Drag is a form of Gender Expression

Drag has changed my life! It is part of my gender expression. Being a Drag King is part of who I am.Not only has it introduced me to some pretty dam amazing people but it has also given me an outlet. A real honest to god outlet that feels good in a way that leads me to more balanced places. Izzy keeps me sane! For now as I try to get involved in my new city I know that I will be lead to good places. Maybe this whole experience will help me understand myself on a deeper level. Either way it could support my journey in some way that I don’t see yet.

Pronouns

Pronouns are interesting because we only really have binary pronouns. Without pronouns people have to repeat your name over and over again. Its awkward speech without pronouns and its awkward with pronouns. I started noticing that I was bothered by strangers using female pronouns all the time. I was refreshed when people have to look at me a couple of times to determine if I am female or if I am male. I found myself hurt that almost no one uses male pronouns with me. I almost never hear male pronouns. With my lovers I ask that they try to mix up my pronouns, although that’s hard for them. Even as Izzy they both struggle with using male pronouns. They don’t impose gender roles but for sure they struggle with using male pronouns. Maybe its their own struggle with understanding sexuality and gender….what lesbian loves men?  I know that they try to balance the two with me but I realize our culture doesn’t support people like me.

Pride Festival – Lancaster, PA – 2014

By Hollis Taylor This was not my first Pride festival by any means but was certainly the first time I had experienced a Pride Festival from the point of view of Drag King. For many many years though my favorite part of any Pride Festival has been the Drag Queens. I went out of my…

Its Just a Drag Show?!

Drag Queens and Kings bend gender all over the place. Many of us in the drag community disregard gender roles of all sorts. We lack the vocabulary but its really always been there. On my journey I have encountered many veterans in the drag community and again you find the same theme. Gender is pushed, its bent…. on purpose. Most of us in drag are behind the idea that gender is fluid, not binary.

2014 Keystone Conference

I am super excited about this recent opportunity to help spread awareness and further discuss “genderqueer” This conference is a very popular PA transgender conference that has been around for many years. The Keystone Conference has attendees from all over the USA to attend workshops, entertainment, and activities related to gender diversity. The conference is from March 26th-30th in Harrisburg, PA.

Ryder Nightly

So we talked about our emotional experiences related to the song and we brought that to the stage here, at the Foundation for Hope fundraiser show.

Gender is only Garb Deep

Gender is only garb deep. This leads me to separate gender from sex (n). Your sex is indicated by your genitalia, I will not argue with you nor deny that I have a vagina and I am female. But as far as my gender goes….well its flexible. Gender Flexible!

Male Impersonator

But as performers if someone lives as a man, regardless of his orientation, but performs as a woman… she is a female impersonator. She could also be a Fishy Drag Queen. Well it appears as though I am a male impersonator. I have been explaining what I do to conservative people this way and the more I thought about it the more it made sense.

It’s more than just Drag….

There is a portion of the book in which she talks about drag. She talks about how a lot of trans people end up in drag at some point…she was saying that it makes it okay for us to crossdress, it publicly removes the gender roles for all to see and be entertained by. Doing Drag is not just about entertaining an audience, its about being a Gender outlaw. She was saying that Drag is like the jester that made fun of the king, and he didn’t know it. Drag is mostly entertaining because it pushes the boundaries of gender for all of us….its different for all of us, just like gender is.

That Gender Bender is a Game Changer

First the fact that if someone is a drag king, transgender, or gender queer in any way they automatically change the game and then what do you call that relationship – what changes the label the sex, the gender, or something else? Then I want to consider female sexuality in general and how all sexuality is oppressed, and what we can do to change it!

Punk to Noble King

I want to explore the assumed empowerment of men. I want to strive for balance of male & female in myself. I want to learn as much as I can and put together a few performances. I want to practice my crowd manipulation as a man. Where can this take me?

NIN Izzy Ahee

So when I did this song I took all that intimidation and boundary pushing and threw it right into the character. I embody that part of me and release it among the crowd in a way the ended up making them all FUCKING HORNY! Ha ha! Good stuff and tons of fun.