CMYK
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS
Drag Show VOL.
97
I S S UE 1 0
Shaqüíra La Bori
Drag queens and kings take the stage for the 13th annual show reflector.uindy.edu
APRIL 3, 2019
Stephen Cox as Stevoncé
Noah Fields as Crystal Shields
Boy Gorge
Ty Johnson as Fruit Tea
Anthony Jackson as Aeriola Grande and the Tits
Ryne Stone
Destiny Heugal as Jason Hoes
Photos by Jayden Kennett, design by Zoë Berg
By Abby Land
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Freshman social work major Ty Johnson smiled slightly as he perfected the dramatic blue makeup lining his eyes, matching the dress he would later wear to open the University of Indianapolis’ 13th annual Drag Show. It was also the dress Johnson would wear when he, as his drag alter ego Fruit Tea, was awarded the title of best queen. Johnson did drag in high school, he said, and attended the drag show at UIndy last year. The thrill of performing in front of a larger audience during his first year of college, he said, both excited him and made him nervous. “[I am excited for] the chance to do something different. I have an aesthet-
ic when I’m dressed as a man,” Johnson said, “[but] when I’m in drag, I’m willing to do anything.” For more than a decade, the Drag Show has been one of the most popular events on UIndy’s campus. Proceeds from the event, which are often donations in the form of dollar bills thrown on the stage by a cheering crowd or collected by cigarette girls and boys, go towards Indiana Youth Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to Hoosier LGBTQ youth. Although entry to the event has been free of charge in the past, admission for this year's show cost $1 to raise additional funds for IYG. Junior theatre Destiny Huegal said this year's Drag Show raised more money off of admissions than they have in previous years, with this year's show raising $1,503. The Drag Show, which is organized
by UIndy PRIDE and Alpha Psi Omega, has also helped increase awareness of the prominent LGBTQ presence on campus and encourages inclusion, according to OJ Moor, who co-chairs UIndy PRIDE alongside Emily Larmore. “Honestly, the inclusion and the support that we get from people who aren’t comfortable or maybe never even heard of PRIDE on campus, it’s super cool to see,” Moor said. “If we go back to clique terms like jocks and nerds and all these different people coming to celebrate this form of expression that is inherently queer but doesn’t have to be a dividing factor.” Sophomore theatre major Clayton Rardon and Huegel served as co-hosts of the show for the first time. Although this is not their first time being in the
show. They participated various in bits of the show last year, when then-host Stephen Cox pretended to show them the ropes of hosting the show after his graduation. For Huegel, her first impression of the drag show was of surprise. She said that she did not expect the diversity of the crowd that showed up in droves to enjoy the entertainment and support the campus’ LGBTQ community. “I think I was really surprised by how many people who are not involved in the LGBTQ community in any way, shape or form come to the drag show,” Huegel said. “I think it’s important for both sides. So it’s really important for LGBT people obviously because they get people to have more of an understanding.” Rardon and Huegel also performed a duet together in the drag show last
year, but for Rardon, his connection to the event goes back to before he was a UIndy student. He attended it for the first time while he was still in high school and was visiting campus for the Campus Campout. Because of the university’s Methodist affiliation, Rardon said, it surprised him to see that a drag show would be taking place on campus during his time there. “They sat us down that morning [and told us to] circle the events you want to do. And I was reading through, and I was like ‘A drag show?’ It was, ‘Am I reading this correctly? Because this is a Methodist school, right?’” Rardon said. “Actually, the moment that I went to the drag show like that...if that is what sold me completely on University of Indianapolis....I couldn't say 100 > See Drag on page 3
Monks spread peace during campus visit Indianapolis. The monks worked on the mandala, which is a picture composed of EDITORIAL ASSISTANT carefully placed sand pieces, the entire time they were on campus. This mandala Singing and drum beating filled the was intended to be a universal mandala, Krannert Memorial Library as men in different from the ones they built in saffron robes began the creation of a sand Tibet, Phuntsok said. It had the intense mandala, a traditional Buddhist art design, Buddhist practice message attached, the on March 20 as the first event in a series promise of Buddha, compassion, feeling, held on campus. During their five day wisdom, power of the soul, all for the visit, the monks came to campus, set up dedicated monks, according to Phuntsok. The mandala built at UIndy is inclusive various cultural items and spoke to the public on their culture and philosophies of various religious symbols and promoted the idea of a while also selluniversal haring their handmony, and it is made jewelry, often referred tapestries and “...there is one thing, we to as the “manother objects. Two events are mentally, physically and dala for all,” to were held on emotionally all the same.” according Phuntsok. AfMarch 20, the ter completion opening cereof the mandala, mony and the Buddhist practices workshop. Of the six the monks threw the sand into the pond monks, Tenpa Phuntsok was the main by Greyhound Village per Buddhist speaker during each event because the tradition. The throwing away of the sand other monks were not fluent in English. traditionally means that the sand blesses “One goal [we have] is to live in peace all elements and all beings. “All the religions share the same and harmony,” Phuntsok said. “Each of us have a different philosophy or view message, which is compassion, lovpoint on what we do, but the sameness is ing, kindness. As Dalai Lama always mentioned, there is one thing, we are bringing harmony and kindness.” While on a tour in the United States, mentally, physically and emotionally all the Tibetan monks of Dehra Dun, In- the same,” Phuntsok said. “And I think dia were invited by the Ecumenical & it's very important that we all have the Interfaith programs to the University of same wish to want to be happy because
By Madison Gomez
everyone is suffering, and if you want to be happy, follow the good [things of ] mind and body." Freshman psychology major Marlena Lovas said she has been interested in Buddhism since she heard about it in a YouTube video in high school. Lovas said the religion has inspired her and she has incorporated the different religious elements and symbols into her art products on occasion. When she heard the monks were coming to campus, Lovas said she decided to attend the Buddhist Practices workshop to get insight on the aspects of Buddhism. The workshop focused on altar building and was followed by a Q&A. Lovas said that the questions asked were ones that she was also curious about. “Some of them [the questions asked] were things I didn't even think of, so it was really cool to hear the answers to that,” Lovas said. “You can look up the information on the internet, but it's different coming from the direct source. And of course, the internet is not always right." At the opening ceremony, the main floor of Krannert had visitors gathered around the monks to see the building of the sand mandala. Junior business management major Jenny Davis said although she felt a bit claustrophobic during the ceremony due to the large attendance, it did not take away from the ceremony being a spiritual experience. “I didn't expect the throat singing.
That was really cool. And the fact that I didn't expect it to be so spiritual,” Davis said. “... I didn't know they had to start [building] at the center [of the mandala] either. Like, ‘Why is it taking so long?’ It's because it's one [person] doing each tiny little piece. And then at the end, it will be all of them [working on the piece] and I thought that was awesome.” All of the events were intended to be educational, according to Phuntsok. The events included how to build an altar, teaching the yoga that the monks practice in their monastery, how to create sacred pieces of their culture’s art, how to prepare traditional Buddhist food and
an explanation of Buddhist history and how monks use it to live a happy life. The events were aimed not towards coaxing people to believe in the same practices of them, but to learn how to better their lives through the events. “It's a good chance for students to come here... especially youngsters to come here and learn our cultures, not to be like us, but better know their different knowledge, to know our practice to become a better whatever their religious beliefs,” Phuntsok said. “... [For them to] become the person who can [have] patience, lead to a lot of patience 'woke,' and learn to care for others through our practice.”
Photo by David Morris
Tibetan monks begin the creation of the sand mandala following the conclusion of the opening ceremony on March 20 on the first floor of the Krannert Memorial Library.