By Hollis Taylor Recently I am having a short break from drag meanwhile I dive into my other interests in life such as alternative spiritual practices, intentional fires, drum & dance circles, nature, organic sustainable gardening, and festivals of all sorts. Everything is completely different for me than last spring and early summer. One of the biggest…
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Foundation for Hope Pageant 2014
The reason I chose to participate in this competition was for one simple reason, I personally suffer from depression and suicidal tendencies. I have a life-time of stories of being bullied from being kicked almost to death on a city street at 8 years old to being bullied at work. I insist that not only can we be healed from depression and suicidal tendencies but we can also stop bullying. I don’t like to say “never” but it will be awfully hard to change my mind about these subjects as far as them being permanent and an acceptable part of human nature. Human’s can be kind to each other and the abuse CAN stop among us. I am not the only one that thinks so and many expressions of this idea have emerged. The Foundation for Hope is an example of that idea. Hence the drive to compete, even though I am so new at this whole Drag King thing. Also I don’t really enjoy competition as much as I love cooperation. I know many lesbians like this, its not unusual in the lesbian culture.
State Street 2014
There were many reasons I chose to enter the State Street contest . First of all it was for a good cause, Black & White Party, which helps people with AIDS with living expenses. Second of all the rules were loose and sometimes I think rules are created in order to control people. I’m not always behind control. Also, it seems to be a place that drag queens and kings could express some of their deepest darkest ideas without being shunned or punished for them.
Halloween Lebanon Drag Show
By Hollis Taylor This Halloween I was thrilled to check out the Halloween show for the Lebanon Drag Show! It was held in the bar portion of the Days Inn in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. What a fantastic show! I heard about the event through a friend that was performing that evening, Jade DeVere. It was a great way…
The Finale
This was the finale and I had promised two performances to Eartha, the scheduling Queen. About 3-4 days before the show a queen contacted me about doing a performance together, as Gomez and Morticia Addams. I was very intrigued since I love to work with people more than alone, I find its more creative. I was excited to do this with BellaDonna – although anxious that we didn’t have much preparation time. Anyway, it made 3 performances in one night, that’s a busy night!
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!
I will Survive!
Many queens identify with this song because they often have to leave behind someone or end something in order to wear a dress. Doing Drag for kings is less dramatic, not that our lives are lacking drama! It had different meaning for me.
Masochism Tango – Drag King Performance
By Hollis Taylor This challenge was hard for me for many reasons. #1 I don’t know Broadway all that well from a male perspective. #2 I chose a song that was awesome and fun, yes, but at the same time was hard to learn, and I wasn’t familiar with. So I had to teach myself…
Drag!! Izzy Ahee Debut Performance!
So I had weeks to prepare for my first show as Izzy Ahee. I chose George Michael as my opening show because it showed who I was in a way. Fabulous sexy man…
Drag King!
Of course a lot has happened since then. I have allowed myself to fully explore what I like instead of what my significant other likes. Although I think its a great way to expand your horizons, don’t get lost in your SO, simple advice. He was always uncomfortable with me wearing his clothes but I liked it, and was actually more closeted about it than him. Also my call to drag has been a long time fascination. I love it over the top, the more the better. I spent so much time with queens at the queer bars during my closet years they thought I was part of the costuming team or something.
Trans Sisters
Come out sister and embrace the babies, they NEED YOU!
Don’t let the transition lead you back into the closet!!
So for my cis sisters, lets support them, they need us. We stand stronger in large numbers and we certainly have information to help them and trans sisters bring messages for us.
All feminists, regardless of your gender need to share hands. We need to stand up and say , “Fuck Gender, who needs it!”
Transman
Anyway as far as extreme on either side of the gender spectrum makes me feel constricted, tied up, or even fake in some ways. Often if someone is too much of one side I find that I feel that their fake, maybe I am judgmental, but I don’t trust everything they do for that reason. For me, I just can’t stay on either side to heavily I get wiggly and I can’t sit still. I always break the gender rules – yah I am a butch gardener farmer type, yah I plant little flowerly fairy gardens!! See I break them all the time, I just keep stretching out and crossing boundaries.
Izzy Ahee 