-inspired event’ and an actual ball you’d find in bigger cities where ballroom was created. We had a team of five people, each person representing a different aspect of ballroom. One represented runway; someone represented face; someone represented performance, and then I was representing the music. We were all experts in each of our fields. We also all helped run open sessions for anyone looking for tips or rehearsal
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someone is legendary or you say someone is an icon, those are specific titles that they have earned based on their performance and scores in the ballroom. That’s how you get your reputation. I think one of the most important similarities is that both scenes offer room for self expression, blurring over gender roles, tradition, and age. There are no expectations except that you be yourself, or whoever you created, and slay while doing it. We’ve struggled, generally speaking, to be ourselves for so long, drag, ballroom, music, theater, all of it serves as a place for us to make up for years of holding it in.
How do you think the drag scene is influenced by the ball scene? Definitely in dancing, terminology, and the music. Almost every other catchphrase you hear gays saying—and now even nonqueers—originated in ballroom. “Tens across the board,” “reading,” “serving realness,” “shade,” they all come from ballroom. Also, the music in ballroom mostly was created for the ballroom by people in the ball scene and then finds its way into clubs and then drag numbers. It always starts underground first—often in the balls or clubs—then it trickles down into fashion, music, dance, everything. Think of Dapper Dan, who is now considered high fashion, or Pose, which is still winning awards, or Dashaun Wesley, who has done work for prime-time TV projects. The culture is consumed now by the mainstream, myself included. I play ballroom music in clubs all the time. But you know what? Queer people have always been trailblazers and trend setters. We don’t follow crowds; we lead them.
What do you keep in mind when you curate a space? I always want a space to feel inclusive and inviting with queer people as the priority, but also I always do everything I can to respect those who have been there before me. The most important thing about being a DJ is reading your audience and learning how to guide them into a specific mood. Also, as a queer DJ, I take my platform in the DJ booth as an opportunity to highlight other queer artists, producers, and songwriters. Denver musicians, please send me your stuff. I love being able to support queer musicians and bumping their music. When I DJ my own events, like DramaClub Queer Dance Party, I consider the theme of the party, and the goal is to have fun with it, play things that feel good, deep tracks, and just a sprinkling of current bops. When I’m DJing, I love to make people laugh, smile, feel sexy, anything. I want the crowd to feel things and be surprised by the things that music can make you feel.
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rag has been entwined in popular culture since the days of Shakespearean soliloquies. As with any art form, it has molded to fit progressing societies and created a niche that is all its own. While drag queens were formally introduced into theatre because women were not allowed to perform on stage, they are now performance artists who engage in a vehement style of expressionism. Drag queens and kings now grace stages all over the world, embodying alter egos with elaborate clothing, makeup, and raging personalities. Denver’s drag scene has become an unlikely beacon among other cities like New York as a hub for drag culture. We have a strong community of foreword thinkers creating spaces for people to discover their talents and personas. Denver is especially uplifting to drag kings who are often underappreciated in some circles or not given as many chances as their queen cohorts. Places like Pride & Swagger give new performers a chance to come out of their shell and develop a stage presence. We spoke to local drag king Chanticleer P. Holes about inclusion and what it means to be an example for others struggling to find where they fit in.
What makes Denver a unique place for anyone who wants to get into drag? Denver is particularly interesting, and I’m really excited about what’s happening here because there is a strong community gathered around the kings trying to protect them and lift them up. It’s really easy to be bitchy at new kings or queens and point out their flaws when someone’s trying something new for the first time, but without a safe community to tell someone, ‘Hey it’s okay to be figuring stuff out,’ I don’t think there would have been space for the kind of glow up we’re seeing happen. Some major catalysts have been Rise of The Kings, Denver’s only weekly drag king show at Pride & Swagger, and Drag King Bootcamp, a seven-week course hosted by Blush & Blu. These kinds of events specifically reach out to newcomers and people who have never done drag before, sending a message that says, ‘Come learn; we want you here.’
In what specific ways did these venues help you to mold your persona and give you confidence? They brought in mentors who would talk about aspects of drag such as makeup, costuming, professionalism, how to choose a name, and how to network with other
THE HISTORY OF DENVER DRAG KINGS
What, if any, animosity have you experienced from queens in the scene? Alternatively, how do you all support one another towards a common goal? From what I’ve seen, there are queens who are actively reaching out to try and support the kings, and we couldn’t do it without them. There’s so much more in my experience of those kinds of queens who are trying to build us up rather than tear us down. I don’t necessarily see anyone actively saying that kings don’t belong in the same spaces as queens, but you do see some comments like, ‘Why don’t they try as hard as queens?” or, “Why don’t we hold them to the same standards?” and what that says to me is that they probably don’t even know any kings. If you were to go to a lot of shows where kings are performing, you would see that we don’t have as many tips or tricks for our illusory aspects as queens have been able to build up over the years, but it's not that the effort isn’t there. I think that the priorities are often somewhat different.
Where are you on your journey to creating an identity for yourself through drag?
KINGS HAVEN’T GONE QUIETLY IN THIS TOWN. WE ONCE RULED THE NIGHT IN OUR OWN BAR AT 60 SOUTH BROADWAY. WE’VE HELD NATIONAL TITLES FROM COLORADO.
