Dancing dudes and divas dominate the stage

By Lacey Schauwecker

Friday's Drag Show did not typify an educational event. A room-spanning stage replaced the traditional podium. Cross-dressers ousted the usual guest speaker, and cat-calling attendees responded with much more than routine applause.

Though a drag show may seem a bit surprising to see on a Jesuit university campus, students were well informed and ready for the event, which was sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Alliance and Gay and Straight People for the Education of Diversity.

A line spanning almost all of the downstairs of Benson Memorial Center began forming about half an hour before the doors opened.

"A lot of students know that the show is going to be entertaining, have connections with the performers as friends or are just plain curious," said Santa Clara Community Action Program co-director Kat McAvoy.

McAvoy also mentioned that GASPED, as a part of SCCAP, has hosted the show for the past five years, and the show's popularity has increased annually. The California Mission Room was at maximum capacity, the audience ranging from regularly dressed students to men in dresses to women in baggy shorts.

The increase in attendees and their cross-dressing participation may have been due in part to an audience drag competition that gave students a chance to win an iPod nano.

Before the acts began, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer terms and trivia were displayed on screens placed on either side of the room. The facts, such as Joan of Arc's conviction for cross-dressing, helped amplify the chatter and anticipation.

After the terms and trivia, the screens filled with dancing divas. When the lights finally dimmed, cheers erupting from the crowd made the music nearly inaudible.

Four nuns emerged onstage -- or what appeared to be four nuns. However, it wasn't long before they disrobed, and the awe-inducing drag queens strutted their stuff to The Pussycat Dolls' "Don't Cha."

It would come as no surprise if almost every woman in the room envied the queens in some way -- most likely in the shape and form of long, muscular legs.

As the show's sequence of high-energy solo and group acts proceeded, the effort put into such a production became quite evident. Intricate outfits with matching shoes and accessories require a developed sense of style.

The performers were no amateurs. The ability to shake, dip and bust a move in pumps while staying in step does not come easily.

"Each of the four main drag queens is a dance minor, major or serious enthusiast," said host and performer Karl Kuehn, who addressed himself as Britney Spears.

Cross-dressing audience members also had the chance to show off on the runway in the competition for an iPod nano.

The title of drag king went to "Jesus" (not of Nazareth), who donned a Jesuit football jersey and a white-trash mullet partially hidden underneath a baseball cap. The competition for drag queen was fierce, ending with the crowning of "Lady in Red" as queen and winner of the competition.

While the audience may have expected the lively and raunchy entertainment, they were also educated about the culture. Beneath the makeup and wigs were students who cared about more than looking good and dancing well.

"We wanted to show the fluidity of gender, that it is socially constructed and can be bent. By doing so, the show gives students exposure to the drag and queer culture in a non-threatening environment that promotes tolerance," said GASPED coordinator Christy Arrington.

An act toward the end of the event, performed to "Thrown to the Wolves" by Four Star Mary, emphasized that drag is not just enjoyable entertainment, but a part of the queer lifestyle which is still met with much adversity.

Jennifer Jigour, the act's main performer and choreographer, stated, "I wanted to dramatize the victimization of a gay man and the mental and physical pain imposed on queers by our society. However, I also used a Good Samaritan in the end to show that people can help each other and rise up."

As the show ended, Kuehn reminded people to get involved with GASPED and GALA and passionately yelled, "Go drag or go home!"

Though the audience did indeed leave, many did not do so without buying a "Gay? Fine by me." T-shirt, grabbing rainbow ribbons or signing up for club information.

"The drag show should impel students to help create a culture of acceptance and understanding on campus. It is fun, but fun with a greater purpose," said Arrington.

Contact Lacey Schauwecker at (408) 551-1918 or lschauwecker@scu.edu.