Get Your Queer On!

Drag queens make me think of disco balls rotating lazily, filling rooms with sparkles.  They make me think of high heels, lipstick, cabaret and beautiful, brave people.  The general preconception is that they’re all wannabe women, as camp as a row of pink tents.  Until I photographed drag queens at Joburg Pride recently, I’ve never had much personal contact with them at all, apart from the odd giggle together at a gay club.  None of my best friends are drag queens and that isn’t because I dislike them, it’s simply that the opportunity’s never arisen.  In the process of finding out who I’d photographed at Pride, I thought it’d be extremely interesting to interview them too, on the assumption that my general ignorance about drag is possibly shared by others.  HRH Nomi Perron was gracious and patient enough to answer my often gauche questions and open a window into areas of sexuality and gender that are relatively alien to me.  As I started jotting down questions, I realised that I didn’t even know if the term ‘drag queen’ was the right one to use.  I felt a little ashamed, I mean, I’m a right-on feminist dyke, dammit, I’m supposed to know this stuff.  Armed with big ears and stupid questions, I approached royalty.

In her own words, from her own palace, with a decade of drag under her glittery crown, I give you … HRH Nomi Perron!

I believe that the term drag queen is used merely to describe universally all gay men who cross-dress. You see, my view is that the drag scene is a subculture within a subculture (i.e. the gay community). I believe there are three distinct categories branching from the description/title ‘drag queen’ - drag queen, drag artist and female impersonator.  ‘Drag queen’ refers to the more over the top drag e.g. drags who dress and use make up that’s way over the top; like wearing eyelashes 2 km long and a lot of bling.  ‘Drag artist’ refers to two types of drags - one group that drags because of the belief that it is an art form to transform from male to female and they are expressing their artistic side, and the other group that call themselves artists because they only drag when they perform on stage – lip-syncing to the songs of famous singers.  ‘Female impersonator’ refers to those who drag to make the transformation from male to female as believable as possible, in other words they try to look as much as possible like the real thing. I categorize myself under the latter, even though it overlaps with the other categories; for instance, I try to look as much as possible like a woman while retaining some of the glamour of a drag queen - not to blend in completely - which in itself is an art.  I also perform on stage, lipsyncing and singing live.

Those who are not gay cannot be called drag queens! One has to be a gay male to fall under the category drag queen. A straight male dressing up in female clothing is called a transvestite. An individual who has had a sex-change done, half way or completely is called transsexual - again, this is my personal opinion.

A good friend of mine dared me ten years ago to enter a drag beauty pageant, after I made a remark about the contestants not even making an effort to walk like a woman - I entered the next month’s competition and won. That was back in February 1998, and I`ve been doing it ever since.

Since I drag only at gay venues, I do not encounter the phobia element much, except on my way to a venue in the car, when we stop at a robot and cars pull up next to me and something about my make up would give the fact away that I am a man. People either laugh or give very discontented looks; it’s jealousy I tell you - they wish they could look as fab as me!

Everyone has the right to be themselves - if I dress up in female clothing in my spare time and am not offending anyone, I feel I am being the pulse and heartbeat of my people and a preserver of gay history and culture.  It is my right and choice - freedom of choice and association. No-one has the right to be the judge of what is right for me.

Films about drag - I love all of them, they all confirm the strength and perseverance of drags. Two movies in

Nomi

particular stand out; ‘Stonewall’,  which emphasises that it was drag queens initially that were at the forefront in the first struggle of the gay riots in America. Even though we are being frowned upon, even nowadays by our own people, history shows that it was the drag who picked up one of the first stones and cast it against oppression - our screams will forever ring through history and echo into eternity.  They left big footprints and shoes to follow and fill. Long live The Queen! The other movie is ‘Too Wong Foo’ and of course, though it’s not completely gay orientated, but a gay classic; ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’.  ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ is another one I adore, as well as ‘The Birdcage’ where it was drags who came to the rescue of those straight people!

(I asked Nomi what make-up she uses; this question came via a group of my female friends, both gay and straight.  When I was planning the interview, I asked them if there was anything they wanted to know and they all immediately mentioned cosmetics.)

This is where I differ from most drags.  The world’s most famous drag (RU-Paul) said, “a cheap queen can still be a beauty queen.”  I do not rely on expensive make up - it’s all about technique.

For obvious reasons when I am in drag I have to play the part, therefore I will be acting like a woman with regards to my mannerisms and gestures, for I am no longer a man then, but a woman; “see the ball, be the ball.” I am always reserved and to myself, seem a little aristocratic even - all trademarks of my star sign Aquarius, so in essence I am the same at all times, I just look different sometimes! I have been criticised for being a bitch and unapproachable and vain. I’ve learned to live with these comments for I am who and what I am and will not change to satisfy others. Those who take the time to get to know me always reply by saying, “I thought you were a bitch but see now that you are not.”  I respond by saying “never judge a book by its cover!” I have no preference for either my male or female persona - I am just as comfortable in the one as the other, for both are actually the same person.

I must admit after ten years I am a household name in Gauteng. I’ve won various beauty pageants, been on South African TV - Egoli, Front Row on M-Net, The Res, Felicia on eTV, SABC, Take 5. So many people know me and know I am always at the Pretoria night club ‘Legends’, and before that, ‘Stardust’.  I perform each Sunday at Legends and perform songs from Gladys Knight, I impersonate Tina Turner, Mary J Blige, Beyonce, Bette Midler, Jennifer Hudson, Sinead O’ Connor, Whitney Houston, Patti La Belle, Aretha Franklin and the list goes on. I sing live at times as well.

The fact that the South African constitution is one of the most liberal in the world does not necessarily mean I have it easier than drags in other countries. Sure the rate of tolerance is much higher here but that didn’t come without blood, sweat and tears! The challenge of eliminating ignorance is still as much alive and real here as in any other country. Even  educating our own kind about drag is a challenge for believe it or not, many gay people still do not understand the concept of and motives behind drag and still believe the moment they see a drag, that the individual wants to be a woman. I don’t deny that there are those who want be a women but that puts them under a whole new category. Eliminating ignorance, that is the challenge.

I am a true Queen - a humble servant of my people.

I think drag takes balls - and not just disco balls either.  I’m looking for drag queens and kings and other queer performers and artists to interview - please feel free to contact me.