I grew up in Aurora and started getting into drag back in 2018. I’m still on that journey to finding my persona as a drag king, but I definitely have a lot of masculine energy in my performances. I have been a theatre kid from a very early age; however, I never found a good role to portray my female energy and rarely got roles that would work for me.
THE SCENE HAD IT’S FIRST RISE OF THE KINGS IN 1997, AGAIN IN 2006 AND NOW, 2018 TO PRESENT. - ONYX STEELE
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kings. With the boot camp in particular, there has been this really great crop of new kings that came out of the course, and I’ve been seeing them all around town. Part of the boot camp was reaching out to people who produce shows or have helpful resources which has really helped new kings get their name out there.
When I finally found drag, it just made sense. The struggle I’m in is how to work within my silhouette because it’s femalecoded, and I don’t necessarily try to look like a man. I like to keep my contour; people like my boobs, and so do I. It would be great if we had more broadcast representations from kings, but that’s one area where we still have room for improvement.
Since you mentioned representations, how did it make
you feel when Landon Cider won Dragula last season? His win was very exciting for all the kings. Cider was initially rejected a lot during auditions, but with perseverance, he came out on top. He is very good at what he does and has honed in his look. We don’t have the drag elders that queens do, but Denver is working hard to build up the king community. Landon Cider and that representation gives new perspectives to the art form.
While we’re on the subject of mainstream drag seen in the media, what was your take on the controversy of RuPaul and his comments on not allowing cis women or trans individuals to perform drag on his show? What makes it sad for me is that I was identifying as a straight woman for all intents and purposes, and RuPaul’s Drag Race was my intro into queerness. His show set up a platform and was the reason I sought out local scenes, but I found that there’s so much more than what the show represents. The name of the show tells people it's allinclusive, so why would you constrict it? Why can't you lift us all up? It's not ok for him to judge drag queens or kings. He could be providing an outlet, but it feels like a willful drawing of a boundary. In the beginning, most of what he said made sense and inspired me. Now, it just really bums me out that his agenda does not seem to be to showcase the full spectrum of the drag community and support all of us.
If you could give any words of inspiration to those individuals who are struggling to find their identity, what would you tell them? Recognizing that the desire is there is key! People just don’t know that they have the strengths to be pioneers and express themselves how they want or need. If you build a platform, people will come. Stick with it; find the people living for what you do, and make it for them. Make it for yourself as well. A lot of people might have advice, but you don't have to take it; someone else might not always know what's best for your drag. Let people help, but don't listen to people trying to mold you to their own standard. Find your own community because it is out there. Plant a seed in an oyster, and the pearl will grow.
PLANNING YOUR VACATION SHOULD BE JUST AS FUN Travel better! Let me do the work so you can relax. Joe Piccinetti / 888-227-6607 x4835 josephp@luxevovacations.com @luxevovactionsjosephp
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 2 3
One-on-One with Drag Legend
Trixie
Mattel
by Denny Patterson
Photo by Albert Sanchez
F
or Trixie Mattel, life in plastic is f*cking fantastic. Since competing on the seventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and winning All Stars 3, she has broken down barriers and redefined what it means to be a drag queen in today’s age. Quickly climbing the ladder of success, Trixie has launched a cosmetics line, become the subject of a documentary, performs stand-up, and stars in a Netflix (I Like To Watch) and YouTube (UNHhhh) series alongside gal pal and Drag Race favorite Katya. 2 4 \\ F E B R U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
With no intentions to slow down, Trixie is currently traveling the country with her fifth concert tour, “Trixie Mattel: Grown Up,” and just released her third studio album, Barbara, earlier this month. Barbara comes two years after One Stone and showcases an entirely new sound for Trixie. Much to the excitement of her dedicated fanbase, she took to YouTube to premiere “Trixie Mattel: One Night Only,” a music special unlike any other, where she performs several songs from Barbara to a massive
audience of Barbie dolls in her living room. Trixie spoke with OUT FRONT about the new album and tour, her upcoming book with Katya, finding time to be a cosmetics guru, and her thoughts on the new batch of Drag Race queens. Hi, Trixie! Congratulations on the release of your new album, Barbara. Can you tell us more about the meaning behind the album’s title? Who is Barbara?
Barbara is the name of America’s favorite 11-and-a-half-inch fashion doll. It was sort of her name before moving to California to become Barbie. She is from a fictional city in Wisconsin, and I’m from a real city in Wisconsin, so it is sort of based on that. When I started working on this album, I began going back to the original sketches of what I thought Trixie was. I originally saw her as, like, this super tan, 60s, plastic, beach bunny with a dark sense of humor. So, Barbara is going back to my original
sketches of Trixie with a little more POV and experience to redo it. Does Barbara stay within the country/ folk genres like your other albums? No, this is alternative. It’s sugary sweet, like 60s pop rock. Awesome. Now, you are currently traveling the country with your new tour, “Grown Up.” What can audiences expect, and how does it differ from your previous tours?
