Hiya darlings! Emma here, your favourite pink tutu-wearing time-travelling drag queen blogger. It's a brand new year, and you know what that means, don't you? More drag adventures, darling! And guess where I'm off to this time? Well, hold onto your feather boas and get ready for a real campy ride back to the 1st of January 2007!
As I whizzed through time in my trusty pink tutu, (which is so fabulous I've considered patenting it), the world was abuzz with the usual end-of-year, new-year hustle and bustle. There were fireworks, New Year's Eve resolutions, and, of course, lots of champagne. And of course, the drag world was getting ready for an amazing new year too!
I landed in the heart of New York City - oh, that fabulous, pulsating metropolis! The energy was simply electric. My little pink tutu got quite the look over in this very hip and trendy crowd, and let me tell you, those New York City street-style babes sure knew how to dress it up! Think leather, glitter, and plenty of edge.
Right away, I had to check out what was happening in the world of drag on this particular day. Now, as you know, dear readers, this is one of the biggest things about time travel - you get to witness some of the most fabulous historical events in drag history!
Sadly, no iconic shows on that date, BUT, here's where the internet and social media came in - just like they do now! Back then, forums like “The League of Queen" and even sites like YouTube and Myspace were all abuzz with exciting drag news, even for us out-of-time-travelers. So, I made sure to dive in, right, as the fab queen that I am!
One of the first things that caught my eye was a huge amount of buzz around the 15th Annual New York Drag Awards, held later that month on the 29th January! Talk about history! Just imagine seeing a queen like Peppermint, or Violet Chachki get an award!
Back then, you might not know, there were queens even hotter than the new hot girls out now, right?! The awards weren’t called RuPaul's Drag Race yet, but those awards, well, they meant EVERYTHING! Imagine it – just a fabulous gala, full of sparkly drag queens, stunning looks, and fierce performances! And of course, lots of lip syncing and lip synching challenges, I bet, to give even our best lip synch battles a run for their money.
As a queen obsessed with the theatrical and historical aspect of the drag scene, the first thing that really jumped out was that New York was brimming with legendary Drag balls! Like, every weekend was practically a drag ball! These drag balls were legendary, a chance for drag queens to strut their stuff, express their artistry and make it really rain! Just imagine being at the ball! That’s some serious, magical history, girl!
There was the legendary “House of Xtravaganza" that started the whole "House" scene, and if you want to delve deeper into its fascinating history, you should, right?! Imagine how amazing it must have been! Just those iconic outfits – you know the ones with feathers and fabulous makeup? Just a stunning display of artistry and performance that continues to inspire drag queens to this day.
Also, the infamous "Black Ball" at the XL Nightclub on the Lower East Side - a truly exciting happening. It was like a massive celebration of diversity and expression - and, to be honest, that's something the entire drag community could benefit from.
Then, on a much more theatrical level, we're looking at queens taking to the stage, like the iconic Lady Bunny. Talk about history, darlings! It’s almost impossible to go through a New York City drag timeline and NOT hear that name, you know? A queen of comedy and outrageous fashion, she brought a whole lot of sass to the scene - a true legend in the making. She actually started doing these drag ball shows, known as “Bunny’s Drag Ball”, that featured amazing talents of new and upcoming queens and was featured in a really fun New York Magazine article about those fabulous “House” queens and drag balls back then!
But beyond those queens, the whole scene in New York City was thriving! That's one thing that stuck with me after that day. I learned that, for many of those queens, drag wasn't just a performance or a hobby - it was a way of life, a community. A way of finding yourself and exploring what makes you different, unique and fab. You get to see that the essence of what drag is all about - finding a voice and owning who you are, everything about you, is a universal experience, across all time periods!
However, it’s not all glitz and glamour, my loves! 2007 was a crucial turning point in LGBTQ+ activism - the movement was becoming even stronger, even bolder, fighting against oppression. But in these more conservative days, there were, naturally, some downsides - lots of pressure and even opposition to this fight for equal rights, which made this fight so even more courageous and historic. However, these activists - these LGBTQ+ heroes were determined to make a difference. Their message was simple: "Equality for everyone. Now.”
And what I found fascinating? They started doing these street rallies - big gatherings to get people's attention. Imagine yourself there! This era of activism started bringing drag out of the bars and into the spotlight! Not just as performers, but as political forces, right?! And the whole world took notice - because, that’s how true drag impact and power works.
So, 1st January 2007, it wasn't just about those glitzy, fun-filled drag balls, darlings. It was also about something much deeper, much more important – a whole new era of change for the entire LGBTQ+ world and for drag itself! The queens weren’t just there for the fashion and fun; they were there to show the world that drag could also be an expression of love, support, and activism, for LGBTQ+ people all around the world!
It made me reflect on the role we all play in our communities. For all of us out here - even you guys who are reading my blog in your fabulous, colorful comfy-clothes at home – it’s time for us to find a way to use our platforms and make our voices heard, to celebrate our own beauty, right?!
My visit to 2007 gave me some incredible lessons in history. And most importantly, it taught me about that whole sense of community and support within the drag world that's still so very special. It’s all about standing together, shining bright, and loving yourself hard, like those iconic New York City queens did and the LGBTQ+ activists did!
And of course, all those lessons, my dear blog followers, inspire me to keep rocking my pink tutu and bring all of my fabulous blog readers along with me on my drag-time-traveling journey. It's an amazing ride, and I want you to be a part of it!
So, why not rock a pink tutu with me on your next adventure, you dazzling little fashion queen you! You’ll never know what fabulous historical wonders and drag stories you’ll discover along the way!
Keep those sparkly tips fabulous,
Emma, The Pink Tutu Time Traveler x
P.S. Don't forget to visit www.pink-tutu.com and get your weekly dose of pink tutu time travel! I'll be posting a new time-travelling blog post here each month. So get your glitter, your sass, and your dancing shoes ready for another adventure - right here!
