In praise of drag queens....

[Dookus]

like many gay men, earlier in life, I felt rather uncomfortable with the concept of drag queens, or other feminine-identified men. I felt they presented an extreme, and unflattering, view of homosexuals to the public.

Thankfully, I don't feel that way any longer. It was drag queens who were the real pioneers in the movement for our civil rights. They led the fighting at Stonewall, and for decades before that, refused to hide themselves behind a cloak of feigned heterosexuality.

They took the risks. They took the beatings. They took the arrests and the humiliation and the abuse, and they deserve our respect and admiration for doing so.

Let's hear it for the femm-boys!

[dsc]

1. I heartedly agree

While I will never be into that scene it is impossible to think of the early gay movement without them.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

2. Coming from a straight viewpoint - I LOVE drag queens. I find their

freedom and exuberance something alien to the straight mindset. It's always a joy to go to a drag bar with my friends. Rock, rock on!

[Zhade]

12. Okay, CSTT, I gotta ask...

"Rock, rock on!"

Cheat Commandos? :)

[housewolf]

3. "The Cockettes"

The Sundance Channel occasionally runs a documentary on "The Cockettes" - a 60's-era group of hippie drag queens who used to perform at the Palace Theater in the late 1960's, led by Hybiscus, who loved sequins, sparkle, feathers and gorgeous flowing colorful fairy-like costumes. It's a delighful documentary of a unique time and place in American history. It's told in retrospect with current-day interviews with some of the group and actual archival footage from the 1960's. Enlightening, entertaining and educational... watch it if you get a chance.

[Dookus]

5. That sounds great...

thanks! I'll look for it.

[housewolf]

17. "The Cockettes " Website

Here's the website for the documentary

http://www.cockettes.com/

[BrklynLiberal]

6. I think they have occasionally been seen on shows on FSTV Ch 9415

DirectTV. They have some great shows.

[mitchtv]

10. "Elevator girls in bondage"

"Journey to the center of Uranus" to name two(Journey was "angels of Light".

[mitchtv]

9. watch it? honey I dated several of the Cockettes

and a few of the Angels of Light, too. Cute movie My favorite drag was an old friend Candy Darling.

[Bronco69]

4. I am in complete agreement!

:toast: To the drag queens!

[murray hill farm]

7. And in Savannah...

what marvelous intertainment..they are wonderful!!

[NC_Nurse]

8. Hear! Hear!

I have a special place in my heart for drag queens. Some of my fav films are:
Paris is Burning
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Priscilla: Queen of the Desert

So full of piss and vinegar and LIFE!

:D

[Zhade]

11. I heart femme boys.

And you are quite right - they carried a lot of water and deserve respect!

[libnnc]

13. this lesbian has spent....

countless Saturday nights handing $$ to the most beautiful performers ever. I love, I mean LOVE drag shows. It's an artform I truly admire.

[sundog]

14. Hedwig :)

Best way to sum up life in 1.5 hours :bounce:

[arwalden]

15. I Adore Drag Queens!!

When I was first coming out... when I was very young, naive and immature, I disliked drag queens as well. They embarrassed me and made me uncomfortable. "WHY?" and "WHAT'S THE POINT?" I kept asking myself. Men should be me and women should be women, I thought. These miscreants are blurring the lines and making us look bad, I thought.

I thought WRONG!

I was just being boorish. Fortunately I outgrew my own intolerance of other facets of the gay community that didn't quite conform to my previously closeted and very judgemental white-bread worldview.

My ex-before-last was a drag queen, and but not for he, I would have never met my partner of 10 years. (Tim did a flawless Judy Garland and Patsy Cline.) My life would not be what it is today but not for a drag queen.

-- Allen

[readmoreoften]

16. i heart queens and trannygirls n/t

[terrya]

18. As usual, you said it much better than I, Dookus.

I cannot add a single word to this excellent post. Thanks.

[jonnyblitz]

19. I love Divine! (R.I.P.) nt

[Behind the Aegis]

20. I love'em too!

When I first came out (gay guy), all my friends were lesbians and drag queens...so I learned how to play pool (they turned me into a ringer) and learned attitude (the right way!:)) I have many a friend who is a female impersonator, and few who are drag queens. I even had a friend who was a drag king! The lesbians and drag queens never made me feel like I had to be anything other than myself, and I really liked that!

[KnowerOfLogic]

21. I think we need more of them, both gay and straight. nt

[transeo]

22. Thank you, from drag queens everywhere

Praise is rare between for us. So, thank you very much! We're still out there, trying to help.

[arwalden]

23. Isaac!!!

:hi:

Is that a photo of you?

-- Allen

[transeo]

24. Allen!

What's new!?

Yes, that is me, from an event last August.

[arwalden]

25. Nothing Much New...

I love the photo! Cute pose and expression! Thanks for sharing it! (Only... I had imagined that you were older for some reason. I guess your posts seem to be written by someone who's had more years to reflect on things. So, what are you... 23?)

:loveya:

-- Allen

[transeo]

26. 23 - What a nice compliment

You're so sweet! :loveya: I'm 28, actually, but Miss Bea Haven is ageless. ;-)

[arwalden]

27. Miss Bea Haven...

Of course you are!

-- Allen