Oh my God. Literally everything I have achieved on my tour, this is, like, to the 10th power. If you liked the three costumes in my last tour, you’ll love these more. If you liked the three wigs in the last one, you’ll like the five in this one. This one has just as big of jokes, just as big of hair, but times 10. Plus, now that Barbara is out, I’m traveling with my band. So, all the musical breaks will be fully realized. I have played acoustic versions of my songs in the past, but this time, bitch, I have three
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 2 5
Photo by Mangus Hastings
have never gotten to travel with the band because my records never came out at the same time as my tours. I am living for the fact that I get to play with a real band. This is also the first time I have ever traveled with this many costumes. There’s, like, 12 costumes! Plus, the wigs are so f*cking cool. They are big and crazy. It’s like if Lady Bunny was in Austin Powers. beautiful, tall, attractive, young, guitarplaying men beside me. You know, the lesbians will be mad and disappointed, but the gays are going to be with it. What was it like to put this show together? I spent so much on the production for this tour. I always hope that people will get a laugh at my tours, so for this one, I was like, let’s make this so f*cking fancy and glamourous. I want people to leave thinking that was some of the funniest jokes, the best songs, the coolest wigs. I’m so proud of this tour. Before rehearsals, I was testing the material by getting in drag and going to open mic nights here in L.A. and performing sets from the show for audiences who do not know me. Girl, I did a set for eight people in the basement of a pizza restaurant. I wanted this show to be perfect, and I learn something from every tour. Every trick is better because you have a whole tour of experience under your belt. What are you personally looking forward to the most about this tour? You know, in every show, I have like one or two jokes where I’m like, 'That's my killer. I’m so smart; that is a great joke.' For this show, there are a few like that. Every time I’ve gone on to test this material, I go home and think, 'Can we start the tour tomorrow?' I love the new standup. The jokes are so funny. Also, in all my years in making music and all my years in making records, I 2 6 \\ F E B R U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
Even though “Grown Up” is a onewoman show, you do a lot of shows and collaboration projects with Katya. Besides her, is there any other Drag Race queen you would like to perform a show with? Oh, I love Bob the Drag Queen. I live for Bob the Drag Queen. I also love Monet, and I have gotten to tour with Tammie Brown before; that’s always a blast. I would love to work with Jasmine Masters. Those are pretty much my favs, but I definitely love Bob and hope we someday get to work together. If you want to talk good stand-up, she is so f*cking funny. Going back to Katya for a second, how is she doing? She’s good! Chillin. Why, did you hear something? No, I had the opportunity to interview her last year, and we talked about you a bit. What did that bitch say? All good things, and how she loves you to death! Yeah, she’s not one to talk about her feelings, but I heard recently through a friend, she said to someone else that she loved me so much, and she’s thankful for me. She would never say that to my face [laughs]. Well, of course not! That’s real friendship when you hear from someone else that someone actually loves you!
She mentioned to me that you two were writing a book together. Yes! It comes out in May. Trixie and Katya’s Guide to Modern Womanhood. It’s basically an etiquette guide/home economics book for young women. When it comes to giving advice, who’s better to trust than two gay men in their 30s who make a living by dressing as women, right? We give advice on practical things like hair, makeup, dating, and drag queen advice like how much to drink without puking. There’s even a section where Katya wrote haikus about getting your period. So, look out for that. If you want information on managing periods, listen to a 40-year-old man. It sounds like quite the read! What’s your number-one tip? My number-one tip is that everybody should always wear blush. That’s like my number one. I’m really big into blush, and blush can solve a lot of problems. Oh, and if you have a living room, every chair should either be on or completely off a carpet. I hate when people have a chair that’s like half on a rug. That’s complete trash! You two are also currently on the fifth season of UNHhhh. Did you ever think the show would go as far as it has? No! I keep waiting for people to stop watching it. For me, I never want to overstay my welcome. I’m always, like, one eye on the door. As soon as the viewership stops, I’m like, 'Let's quit.' Let’s bow out early. But, it hasn’t stopped yet, so alright, I guess people keep watching it. If people are still gagging, we’ll keep making them. My husband is one of your viewers, and he absolutely loves the show. Aw, that is so sweet! We really love doing it, and we obviously don’t do it for the money. We get a kick out of it. It’s both of our favorite thing to make. We love anything where we get to put on a look, show up, speak our mind, and leave. Thanks to RuPaul’s Drag Race, you have become one of the world’s most wellknown and beloved drag queens. What more would you like to accomplish with your platform? Well, Barbara is my third studio album, and all my albums have charted and sold
well. A lot of the people who do music who are on the same charts as me, they get to do, like, music festivals and stuff like that. I forget to do a lot of that stuff, so I hope to get to do a lot of these festivals and shit like that. I want to get invited to play at, like, Stagecoach and Folk Festival and Coachella. That would be so cool. Otherwise, I would love to do another book. We had a blast with this one, so if it sells well, I would love to do another one. We really want to do, like, an HR human resources/office workplace manual. Like the Trixie and Katya guide to sensitivity training. Oh my God, please do that! Right? It would be so awesome. I also obviously want to make more records, but I also love making cosmetics. That’s right, you released your own cosmetics line last year. How has that been going? It’s been great! We had a fantastic first year. We launched about 17 products, and we plan to launch even more. I love makeup, and I love nerdy sh*t, and I love the marketing and formula. It’s a very small company, so when a product comes out, we are so excited. There’s, like, five of us, so we are each 20 percent completely responsible for that launch. When my blush pallet Summer of Love came out on Black Friday, I was up at 9 a.m. in my bathtub watching the sales come in. It was so exciting. When I’m on tour and making stand-up specials and stuff like that, it’s kind of hard to dribble the two different careers. I’ll have to basically have office days and conference into the office. You were also working the festival circuit with the documentary Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts. How was that received by audiences? TM: It had a great launch. We were the fastest sellout at Tribeca. We did Hot Docs, Outfest we played at a lot of different places. People loved it. I will say, movies reach a totally different audience. I thought it was mostly people who already knew me, but this movie was a lot of people’s first exposure to me, which is kind of a gag. So, people have been cool about it. It’s a very intimate look at my work in my life. I’m an introvert,
