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St. Cloud State University
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Diversions
Drag show empowers SCSU
By Diana Matusewic
Published:
Monday, October 14, 2002
Media Credit: scott theisen
The Flamettes perform at the drag show last Friday in the Atwood Ballroom. The drag show was part of Homecoming week and National Coming Out Week events. GLBT services and Outloud! sponsored the show.
As part of National Coming Out week, Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender services and the Outloud! Organization sponsored SCSU's sixth drag show October 11 in the Atwood Ballroom.
The first 96 people to arrive received a shirt at the door. There were also prizes donated by TCF bank, athletics and Shoemaker hall.
The Flamettes from the cities was a new act for SCSU's show.
"We met them this summer at the Pride Parade at Loring Park," said Heidi Aldes, SCSU student and education chair of Outloud! "I think that they push the envelope and I think that they challenge society through their performances."
For their first act, the Flamettes were lesbian Catholic nuns and for their second act they did a strip tease by having one man have his clothes taken off by the other members.
"Some people thought they were really funny, other people thought they pushed the line too much," said Sheri Atkinson, GLBT coordinator.
According to Atkinson, one main point of the show was self-expression.
"It's an opportunity to provide some entertainment and an opportunity for students to express their gender," Atkinson said.
Atkinson herself got in the act, performing to "(Dude) Looks like a lady" by Aerosmith.
According to Aldes, the show was also a way to promote tolerance and give encouragement to individuals struggling to come out of the closet.
"We want to empower those who live in fear," Aldes said. "Gender bending is a very radical statement. I think the performers and the people who attend are trail blazers."
Donny Hathaway, an SCSU student said, the Drag show is a time when transgenders can actually come out and dress up.
"(Drag shows are) for everyone," Hathaway said. "There are no labels or boundaries."
Hathaway has been performing for the past four years and this was his first performance at SCSU as "Bridget."
"They've been a great success," said Atkinson. "Our very first show we probably had 150-200 people."
This time, they made well over $2000 with about 300-400 people.
The money will be use to send students to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force-Creating Change conference in Oregon.
There will be another drag show in the spring semester during Out Proud Week, which runs between the end of March and the beginning of February. Out Proud Week is about being proud about who you are and coming out week is about helping people to come out of the closet.
"It is one of my favorite events of the semester," Aldes said. "It's a radical statement, it's very empowering for not only students who perform, but students who attend."
