Hello, darling darlings! Itâs your favourite pink tutu-clad time traveller Emma here, fresh from another whirlwind trip through the annals of drag history. This month, weâre twirling back to September 7th, 1979. Buckle up, lovelies, because itâs a truly fabulous ride!
Oh my gosh, I am obsessed with the late 70s, especially in the United States! There was this whole New Wave, Punk Rock thing going on, and drag was absolutely living its best life on the fringes of these movements. It was all about rebellion, individuality, and expressing your truest, most fabulous self, no matter what. You wouldn't have found many pink tutus then though. The whole vibe was much darker. Imagine fabulous ladies in black leather, with dark eyes and sharp hair, taking to the stage to express themselves! That is exactly what was happening. The scene was booming with such vibrant talent - a veritable explosion of creative energy. It was wild, fierce and itâs inspiring as ever.
This time, I'm off to NYC, my absolute favourite. Imagine: The city that never sleeps, shimmering under the moonlight, filled with excitement, music, and incredible performances. Think glitter, sequins, a slight whiff of hairspray, and the rumble of the subway carrying us towards another magnificent drag performance! My oh my, we just HAD to start at the iconic The Saint, which was literally buzzing at the time. Thereâs nothing quite like watching performers tear up the stage while packed into a small, smoky room.
As I step through the doors of The Saint, the smell of sweat, hairspray, and just a hint of perfume fills the air. Oh the sound of laughter, whispers, and music. So exciting! As I navigate my way through the packed crowd towards the bar, itâs clear Iâm in a space where everything and anything can happen. This is exactly the sort of place you can get lost in - thereâs an electricity to it, and you feel the heart of drag beating in the energy of the crowd. And darling, we are in the middle of the âGolden Era of Dragâ!
Speaking of that fabulous energy⌠Thereâs a drag queen called Divine. Now sheâs one of my personal drag idols! Picture this: Divineâs walking across the stage at The Saint in that iconic bright-red dress and blonde beehive - you can't NOT be mesmerized by her presence. You could just see her completely owning the room and that was down to her stage presence. Divine had this whole big-girl persona, sassy and powerful, but underneath the dramatic makeup and wild costumes, she always had a playful edge. Honestly, I would love to time-travel just to see Divine in her element! She's the one who's had everyone buzzing since she appeared in "Pink Flamingos", a legendary 1972 film which is not exactly âfamily-friendly,â but letâs just say Divine pushed the boundaries.
And as Iâm mesmerised watching Divine take centre stage, I'm whisked off to another famous club, the iconic The Mineshaft, also located in the Big Apple. Now the Mineshaft wasnât your traditional drag club in the same way as the Saint - its vibe was much darker, very edgy and more focused on the punky side of drag.
I absolutely LOVE seeing how diverse the scene was back then - just a kaleidoscope of performers and personalities all smashing stereotypes and changing the game! There was so much talent bursting onto the scene. If you werenât watching drag, you really werenât in the know. And while Divine was conquering in The Saint, you could be watching someone like Lady Bunny completely steal the show in The Mineshaft with her camp humour and sharp wit. Imagine, lovelies! The queens were challenging the norm in a truly phenomenal way.
These queens really made the world stop and listen â they had so much attitude, confidence, and undeniable talent. They were taking the New York drag scene to another level - breaking new ground.
However, it wasnât all about NYC, because back in Derbyshire, in a small village not that far from where I live (did I mention I live in a tiny village? Well, I do! It's very quaint.), they were starting up something rather special. In 1979, The Queenâs Head in Derbyshireâs village of Clay Cross, started to host the most incredible cabaret shows â something which has stuck with us even today. Itâs amazing that some of these legendary spots are still kicking along all these years later!
Now this time travel stuff isn't easy, honey. All this hopping through time requires a lot of preparation! But darling, itâs so worth it to discover the fantastic history of drag, see the queens who shaped everything and to remind myself why Iâm so obsessed with everything fabulous! My travels across history in my beautiful pink tutu mean that I get to be surrounded by the magic and spirit of those queens - the pioneers of the craft and inspiration for us all! It gives me so much inspiration and I hope I can use the spirit I learn from my time travels to create the best drag performances ever.
For those of you new to this amazing website, it all started with a passion for everything sparkly. My website, www.pink-tutu.com, has been going for some years and we are growing our online community of fans and performers every month! Here youâll find my time travel stories about drag queens from across history. And speaking of our beloved pink tutu, darling - I would LOVE for it to become a drag queen must-have!
But my dear darlings, the world of drag in 1979 wasn't without challenges. While so much fabulous progress was happening, it wasn't always smooth sailing.
Sadly, I came across an article in the The Guardian this week, titled "The Drag Queen Who Found Her True Self After Years of Rejection," published August 20th 1979. This poignant piece highlights how society was grappling with gender expression at the time and drag performers were sometimes met with prejudice.
Yet, even within these challenges, there were so many people championing drag. This makes my heart feel good! There were places and performances which welcomed and supported these pioneers who dared to stand out and break free. There was definitely a strong drag scene in 1979 in places like NYC, and it felt absolutely groundbreaking for me to see these incredible women who just wouldnât give in to societal pressures and made it all look effortlessly glamorous! It reminded me that despite some of the challenges faced in those times, there was still such amazing spirit and incredible artistry taking centre stage, reminding us of why drag continues to shine bright even today!
We all can learn something from the spirit of drag from back then. Just like we must all stay true to ourselves! Be brave. Embrace who you are. Thatâs the most important thing! Oh, and my darling, letâs talk pink tutus! Every time I step into my magic tutu, it takes me to somewhere amazing. So, what do you say lovelies - join me and rock a pink tutu with me? It's all about pushing the boundaries, making a statement, and having a fabulous time.
Remember to keep an eye on this blog for next monthâs episode of âPink Tutu Time Travel Blog!â Weâll explore more fabulous chapters in the amazing world of drag and Iâll share even more about all of my wonderful time travels.
Until next month my darlings, take care and stay sparkly!
Love, Emma