so it’s the other 23 hours a day I’m not in drag. I loved it. I only watched it once with audiences because, I’ll say it is a little too intimate. Cameras were on set the day Katya walked out of our show. You know, that’s definitely not something I like to relive. It has been almost five years since your season of Drag Race. The first time, Season 7. What is the biggest lesson you have learned since being on the show? Honestly, I learned to trust my instincts. Whatever you think is the right answer is the right answer. That’s how you win Drag Race, and that’s how you win at life. Like, if you have a voice in you saying yes, that’s the right way to market that product, or that’s the right album name, or yes, that’s the bridge for the song. You can second guess yourself all day, but for your little internal compass, it’s the right thing. Listen to it; it’s the right thing. What are your thoughts on the Season 12 queens? Oh, beautiful! Jaida Essence Hall from Milwaukee! My hometown girl! You know her? Yes, of course! I remember being 21 and going out to the gay bar for the first time in drag, and Jaida Essence Hall was in the show, so yes; she is also older than me. She looked so beautiful in that promo. Let me tell you, she has looked like that forever. She was never ugly. She had no shaky start where she was an ugly drag queen. She has always been stunning. You know how pageant queens are normally a little more polarizing? She is the most artistic, open-minded pageant queen. Like, for Halloween, she does spooky shit. She does comedy numbers. It’s not often you see somebody who is so beautiful who is also, like, so chill. She loves all different types of drag queens. She’s that drag queen in Milwaukee who every audience member loves and every drag queen likes to work with. She’s like the mother I never had, the sister everybody wants. I’m excited for her. She’s probably, in my opinion, the best drag queen from Milwaukee. So, it’s cool to see her do this. She has been auditioning for Drag Race for a long time. To stay up-to-date with Trixie, follow her on social media or visit trixiemattel. com. O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 2 7
THE
SEXY HISTORY OF
BOULDER
E L R U B SQUE By Maggie Saunders Advice from Mademois Elle Tangerine of Boulder Burlesque
M
ademois Elle Tangerine is the current owner and director of Boulder Burlesque performance troupe, a mission-based performance art company working to heighten sacred sexuality, raise the fire in each performer, and create and embody confidence in one another. She is also the founder of Permission Productions, a local, sex-positive, consent-based production company which features both Boulder Burlesque performers and other local talent performing at events throughout the Boulder area.
On the history of Boulder Burlesque… “Boulder Burlesque was created during the undergraduate work of founder Mad Ame Merci while studying contemplative psychotherapy at Naropa University. The intention behind Boulder Burlesque was to create a space where all genders, particularly female-presenting people, could have a safe area to discuss and break down aspects of self-image, body image, trauma around sexuality, to find power and liberation with each other 2 8 \\ F E B R U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
Photo by Brice Jackson
using tools like circling and group discussion as a core support to offer that foundation before stepping into our performative selves in creation of the burlesque persona. Opening and closing circles is a way of grounding ourselves and checking in with each other, allowing us to arrive, do real work with each other, be vulnerable, and find trust.”
On the Performative Persona… “The word ‘persona,’ rather than a character (like a drag or burlesque character), inhabits that aspect of something that’s integrated inside yourself. It’s bringing out an element of who you already are into a bigger lens. Taking on the persona is that added layer of strength to give oneself the power to embrace bigger definitions of self that may otherwise be scary or inaccessible. “Being large or being seen through performative truth telling can be so healing. That is something I think drag and burlesque both invite an opportunity for. By practicing these characteristics or attributes, which we define within our personas, we get to learn from them. By bringing that language into our
awareness, we create that reality for ourselves. Regardless of how separate we keep our personal life from professional life, it is a way of learning and actively shifting self into a new perspective. That is one of the greatest powers of carrying a burlesque or drag persona.”
On Burlesque and Drag Personas as Acts of Subversion... “With drag, there’s an inherent bigness: exaggeration, emphasis, drawing of the giant eyeliner, drawing of the big story of hyperbolizing gender, and poking at why it’s such a big deal for us to be caged up in the gender binary. Drag flips that on its backside. Burlesque began as a constant subversion. “Lydia Thompson and the British Blondes who brought burlesque to the United States in the late 1800s would take up male roles to create stories. Each performance piece, in drag or burlesque, is an idea floating around being caught and held in a living moment. That’s where a lot of the power in performance art is drawn because we get to tell a living story in a five-minute act.
Literally moving through that inspiration is a way of having that story carried in the body, a way of shifting out of old patterns and calling in new patterns, ingraining them in yourself and allowing the audience to witness that and share in the understanding and learning.”
