Hey darlings! It's your favourite pink-loving, tutu-obsessed time traveler Emma, and welcome back to my monthly meanderings through drag history! Grab a cuppa and your most glamorous feather boa, because today we're shimmying back to the 7th of July 1988 - a date jam-packed with drag deliciousness, believe me!
Now, before I hop into my fabulous pink time-traveling tutu, a little somethin' about me for you newbies out there. I'm your average, slightly eccentric Derbyshire lass with a penchant for all things pink and a life mission to make the world a more sparkly, tutued place. This involves travelling through time, documenting the amazing drag moments of the past, and hopefully inspiring you to ditch the sweatpants and embrace the pink!
As for how I finance this whole time-travel escapade? Why, through the magic of drag performance, darling! Every month, I sashay and twirl my way through some dazzling acts that fund my little pink adventures. Just last week I managed to land a slot at the "Queens of the Crown" competition, and let me tell you, my rendition of "Born This Way" while wearing a giant, fluffy, pink feather boa and a tutu fashioned out of tin foil was simply iconic! (Not to mention, incredibly lucrative! Pink power, darling, it really works.)
So, back to 1988! 7th July, the world is buzzing, the sun is shining (even in good ol' England!), and, just like any other day in the vibrant drag scene, there's plenty happening! I hopped out of my time machine (did I mention itâs a hot pink Rolls Royce? â fabulous, I know!) and made my way to New York City.
The iconic, legendary, simply phenomenal The Pyramid Club was in full swing with a packed crowd ready to be dazzled. And dazzle they were! Tonight, Kiki Du Roni was performing! Now, Kiki, known for her outrageous fashion sense, always delivered a show stopping performance. Just think Cher, Liza, Joan Rivers⌠mixed with an air of "give it to me straight." Kiki was that fabulous. And let's not forget the makeup, darling, it was, well, simply âfabulous!â You see, in 1988, drag wasn't just about performance, it was about being larger than life, a testament to your individual expression.
In San Francisco, meanwhile, the Cockettes were holding court! The legendary collective, a wild and wonderful mix of avant-garde performance artists, were shaking things up with their vibrant, colourful drag and a sense of chaos. Think 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' on an even bigger, bolder, louder, more hilarious scale. These fabulous creatures embodied what drag was really all about in 1988 - challenging expectations, tearing down barriers and pushing artistic boundaries, all with a playful wink and a feather boa.
Even over in London, the iconic club, The Royal Vauxhall Tavern was a melting pot of all things drag! Legendary drag queen, Divine, (also a darling in the iconic âHairsprayâ film - oh, to see that liveâŚ!) was performing with her electrifying performances and outlandish stage persona, that brought a true âwhat-will-she-do-next?' energy. Her style? Well, darling, a true riot of fabulous! Letâs just say you could spot Divine from a mile away! And if Divine wasnât your thing, London was also boasting a show by the outrageous The London Drag Queens. Think witty banter, dazzling lip syncing, and those fabulous outfits. Think bright pink, green, and orange tutus and sequins! Whatâs more, a whole evening was dedicated to â80s pop classics performed by all these queens in fabulous pink, blue, purple, and green outfitsâŚ
Across the pond in Australia, things were getting lively too! Miss Equality (now a well-respected comedian who still brings laughs in 2023) was gracing the stage with her cheeky humour and dazzling drag. Now Miss Equality, she was all about powerful performances with a lot of sassy comebacks â and this was only just the beginning for her, a powerful female voice that would be heard all over the world⌠And back in England, I had to squeeze in a trip to Manchesterâs The Haçienda for their Big in Japan Night, where the crowds went crazy for DJ Frankie Knuckles while everyone dressed in their brightest pink costumes. They werenât just âdragâ queens and kings, they were âdragâ club goers too!
As my time travel tutu zipped me back to the present, I had to reflect on what a magical day this was for drag. Even back in 1988, drag was diverse, bold, and brilliant. It wasn't confined to a singular style, it embraced individuality, celebrated expression, and made a powerful statement about pushing boundaries â just as it still does today. And remember darlings, donât just live life in pink tutus, live it large in your own, personal, individual, way, as I did today. And make sure you join me next month for my next blog post and time-traveling adventures.
Keep it pink, darlings!
Xx Emma
