Tennessee native Bella DuBalle is an ordained minister and a drag queen at Atomic Rose, the largest drag club in Memphis. She says the law criminalizing public drag performances was written by legislators who don't understand the art.
I get ready here at home and then I go to the venue. So I'm worried [in] the small amount of time that I'm walking from the parking garage to the venue, is that public? Our venue has large windows and we're off of Beale Street.
I think most kids are so taken with the aesthetic, if they're young enough, most of them just think I'm a Disney princess. People ask sometimes,"How do you explain drag to kids?" And I'm like,"You don't have to!" They're the originators of drag. Kids came up with playing dress up. They understand it way better than the rest of us. Some of us just never quit playing.
As a minister, I read the Bible cover to cover, and that book is full of rape and murder and incest, and I would never read it to a kid. But what do I know? I'm just a drag queen.So they're usually books about self-acceptance, about knowing that there are other people who might be made differently than you, and your job is only to love and accept what they tell you.
When a straight person does it, it's a joke. ... When I put on a dress, it is a statement of strength. It is a statement of how powerful my femininity is. So for me, I think it's about the way that we approach the feminine. The patriarchy has always used drag as another way to reinforce that women are weaker. I think we, as the queer community, actually champion that pride or that femininity. We're very proud of something that other people are deeply ashamed of.
And that was the real hypocrisy. It was not that he'd been in a dress, it was that he didn't realize that what he was doing was just as innocent as what I do.RuPaul said they are a bunch of bullies making these laws. It causes a lot of big feelings when you see someone love in themselves something that you hate in yourself. I think when you see someone else who is proud of a part of themselves that you have been taught to be ashamed of — that causes people to lash out.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Here's why 'Drag Race' producer, star say anti-drag laws won't work'Such movements in history have always failed.' The effort to limit or stop drag performances throughout the country won't ultimately work. That's the message from one of the producers behind 'RuPaul's Drag Race' and one of the series' biggest recent stars.
Read more »
‘RuPaul's Drag Race' Producer in SF Addressing New Drag Show LawsThe man behind “RuPaul’s Drag Race” was in San Francisco Wednesday promoting his new book “Screenage.” His tour comes as new laws restricting drag performances have been making headlines.
Read more »
Nikki and Brie Bella Are Leaving WWE and Dropping the 'Bella' NameBellas no more. 'When our contract came up with WWE,' Nikki explained their SiriusXM podcast The Nikki and Brie Show, 'mutually we all knew we just needed to head into this new chapter.'
Read more »
What Did Tenn. Rep Do With Child Burial Garden Donations?Rep. Andy Ogles raised tens of thousands of dollars to pay for a children’s “burial garden”—but he won’t say where the money went.
Read more »
DeSantis Admin Goes After Miami Hyatt for Its ‘Drag Queen Christmas’The DeSantis administration has moved to revoke the Hyatt Regency Miami’s liquor license after it hosted “A Drag Queen Christmas.”
Read more »