On the Similarities Between Burlesque and Drag... “What I’ve seen in drag: the farce and caricature; lip-synching, which is a traditional element; a lot of play and audience interaction. All of these elements can carry in burlesque as well. For example, the farcical elements are all tied back to the Vaudevillian roots of these genres. Vaudeville was the circus circuit that came up during the late 1800s, early 1900s. “Specifically speaking, in the United States, it was the sideshow, traveling circus, variety act, and freak show culture. It was a business model of traveling entertainers that burlesque originally grew its business model from and originally drew its performance space from before landing in larger venues.”
On Evolving Gender Perceptions Through Performance Art… “The history of burlesque and drag are very much interwoven with queer history; these performance spaces have been a space where queer folks can find an alternative career for themselves and still be out, representing their true sexual identity, finding a way out of careers that may not let them be present in that space. “As our culture learns about blending the gender spectrum, we can also blend and incorporate the energy levels in these performance elements. There is more space for those two groups to step in with each other. I hope that in this new decade, these mediums of performance continue to be a very active expression of emerging queerness, allowing stories to be told about the moment we are in.”
Advice to a Future Performer… “Show up. When you first show up, whether that be in an audition space or checking out a show, be honest with yourself. If rising to explore a challenge is something you want to do, know there will be people there to meet you and support you. Know there are so many different avenues of expression. “Often, people can have fear about stepping up and saying ‘I can do that,’ thinking about burlesque as a very sexually charged space. Come be present; see what’s going on, talk to somebody, and you will find a lot of reassurance. In seeing others on stage, you may see yourself on stage. A big part of healing is within the community. As much as the people who participate in Boulder Burlesque find their own power and expression, we get so much feedback from the audience. The audience also gets to feed on that richness and take home their own idea that they can empower themselves in their own way. You don’t need to be on stage to feel it.”
Advice to a Future Audience Member… “Get there early; sit in the front row, and you will have the ride of your life. We’ll take good care of you; don’t worry!” Interested in learning more about Boulder Burlesque? Visit boulderburlesque.com, or read about the troupe’s upcoming Valentine's Day show “Let this be a Love Letter” at outfrontmagazine.com
Dear Jessica, I'm not the kind of guy who would normally write a thank-you note, but I need to tell you how much my treatment at Jeunesse changed my life. We didn't really talk about it when I was in your office, but about three months ago, my partner left me after almost 10 years together. Suddenly, I was single and trying to date, but when I looked in the mirror, I no longer saw the confident, young guy I used to be. I saw an old man with sunken cheeks and baggy eyes. No matter how many creams and potions I rubbed on my face, I just couldn't find ME under there. But you changed all that. You made me look, and more importantly, feel, sexy again. I am ready to take on the dating world, and I couldn't have done it without you. I've never been so filled (no pun intended!) with gratitude, and I can't wait to sit in your chair again next month! Forever thankful,
Jeunesse Facial Aesthetics
LJ
Info@jeunessemedspa.com (720) 610-8553
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 2 9
Her Royal Highness
Brittany Michaels
An Interview with Empress 17 of the Imperial Court of the Rocky Mountain Empire
T
he Imperial Empire of the Ro c k y Mountain Region has been a staple in Colorado and the surrounding area since the 70s, much like OUT FRONT itself. The queens who have been with the Court since early days have literally seen the entire scene, and city, change before their eyes. From things like representation and drag
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etiquette to legality and urban development, it’s a whole different world, but a lot of these players are still in the game. We caught up with amazing local queen Brittany Michaels, Empress 17 and Princess Royal 15 of the Imperial Court, about her life in drag and what her, and the Court’s, journey has been all about.
by Addison Herron-Wheeler Photo by Brian Degenfelder
How did you get started doing drag? I was 19, and me and my partner at the time would go bars here that would do drag shows on Thursdays and Fridays. We would sneak in because we were underage, and we met some of the local queens, and it kind of evolved from there. Halloween is when drag is born for 90 percent of queens, and I was no different. I had befriended Nina Flowers, and she put me in drag for Halloween. That's kind of how it started. I never even thought of pursuing it; it was just something I did in the moment, but it stuck.
What were some of the main differences back then versus now? Colorado law the regulation was still that if you were doing drag, you still had to have male clothing underneath. It was the early 80s. And on top of all that, you were dealing with the AIDS crisis and friends dying, but you still had to navigate society and try to fit in. But on the other hand, nobody really had a preconceived idea of who you were back then. You didn't have to be this kind of queen or that kind of queen; it was more a matter of how you see yourself.
So there was a lot more of a chance to make your own path? Because there wasn't so much opportunity, you really had to make yourself a commodity back then. Back then, you couldn't go into a lot of bars if you had a dress on or if you had open-toed shoes. But there were so many bars that wanted drag and so few of us, so they kind of had the pick of the litter.
Why did being a part of the Imperial Court appeal to you? We do a lot to give back, and we have a great scholarship program for higher education. It's been going on 20-some years, and we've given out, on an average, every year in those 20 years, $20,000 and $40,000. And even though we are a nonprofit, we helped other nonprofits in their times of need. But we don't celebrate what we do, how we partner. And I think that is one thing we’re missing.
