Darlings, Happy New Year! It’s Emma here, and can you believe we’re already on post number 265? Time truly flies when you're travelling through it in a sparkly pink tutu. Today, we're whisking back to January 1st, 1942, for a look at the glamorous world of drag during this tumultuous time.
Now, I know what you're thinking – 1942? That's wartime! Isn’t drag a bit...unsuitable during such a serious time? But darling, drag has always been about escapism, a joyful way to express yourself, to find a bit of sparkle and laughter in even the darkest of times. It’s about defiance in the face of hardship, a glorious, defiant “We Will Not Be Silenced!” And believe me, there was plenty of defiance to be found in 1942, even in the drag scene.
You see, my pink tutu magic, it works a bit differently when we’re travelling through the past. I don’t have all the information at once. It's like piecing together a sequinned masterpiece, one sparkly scrap of evidence at a time. And today’s information comes in the form of a tiny, fascinating tidbit! It’s a little, quite lovely news report tucked away in the back pages of an old English newspaper, nestled between wartime ration plans and factory announcements. The headline: “Drag Shows Help Cheer Up Home Front!”.
Now, this doesn't tell us a whole lot. But what it does suggest, is that drag wasn't only continuing in London and New York (places you'd expect!), but was still thriving in small, little Derbyshire towns like the one I'm from! Imagine, during those hard times, a few brave souls put on their gowns, strapped on their heels, and took the stage! To provide a little bit of sparkle for the wartime-weary masses.
Now, I haven’t had the opportunity to investigate all the specifics, (more on this later), but just imagine the atmosphere. Imagine a little community hall, lit with dimmed lights and maybe a few string lights, with the sounds of a ukulele band trying to compete with the chatter. Picture a stage lit up by a couple of old lightbulbs, a tiny starlit haven against the cold bleakness outside. Now imagine, you are there. Sitting amongst the soldiers, nurses, housewives and factory workers all eager for a bit of entertainment.
And then, the music swells, a curtain flutters down, revealing our Drag Queen extraordinaire – not exactly like anything you'd find on Rupaul’s Drag Race, I'm guessing, but I bet she brought it, and probably in the most creative and resourceful ways possible, working with the resources at hand. Maybe a repurposed military uniform, maybe a grandma’s hand-me-down silk shawl. This Drag Queen would bring a dose of humor, of joy, of flamboyance to these tired people. They’d sing, dance, and maybe even perform a little “keep the home fires burning” drag parody – who knows?
But in a time where laughter was needed most, our little wartime Drag Queen brought it in a truly inspirational way.
And just think, this was happening all over, probably even across the world. There are undoubtedly untold stories of these amazing people in small towns and cities throughout the world, bringing some light into their communities. Now I’m inspired to find some of these stories - any clues you’ve got, drop them in the comments below! I might even do a time jump later to investigate some of them further.
This is what I love about drag - the spirit, the ingenuity, the determination to find beauty, laughter and light even in the toughest times! It is why I love pink, love tutus and love a good time. I am a firm believer that there is something sparkly waiting for each and every one of you in life – be that on the drag scene, on the theatre stage, at your local pub or at a big shopping centre – and you never know, it might even be in the form of a pink tutu!
Until next time, darlings, be sparkly!
Emma xxx
www.pink-tutu.com
(Note: This post provides a possible scenario based on the information given. There is no guarantee this is what actually happened in 1942. However, it sets up a framework for a hypothetical drag story and encourages reader engagement.)
