Hello darlings! It's your fabulous, tutu-obsessed time-travelling queen, Emma, back again with another slice of drag history! Now, grab your tiaras and your tea, because today, we're pirouette-ing back to 12th December, 1971.
Can you believe it's been over 50 years since the day we're stepping into, lovelies? Oh, darling, don't even get me started on how far drag has come, though, of course, the glitter, the glam and the gowns are always fabulous! But honestly, this date in history was bursting with a bit of magic, a touch of rebellion and enough sass to give even the most seasoned drag queen a good dose of oh honey!
So buckle up, darling, and let's waltz back to the world of 1971, just like me do in my magical pink tutu... you know, the one with the sequins and the feathered trim?!
Drag Delights of 1971:On this fine 12th of December, you wouldn't be finding any RuPaul's Drag Race to watch in the UK. That absolute gem was still a good twenty years in the future! (Though if you’d really wanted to find RuPaul back in 1971, you could have taken a hop over to New York! Imagine telling folks in 1971 about your little dream of becoming a reality television superstar... well, darling, those are the kinds of dreams that drag queens have literally built!)
But never mind, let's not forget the iconic drag scenes across the globe, that, in the UK at least, were slowly but surely bursting forth in all their colourful glory! Now, imagine all the talent and energy brewing, even without reality television shows to put their face (or a fierce mug) on. This, lovelies, is pure drag – unfiltered, unrestrained and utterly revolutionary!
This very date, back in 1971, there was a hum of drag excitement happening in a ton of venues around the UK, places like...
The Royal Vauxhall Tavern
Darling, you simply could not mention London, drag, and 1971 without mentioning this place! The Vauxhall, as everyone knew it back then, was this truly wonderful, truly unique cabaret-esque haunt that truly fostered drag queens like you wouldn’t believe!
Remember, darling, that even back in 1971, drag was in this kind of fascinating dance between what was legal and accepted, and the incredible way queens simply refused to conform, dare to be seen and just absolutely glow under the stage lights!
The Flamingo
The Flamingo in Leicester was another venue in full-swing with the incredible power of drag on this day in 1971. (Just imagine, you can almost hear the giggles bouncing off the walls from this incredible show!). It’s all just about putting on that incredible look and captivating those beautiful folks in the crowd. Remember, darling, drag, by its very nature, has been about captivating audiences for ages... but it takes such fierce bravery, sass, confidence and artistry! I bet there were some amazing performers working their magic on this very day in 1971 at the Flamingo!
And who knows what those Queens might have worn for this particular show in 1971?
What would you have worn for this incredible date in Drag history?Let’s all just imagine… we're whisking back in time… I'm all ready to strut my stuff in my magnificent, sequined pink tutu...
(Now imagine, darling! What’s the name you would go by if you were a Drag Queen in this day and age?)
What's even more delightful is the fact that, if you're lucky enough to find yourself time-travelling to a UK drag scene on the 12th of December, 1971, the music would have been so incredible... everything from the iconic classics, to all those groovy hits… and maybe even a little glam rock sprinkled in there for good measure. Darling, I just know this would be an incredible night out - just don’t tell the old queens about the ton of fantastic opportunities for us now with YouTube and Instagram, etc. That’d be some serious drag-tastic shade, if you will.
But my dear lovelies, time travelling is only possible for one or two people at a time! I simply wouldn't know how to travel through time, if I was dressed like this with you lot by my side… my lovely, sweet tutu couldn't possibly hold the weight of all this amazing pink fabulousness!
We would be more likely to tear a gash in the space-time continuum, darling. You know how drag can sometimes get out of control sometimes especially when it involves this much glitter and glamour! So we'll just have to settle for my gorgeous travels in my own little pink tutu this time!
Drag Dreams for the Future:Oh my darling, even though drag has come a long way in over half a century, there’s nothing stopping us all from dream up the most fantastic futures! Imagine if we had these beautiful queens here and now with us! It would be such a vibrant, bright, glittering dream of a future for us all. The most gorgeous dream I can imagine... a world overflowing with fabulousness, creativity and expression. It's almost as if I can imagine all the new and inventive outfits… oh, it all looks so delightful in my imagination… fabulous!
Darling, I would be so proud to live in a future where all you queens are so free and out in the world. So just keep imagining that beautiful pink future!
Just like back in 1971, drag isn't just about dressing up, honey. It’s about celebrating expression and our true, wonderful, authentic selves. Even in 1971, you would’ve seen true artistry and such fierce performances! That's what really matters... that sense of freedom that can only truly exist on stage, in the realm of glamour and that absolute delight of giving your best and leaving it all out on the stage.
I'll say this one more time... drag is an art form - and that is something to celebrate, always, but especially today!
We've travelled through time in this dazzling pink tutu - have I got you all ready to step back into the real world, my darling? Now don’t forget your own magical tutus and keep dreaming!
Until next month, stay fabulous, keep dazzling, and be kind to your fellow queens, you gorgeous things. It's all just the same! Let's strut our stuff out there with some incredible outfits! And remember, my lovely, if you find anything else fabulous to post, let me know at: www.pink-tutu.com.
