Darlings! Emma here, your favourite pink-tutu clad time-travelling drag queen, reporting live from... well, that's the thing about time-travel, you never quite know where you're going to end up!
Today's blog post, a veritable masterpiece of sparkly prose (if I do say so myself!), is dedicated to the glorious month of May 2003. It was a year filled with fierce fashion, scandalous shows and oh, the queens! Now, strap on your own pink tutu (or, well, whatever you're comfortable in - there's no judgement here!), pour yourself a glass of something fabulous (perhaps a Pink Lady cocktail?), and join me on this enchanting journey.
Oh, and before we start, darlings, a word about our finances! This entire time-traveling operation doesn't fund itself, you know. No, this requires a lot of hard work. So I rely on my beloved, beautiful drag shows (a little local, a little online) to keep me touring those shimmering temporal avenues. Thank you, my darlings, for being a part of the magic!
Now, let's rewind the tape, and let's see what the world of drag was like in that heady year of 2003!
The UK Drag Scene: "Big up yourselves! Itās Drag Race time"Letās kick things off with my homeland, the beautiful, drag-loving, British Isles! This was, dare I say it, a momentous year. You see, dear reader, back then, the concept of "Drag Race" wasn't as ubiquitous as it is today. Oh, how we dreamt of a world where the power of drag could shine as brightly as the glitter we wore on our faces! But even without a Ru-veal, UK drag was thriving.
Imagine this: We had these fantastically theatrical drag shows, and then there was, gasp, RuPaul's Drag Race, airing on Logo in the United States. A groundbreaking moment in drag history! To think, at the time, only the truly savvy drag fans knew of it. Now it's the biggest, baddest, show on the planet, thanks to the absolute trailblazers like RuPaul and her contestants, who took this show to a whole new level.
Now, I'm not going to spoil the juicy details of Season 1. But, let's just say the first series featured these truly inspiring talents like BeBe Zahara Benet, Akashia, Tammie Brown, and, of course, our glorious winner, drum roll intensifies Akashia! If that doesnāt get your pink-tutu hearts pounding, I donāt know what will!
But the real question here is, how on earth did these shows influence my own tutu-ly delightful journeys through time?! Thatās simple darling! Every drag performer out there is like a flashing, glittery neon sign, screaming, "This is how you drag, so drag like no oneās watchingā¦but I promise I am!ā.
"Drag On!" - The New York Drag Scene: "Fierce, Glam, and Ever So Chic."Now, jetting over to the states - woo-hoo! It was 2003 in New York City and letās be real itās New York City, home of the famous Stonewall Riots, home to a certain Divine, where else would I be than catching up on a legendary performance by the Queen of Drag itself, Lady Bunny.
Talk about a true diva - all that fabulous energy and glamour - just so captivating! Back then, drag queens on the drag circuit weren't as recognisable.
However, in my opinion, you simply could not have a conversation about American drag back then, or really today, without mentioning this one queen whoās all about the drama, all about the laughs, and most importantly, all about the fashion: Miss Fame! Sheās like, the Audrey Hepburn of the drag scene, you know. It was absolutely magical seeing this queen rocking that era, embodying everything fierce and feminine.
Even back then, Miss Fame's work was making waves in the world of drag. Her ability to tell a story with every movement was a spectacle to behold! Now, we all know how Miss Fame has skyrocketed since then - not only as a Drag Race favourite but a creative force who's taking on Hollywood, fashion, and everything! Sheās proof that dreams can become realities if you're dedicated, ambitious, and always serving looks like you just stepped off the red carpet at Cannes.
Oh! I absolutely adore her style - everything from the haute couture to her flawless makeup. Miss Fame has a real eye for it, which, I believe, every drag queen and drag enthusiast needs to keep their hearts inspired.
From Derbyshire to Down Under - My Tutu-rific Travels!After indulging my American Dream, I hopped back into my shimmering, magical, pink tutu and whoosh - a swirl of sparkles, and I'm right here in the heart of Sydney, Australia! Let's face it, drag queen world travels always take me somewhere fabulous, right?
I absolutely love Australia! Its stunning scenery, incredible diversity and vibrancy. Even now, all those years later, it remains an absolutely epic place to catch an awesome drag show.
I'm actually going to make a little side-trip this month (itās practically a part of my schedule these days!). Think, of a drag-loving tour guideā¦thatās me. If you're ever lucky enough to visit Sydney, darling, do yourselves a favour and get yourself tickets to the Mardi Gras. A spectacular parade filled with glitter, costumes, and some seriously fun people who just know how to party! Itās quite simply, the epitome of fabulous.
Time Travel Is Just Like A Drag Show...And here's a thought for the day, darlings! Do you know what I realised while hopping back to 2003? It's like all of drag history has played out on a dazzling, enormous stage. Imagine, we've had our moments, our comebacks, and our queens. Think of it! Weāve had queens of comedy, queens of performance, and of course, our iconic āCamp Queensā like Divine whose outrageous fashion was pure art! Just imagine all that glitter, makeup and creativity - it's like the story of our own fabulous lives. We all have a moment on the drag stage!
We need to cherish that every time we step into that world of sparkling beauty, daring, and absolute artistic genius that we know as Drag. It's a celebration, and every single one of us can contribute to making the world a little bit more fabulous, a little bit more joyous, and a little bit moreā¦ pink!
But now, my dears, I must dash, Iāve a few shows in Melbourne to prepare for! You've all been amazing as always - a special shout out to those of you who just tried that pink tutu for the first time! Donāt forget, darlings, keep shining, keep fabulous, and remember: It's time to *rock your tutu and embrace the world in all its colourful beauty! *
Until next timeā¦
Emma, signing out - with a sprinkle of love, and a heaping spoon of glitter
www.pink-tutu.com
