Hello darlings, and welcome back to another dazzling edition of Pink Tutu Time Travel!
Your favourite Derbyshire lass is back, your very own Emma, and oh my heavens, I’ve had a time travelling adventure to tell you all about! This time, the stars aligned and my magical, time travelling pink tutu whisked me off to a simply fab-u-lous date - July 7th, 1972!
Can you imagine, darlings, a whole seven years before the birth of my beloved Kylie!
My initial landing was at a glorious little club tucked away in the bustling streets of San Francisco. Think disco balls, strobe lights, glitter, and glam, all mixed up with a generous helping of rebellious spirit. That’s exactly what the scene in San Francisco was like back in ’72. The drag queens there were a vision, sporting bold looks - platforms towering higher than the Golden Gate Bridge and outfits that would make even a fashion mag blush! It was an explosion of colour and style.
Right as I entered, a queen with a bright green mohawk and feathers practically spilling over her shoulders took the stage. She bellowed, “Happy Pride San Francisco!” and the whole club erupted in cheers.
It was absolutely incredible to see so many brave souls celebrating themselves in this way. You have to remember, darlings, that back then, being LGBTQ+ was far from accepted. Just for them to exist and perform in this way took such courage. They were truly trailblazers, blazing a path for us to follow.
And what's even more incredible is that, in all this fabulous energy, there were two little girls just like me – one in a sparkly pink tutu and the other in a blue feather boa, watching with wonder in their eyes. Now, I can't be certain they'll follow their dreams, but I’m praying they find the strength and inspiration to create their own fabulous realities!
The San Francisco scene felt full of rebellious fun and fierce confidence, and it got me thinking about the world of drag across the globe at this very moment.
Well, I don't need to go further than my own home town of Derby, darlings! Back then, a fabulous show was happening right there, a local drag queen was doing her thing in a pub, and I couldn’t imagine a better setting!
Remember that pub with the leaky roof that used to have that one rogue beam? Now, imagine that, covered in glittery paper, the best disco balls Derbyshire could offer, with a whole set of stage lighting to rival London! My tutu was positively beaming at the idea of this! This pub was rocking and rollin', with a glamour that shone brighter than the stars, and for a small town pub, it was a spectacular spectacle. The audiences were rapt!
But darling, let's not forget New York. New York, the undisputed centre of drag and fashion - how could we even dream of talking about the history of drag without it? It was bursting at the seams with talent.
I was standing right in front of a historic club on this date - the Village Gate, darling! This was the venue, the place to be, if you were looking for cutting-edge talent! The music was buzzing, the air thick with energy and the costumes! I had to fight my way through the crowd to grab a glimpse of a queen with a headpiece so high, it looked like a work of art - the ultimate expression of style!
I found myself dancing the night away with a group of drag queens who’d become local stars, but you wouldn’t recognise them back then, even under all that glitter! I had a truly splendid evening, swapping gossip, catching up on the latest trends (that 70s fashion, darlings!), and sipping on some truly delightful cocktails (not sure they were all legit – maybe I’d been at it a little too long! My pink tutu never stops the flow of those vintage beverages!).
Overall, the world of drag on July 7th, 1972 was simply glorious! Each performance, each moment of expression and courage was an act of bravery, a declaration that despite the odds, the human spirit can rise above and embrace joy and beauty in all its fabulousness!
And of course, dear reader, as with every blog post, I’m back from my time travel, sitting here in my lovely Derbyshire, thinking about the power of drag.
Why does drag touch us so deeply? It’s an escape, an act of defiance, a celebration of self. And like that green mohawk queen, those bold San Francisco ladies and that Derbyshire queen with her disco-pub-turned-stage, they were pioneers!
So, let’s all raise our glasses (or perhaps a cocktail, for me!) to the courageous drag queens who came before, who faced discrimination, prejudice and ignorance to pave the way for all of us!
And for the rest of you, well, don’t just watch - take that pink tutu and strut your stuff! You can dance with confidence, you can express yourself freely, and together we can fill the world with a shimmering pink sea of tutus!
Stay glamorous, darlings,
Emma! xx
P.S. Check out www.pink-tutu.com to catch up on all my adventures! I’ll see you in the next time travelling blog post, where we’re taking a trip to the exciting world of drag in 1979! Until then, make sure you stay sparkly!
Coming up next on my fabulous journey through the history of drag:
July 7th, 1979: From New York's hottest nightclubs to the rise of a Drag Race legend - oh, the adventures we will have!
