BGALA drag show 'raising awareness'

Chris Richards Arizona Daily Wildcat Miss Alotta Hormones gives the crowd a thrill at yesterday's drag show in the Memorial Student Union Cellar. The drag show, held by the Bisexual Gay and Lesbian Association, featured several performers dancing and lip-synching to music.

Donning wigs, high heels and tight dresses, Alotta Hormones, Truly Fabu and Ajia Simone took the stage in front of about 75 people packed into the Cellar for a drag show presented by the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Association of the University of Arizona.

Simone greeted the audience and cautioned any potential protesters against interrupting the show.

"I will warn you that Ms. Ajia is a tall black man in heels," Simone said.

In October, protesters threw water and eggs and displayed posters with biblical references during the "Diva La Paz" drag show at La Paz Residence Hall.

To prevent a similar outburst at yesterday's show, BGALA requested an officer from the University of Arizona Police Department.

With an officer standing in the doorway, the show went off without a hitch as the three drag queens lip-synched to Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and Debbie Gibson, among other artists.

They danced seductively about the room, flirting with the audience, shaking their hips, batting eyelashes and blowing kisses.

At one point in the performance, Hormones asked how many "queers" were in the audience. After boisterous applause swept through the crowd, she said, "Things have changed quite a bit since I was in college in 1982. Nobody would have said a word back then."

The show, entitled "The Ladies Who Lunch," was one of the main events of the Fifth Annual Bisexual Gay and Lesbian Awareness Week.

Throughout the week, BGALA is sponsoring speeches, performances and movies that address issues important to the gay community.

BGALA Co-Director Jason Cianciotto said he was worried about organizing a drag show because of the protests last semester.

"My initial thought was that drag is not the best way to present what being gay is all about," Cianciotto said. "But drag queens represent an important part of our culture and I don't see how we could have a gay awareness week without drag.

"We don't want people to think they can scare us away."

Kira Mauro, a sophomore majoring in English, said she thought the drag show was a necessary part of gay awareness week.

"I think it is great for raising awareness because it shows that drag queens are part of our society and our community," she said.

Mauro said holding the drag show in the Union is more appropriate than performing at a residence hall where many residents could be offended. Performing in the Union gives people the choice to come and go at their own free will, she said.

Natalie West, a junior majoring in Spanish and communication, agreed.

"It was a great show and I think the audience here is much more accepting because they obviously chose to be here," West said.