A Journey Through the History of Drag Performances

I met my first drag queen at the age of 18 at The Gallery, a gay bar that I’d frequent in Providence, RI. It was the “place to be” when it came to disco back in the 1970s and it’s where I made friends and learned more about who I was. One night a week the upstairs stage would come alive with beautiful drag performers. It was magical. But, it was my friends April (whose given name I can’t remember), Paulette (Paulie Bricker), and Tisha (Brian Belovitch) who were there to help. The three of them were my glamorous friends and I was a short, thin, flat-chested, actress/dancer-type who never felt pretty. These women brought me (and my bestie Donna) into their fold and taught me how to tape up my chest and put on makeup. They did my hair, dressed me up, and gave me a hit on the behind to send me out of the ladies’ room and into the bar. What I lacked in those skills I made up for once I hit the dance floor. I was the girl that everyone wanted to dance with, but without the confidence that they helped me discover, I probably wouldn’t be who I am today. I owe a lot to the queens who helped me come out of my shell.

There is so much misunderstanding about drag, so I thought that I’d open the door and introduce the history of drag performers to those who have never had the experiences that I have.