What can the court do better today to help stay relevant? Our group needs to really look inward at how we get that message out. We’re not just running around in drag; it’s a lot more than that. But we can also be our own worst enemy. There’s infighting, and I don't think we do any ourselves a benefit keeping things quiet. I think we need to publicize the Court more; promote it; try to get new people involved, or get some of these other, newer charities involved. We also need new people, new blood, because that’s how we keep going.
Do you think it was a little easier back in the day to spread the word about things and keep the drag scene connected? Years ago, the bars were all working as one as part of the Tavern Guild. So, you could publicize multiple events in one bar that was taking place at another bar. Now, you can't do that; like, I can’t hang something at Mary’s that I’m doing at Charlie’s. And so many bars have in-house queens, which is great, but then that limits who can do what at certain venues.
What is special about the Imperial Court and the bonds it has created? The court has always helped in a big way because it has always been a team effort as far getting anything done. And we lean on each other; we are friends outside of just that world. A lot of us have been friends for 30-plus years.
What advice would you give to a new performer? I always tell them that hopefully, they will establish those friendships that are lifelong. Don’t isolate your relationship to the dressing room; find some common goal. You'd be surprised what you all have in common. Talk a little about more than just performing, and you’ll see that you really connect.
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 3 1
Diversifying the Runway
SLAY MODEL Management
by Denny Patterson
S
lay Model Management, the world’s first transgender-exclusive model agency, hosted its first ever model search on February 15. Twentyfive beautiful, transgender models from across the globe and the United States competed at Goya Studios in Hollywood for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Founded in 2015 by Ceilio Asuncion, the goal of the group was to conduct a model search specifically for those interested because the agency would receive 15 to 20 applications a day since it opened. “Everyone started to learn about us, and it would get crazy,” he said. “Really, we are a boutique agency. There’s three of us. So, I figured, why not have a model search? Models always have to be new and fresh because a lot of creative directors and casting directors network. They like to see new faces. So, this model search is very reminiscent of, like, the Ford Supermodel Search; this just happens to be all trans models.” Prior to the competition night, the contestants attended a Model Boot Camp where they were coached by top photographers, stylists, and editors. The competition itself was judged by industry professionals. Once selected, the models were signed onto Slay Model Management where Asuncion will develop and start their careers. “We had women mostly from the states, but we had some from Hong Kong, someone from Belgium, and somebody from the U.K.,” Asuncion said. I was very excited to meet all of them here in L.A.” Slay Model Management models have appeared in campaigns for Eva 3 2 \\ F E B R U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
Photos by Alexis Hunley
Mendes for NY and Co., Nikita Dragun cosmetics, Katy Perry Fragrance: Indi, Elle Magazine, Truvada, and on TV in FX’s Pose, Law & Order: SVU, Project Runway, and Netflix’s Next in Fashion. The Oxygen TV series Strut, executive produced by Whoopi Goldberg, was built around the agency and showcased the challenges its models faced in the fashion industry fighting to overcome gender and beauty stereotypes. “It’s been an amazing journey,” Asuncion said. “A lot of amazing things have been happening, and it makes me feel good to know that we are becoming part of the movement. I am grateful that I get to do what I love with people I actually love.” Whenever any model applies for Slay Model Management, the first thing Asuncion looks for is star quality. “It takes more than beauty to be a top model,” he said. “It takes determination, a healthy outlook, and a visceral understanding that she is a model first and a trans woman second. I want them to understand that this is an industry, and that Slay Model Management is about strong models. It’s not about selling their transness. They must be very competitive within the market; they must love the craft, and they must have a strong sense of self. “It’s not just about representation; it’s about representing themselves. It’s also a call to action for the industry. I’m not trying
to change everything; I just want what’s fair. I have inherited a lot of these fashion rules, and these models are beautiful. You think about the olden days, the legends, and supermodels. They have a lot of characteristics that are like models that we have. Tall, high cheekbones, long necks. So, why not use trans models? I mean, if they wear the clothes, walk well, show up on time, and are kind-hearted, let’s give them their time.” Several of the agency’s original models are still with Asuncion, and they are continually working. “I don’t mind when a model moves on. They’re just like boyfriends,” Asuncion joked. “It is very important to me that they are working. The agency was built upon the thrust that beauty is beauty. I’m not here to judge them. Like, if you’re a person driving down the street, and you see a billboard for Victoria’s Secret, I don’t think anyone stops and asks if that person is trans or cisgender. I think I changed
their lives for the better. When you are in a place of employment, you are for sure in a better place in life, and the models also get to live their truth. They know what they are getting themselves into, and they don’t have to be afraid.” Asuncion says unique opportunities are available to transgender models today, and that fashion is changing. Companies understand the need for representation, but there is still more work to be done. “Companies understand the need for representation, but some feel it’s only needed in June when it’s Pride month,” he said. “The need for diversifying and representation is more important now because it’s not just for trans people, but also people of color, different ages, people with down syndrome, etc. If you only put one trans person or one person of color in, that’s tokenism. That’s not diversifying the runway. So, yes there is change, but we will only be able to tell when it is done consistently.” For more information on Slay Model Management, visit Slaymodels.com and follow the agency on Instagram at SlayModelsLA. For anyone looking to apply with Slay Model Management, it would be wise to follow Asuncion’s advice: “Have a strong sense of self love; understand that this is not a cutthroat thing; love the industry, and know and understand how it works. You do not have to be vicious. This is a partnership.”
