The following is a letter to the editor from senior international affairs major Chelsea Lenore Miller.
Sometimes, I’m a “Faux Queen.” But really, aren’t we all? On nights when I dress up, I put on my heels, slab on the makeup and ultra-femininize myself. Many young women at the University of Colorado do this as well. We put on a mask of femininity before our big nights out — we strap on the push-up bra and accentuate our curves for a night of bars, beer, and boys.
I am a biological female, and I don’t always portray my femininity as much as I’d like. The CU Drag Show, being held in the Glenn Miller Ballroom on Nov. 2, allows an outlet for my womanhood to shine to its full potential. At this year’s drag show on campus, my fine female-identified friends and I will be performing acts in “lady drag.” We will be in costume in bio drag attire. Bio drag, when executed correctly, is an over-exaggeration of one’s gender-identity.
What’s wonderful about drag is it’s supposed to be over-the-top and “frou-frou.” We’re supposed to “camp it up,” supposed to feel sexy and dramatic. That’s why I applied for the CU Drag Show. I knew I might not have this opportunity ever again. After years of watching the men strut their “stuff” on stage, I had to sign up! In my last year at CU Boulder, I, too, wanted the opportunity to dance around in glitter and heels while singing catchy songs on a stage.
Well, here’s my moment.
This year at the CU Drag Show, you may be asking yourself, “Is that a man or a woman pretending to be a woman or a man?” And does it matter? We’re just exaggerating a part of ourselves that we don’t have the opportunity to portray on a daily basis. And if you’re confused, well, then we’re doing it right.
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