WAR ON DRAG

While I was away on vacation...the war on drag got intense. While I don't do drag on a regular basis anymore, it's still part of me and my love of the art and know way to many friends and sisters who are drag queens...so yes, one takes it personally. But these threats against the drag community is nothing new, however they are taking a different approach to safety and security this time. Drag is the reason I have a "I'll slap the shit out of you first and ask question later" attitude and backbone. Drag gave me the energy to fight and defended myself, while doing it with style henny. It served a big purpose for me for some time. And I'm grateful for having the 20 or so years I did drag. Drag is an art form, and entertainment, an artistic expression, a gender expression, a question and a challenge. It is almost always tailored to the audience it is for. There are drag shows for adults and kids, just like any other art.

Amidst the banning of gender-affirming healthcare, US states are now trying to ban drag as a whole. This staple part, and a huge one of the LGBTQ culture is under attack. Tennessee became the first state to ban drag performers and kings from preforming in public. Then in January of 2023 Arizona kicked off the year with three separate bills criminalizing aspects of drag performers. The Senate Bill 1026 would ban places, like libraries from receiving state funds for drag shows, "targeting minors". The other two further limit drag shows. And where they can be held. Moreover, the state will classify all venues where drag performers, perform, as "adult oriented businesses". This means that drag venues cannot be located near anywhere close by children and is even trying to ban drag story hours in general. Whether these bills become laws or not, the damage has been done. Conservative assholes are using irrational and uneducated fears to persuade the population into false narrative. Tennessee officially became the first US state to ban drag shows. One of their new laws could also impact future Pride events. Unsurprisingly in March of 2023 the RePukeian Governor signed the anti-drag bill into law, meaning that drag artist officially cannot perform in any public setting that could be accessed by a minor. Under the new law, the state will treat a first offense as a misdemeanor, but a second offense would count as a felony. While the language used in the bill is very broad, it refers to drag as "adult cabaret" and drag performers as "male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to prurient interest". The language can potentially lead to gender non-conforming people being banned from publicly expressing themselves.

And if you think it's getting better, think again. Since the beginning of this year at least 32 bills, so far, have been filed in Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, North and South Dakota, North and South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, of course, and West Virgina...with more on the way. And look at the list of attacks against drag in 2022 alone.

 And since we gays took to our "dating apps" and internet... and we gave up on "stepping out" it has killed gay bars and clubs...or, many gay establishments are now introducing "straight nights". It's happened right here in Harrisburg with it's well-known dance club. That only pushes out drag shows and performers. Further limiting where queens can be seen. 

Drag as an art form is vital to our gay society, and so are drag performers. It is an exploration of gender identity. It allows us to express who we are and play with gender roles. Drag can become an extension of who you are, like in my case. It is a powerful tool in understanding yourself. Drag is not as cis and binary as a "man in a wig, dressed as a woman." Drag is for all genders to enjoy and to perform in. However, many conservative politicians are framing it as a threat to children and society. This is a false narrative. It only serves to further their anti-LGBTQ, more specifically anti-trans rhetoric. Meanwhile most of these fools have never seen a drag show of any kind. They speak from ignorance and lack of education. So keep to the corner and shut your pieholes. 

Drag can be a life-saving thing. Many trans and gender diverse people do drag first in order to express and explore their gender identity. If we started to see queer and trans people as human beings, even for just one moment, we would see all the potential art, beauty and joy that could come out of it. Drag , after all, as only existed since the 19th century. It's nothing new to dress up in what are traditionally seen as clothes of the opposite gender for god's sake. However, conservatives have dragged drag into politics as part of their anti-LGBTQ agenda. Why do these asses view drag as a threat? Because of fear, ignorance and a distraction to real issues. If we are allowed to explore our genders, power structures like the gender binary slowly start to crumble. Drag is a beacon of hope that one day will erase the gender binary as a whole. We have to remember that Jaida Essence Hall got it right..."Look over there." And most willingly oblige. Luckily for us, we queens don't give up and aren't going anywhere. Even a global pandemic couldn't keep drag down...we just took it online and found new ways to bring drag to everyone.

Our Gay Patron Saint, Madonna, has added two shows in Tennessee and proceeds to go to the Drag Defense Fund, where you can also go to donate. But honey, to quote the great Madonna, one thing these conservative fools forget? 

"Anyone with a half a brain knows not to fuck with a drag queen."

All I can say, if these are the best politicians we can get and are supposed to be "America's sweethearts"... then America needs a heart transplant. At his point they should just make like their hairlines hunties...and recede!