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 3 3
DIY RECLAIMING THE DIY
EVELYN EVERMOORE, Costumer Extraordinaire WITH
By Arianna Balderamma Photos by Stu Osborne
E
velyn Evermoore has been a drag performer for around three years now. They have described their drag persona as a “dumb broad,” and their style blends beauty and comedy. This perfect balance has created Evelyn Evermoore. They have been known to make their own costumes for their performances and also craft looks for other drag stars including Yvie Oddly. Evermoore isn’t a stranger to being on stage. They have hosted various events across Denver in queer spaces such as Hamburger Mary’s. They have also hosted the 2019 Power Gala wearing a circusthemed ensemble. Evermoore did not disappoint both visually and for the sake of entertainment. They work as a full time drag performer, but if you are envious of their sewing skills, they also offer sewing lessons. Being in the drag scene for some time now, Evermoore has stayed true to the roots of self creation, stating their costumes are all made from scratch. We chatted with them to get more insight into the past, present, and future of drag and how DIY costuming plays a major part.
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What have you been up to lately, and what are you currently working on? The last project I did was creating a costume for Yvie Oddly’s Drag Race Vegas live which was super exciting. Other things I've been focusing on have just been trying to find the right coupon at JOANN to get that new fabric. I'm trying to be smarter about the costumes that I'm creating now.
In what way do you think the looks that you create are inspired by the history of trans and POC performers? I've always looked to the trans queens for inspiration because they're usually the best entertainers. Their costumes and the way they perform has always inspired me. When it comes to my costumes, I try to pay homage to whatever I'm feeling in the moment. However, a lot of my costumes are homage to the original style of drag. I like anything classic drag if it has lots of sequins or anything with fringe.
Y
What would you say is your process when you sit down to conceptualize a look, sketch it out, and then actually create it? It really depends on the look. On certain creations, I'm like, 'Oh that's on sale,' and I buy it and make it. I spend a lot of time on Pinterest looking up ideas and searching keywords for the look and putting them in a big fashion board. Then, usually, I take a hot nap and let things kind of soak and settle in. By the end of it, I like to sketch something out and just start cutting. I don't use any store-bought patterns. I make all my own patterns. There are very few things that I own that I bought.
Do you ever make everyday clothes for yourself? I have a dream to wear a suit every day. That was the dream since high school, and I still want to do it. I started making custom suits for myself just to wear every once in a while.
Have you been kind of doing a lot of nonbinary looks and king looks, too? I'm nonbinary myself, and my drag is very much high femme. My show Bite at Pride & Swagger is on second Fridays where I'll do a little bit more of that. It’s a club kind, avant-garde type of drag show.
Where do you see the future of costuming going? What do you think things are going to look like in the future? I'm really excited for people to start sewing more. There were a lot of trans women and people who would sew their own costumes because that was the only resource they had to get these fabulous items. Now, we have sites where people can buy fast-fashion clothes and not have any personal commitment. I think the future of drag fashion is people learning to sew again and creating their own, custom looks inspired by their own imaginations. O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 3 5
Do you feel like that'll also make things more accessible for folks who maybe don't have big budgets to get crazy looks? Absolutely! Most of my costumes cost me 50 bucks for full, sequined costumes. JOANN's coupons cuts that budget down to next to nothing. If you're smart, they take competitor coupons, so you can really stack some things, get some cheap fabric, and make a couture look.
Is there anything else coming up that you want to announce? I'm working on a sober circuit party. Nothing is concrete on it, but I want one event every weekend at rotating venues.This will be an opportunity to have a safe space every weekend for sober people.
Does ‘sober event’ mean no drinking at all, or just sober options? Sober adjacent might be better, especially for Triangle and Tracks. For other venues, (non-alcoholic beverage company) Groovey will sponsor them. I want to work with other non-alcoholic options and have them there. I'm going to put a lot of pressure on these spaces to create a sober menu for that night, if not regularly.
What kind of impact do you hope to have on the community if you do those parties long term? I've been making posts on Facebook for No Drink November and Dry January, and I've had so many people reach out that they didn't realize the level that alcohol had ingrained itself into the lifestyle of queer people. Our only safe spaces aren't just bars. When you are a member of a traumatized community, I think that can often lead to alcoholism. Creating spaces that normalize sobriety should be important. Saying, ‘Hey, this is an option; you don't have to drink every night,” and creating a space where bars start having non-alcoholic menu options would be beneficial. People can still spend money in queer spaces and not get sloshed every week. 3 6 \\ F E B R U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 3 7
The Monster Within Transwitch Wants You to Do Better By Addison Herron-Wheeler Photo by Stu Osborne 3 8 \\ F E B R U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
Picking up an award at a local, red carpet event in Denver was a surreal experience for Transwitch. They went to the event with a veil on their face because they knew they wouldn’t be truly seen in a mainstream space meant for performative, cis drag. Still, they appreciated the chance to be in the limelight, if only to help further the narrative they so strongly stand behind. “I've been thinking about the cost of trans representation,” they said. “What is the cost? The cost is pride. The cost is maybe a little bit of your own visibility.You can stand to lose a little bit of screen time and allow those who deserve it.” When it comes to the history of drag, and indeed its present and future, Transwitch feels that black, trans women deserve to be at the center of the narrative. Cis, white men are still the stars of drag culture despite the fact that it was built for and by queer and trans people of color. While they enjoy the platform they have when they become the force that is Transwitch, they want to use their voice to give others who may be even more marginalized a chance. “The only reason I started doing drag is to have a larger platform to talk about issues of transness and the way we are treated and viewed by society,” they said. “The upheaval that's currently happening is kind of a grassroots movement to take back the fact that something created by and for black, trans women is sweeping the attention of the world. Those people who are in the spotlight need to recognize this was still created by and for trans women.” As a trans, femme, nonbinary person, Transwitch feels that gender is both a playground and a battlefield, and knew they could do a great job performing gender, since they had to all their life. They also realized that it would give them a chance to claim the monstrousness they feel every day through the use of a powerful character.
