Drag Queen Dreams

This piece has been published in Teen Ink's monthly print magazine.
By JRock, Newark, NJ

http://www.teenink.com/hot_topics/pride_prejudice/article/227303/Drag-Queen-Dreams/

For as long as I can remember I have had a very positive view of the gay and lesbian community. But it wasn't until ninth grade that I took an interest in GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender) culture and gained a greater understanding. Through books, movies, and tolerance workshops, I found acceptance and even affection for the GLBT community. But I was still very surprised when I realized that drag queens are outstanding examples of feminine power and beauty.

My drag queen epiphany occurred because of a combination of reality television and a teen novel. The TV show was "RuPaul's Drag Race," a competition to find "America's next drag superstar." I found the show exciting and intriguing for many reasons beyond seeing men in dresses. The book was Freak Show by James St. James, which chronicled the life of Billy Bloom, a teenage drag queen. I found the story compelling and sympathized with Billy when he was tormented by his classmates. It was through this book and show that I became conscious of how empowering dressing in drag can be.