“I
“I paint my own nightmares on my face, and then go to a place where someone tells me that my nightmares are beautiful and inspiring and that they want to see more of them,” they said. “That's why I love drag. That's the beauty of it. Because my normal self is treated like something monstrous all day, treated like a nightmare all day. I put on a nightmare, and it's treated like a blessing.”
magine being painted as a monster by society and ostracized and told you're ugly in every way and that you're not valuable, unlovable, unf*ckable, unless as a service. And then there is this one place that you know that you can go where people will praise you for being all of those things.”
For Transwitch, drag isn’t a costume, a look, or something to take on and off or take lightly. It’s a way to express the feeling of transness, otherness, and queerness in a society that so often overlooks those things. If you’re impressed by its serious mug or spooky persona, it’s not just because Transwitch is a skilled makeup artist and performer. It’s because they live and breathe what they do, and they want to continue to pull others up. Recently, Transwitch has been getting a lot of representation as a force to be reckoned with in Denver. The combination of their fearless mug and looks combined with performances that make the viewer stop and think are more than just “alt drag” or a spooky take on drag. When in costume, Transwitch truly becomes a monstrous force of trans representation and a rallying cry for equality.
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O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 3 9
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by David-Elijah Nahmod
F
irst released in 1968, Frank Simon's The Queen is an historic documentary about a drag pageant/beauty contest which took place in New York City in 1967. The film has rarely been screened since, but has now been fully restored by Kino Lorber and is currently streaming at Kino Now, Kino Lorber's streaming platform. The film is also streaming on Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, and Fandango Now. The Queen will be released on DVD June 2. Produced two years before the Stonewall riots, when homosexuality and dressing in drag were still illegal in New York State, The Queen recalls a courageous group of gay men who weren't afraid to be themselves at a time when they could have been thrown in jail for doing so. Shot mainly with hand-held cameras and featuring minimal narration, the film packs a lot of information into its 66-minute running time. As the film opens, viewers are introduced to a young man named Jack. He produces drag pageants all over the country, not only serving as producer but as choreographer and host. Jack appears onstage as Sabrina, a character he describes as a "bar mitzvah mother." Almost from the beginning, Jack/Sabrina is forced to deal with the anti-LGBTQ prejudices that were the social norm of the era, facing difficulties such as 4 2 \\ F E B R U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
finding a hotel that will take all of his drag contestants. Once inside their hotel rooms, the contestants talk about some of the issues they face in their day-to-day lives such as whether or not their families accept them, the possibility of gender reassignment surgery, and the draft—the Vietnam War was underway at the time. Two contestants recall being rejected by the draft for being gay. One character admits that she wrote to the president saying that she wished to serve so that she could help to protect the country. "They couldn't help me in the army as of yet, but maybe one day, they'll see things right, and I will be able to get in," she says. As the film continues, Jack/Sabrina works with the contestants, rehearsing routines they'll be performing in the pageant. A bit of tension crops up when a young contestant, who's introduced as Richard but performs under the name Harlow, throws a diva fit when her platinum blonde wig goes missing. Always in control, Sabrina and her assistants tend to the matter. Harlow is a younger contestant. She has sparked some resentment among older contestants because she hasn't paid her dues, winning the first contest she had ever competed in. The other contestants had
Image Courtesy of 'The Queen'
to work their way up the ladder. Harlow particularly incurs the ire of Crystal, a black queen who feels that she is more beautiful and more talented than Harlow. Though the film doesn't explicitly address the racial disparities in the queer community, there is an implication that, as a black performer in a white run pageant, Crystal felt that she didn't stand a chance of winning. When Harlow is announced as the winner, Crystal storms off the stage in front of the audience. A few years after the events seen in The Queen, Crystal would form the House of La Beija, a drag house which was established in response to the racial prejudice in the New York ballroom scene. The House Of La Beija was featured in Paris Is Burning, Jennie Livingston's classic 1990 documentary about the black ballroom scene in New York. Today, The Queen is a fascinating look back at another era. The performers seen in the film were willing to take risks. The police could very well have raided the event and carted them all off to jail, and they knew it.Yet, they stood their ground. They were courageous people who laid the groundwork for the popular and respected drag culture which exists today. These queens should not be forgotten.
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