After a two-year hiatus as a result of covid-19 restrictions, SJU Pride hosted its annual Drag Show with Hawk Hill Productions (HHP) on April 22 in The Perch.
SJU Pride president, Diego Ramirez ’22, said one of the reasons for hosting the show was to provide members of the St. Joe’s community an opportunity to see drag culture in person and to be able to appreciate the performance and artistic aspects of the culture.
“With an event like this, I want the SJU community to realize that there are so many forms of entertainment out there, and that it’s all valid and it’s all amazing and fun to watch,” Ramirez said. “It’s just total liberation, and you just live your fantasy.”
Dehlyla Hernandez ’25, a member of SJU Pride and vice president of outreach for HHP, said the art form of drag inspires self expression.
“I think it’s just a great way for everybody to come together to enjoy a wonderful performance,” Hernandez said. “You don’t even need to know anything about drag, it’s just entertainment.”
For people like Kate Maginnis ’23, who had never been to a drag show, the experience was entertaining.
“I love the art of it,” Maginnis said. “I love makeup. I love costuming. It’s a form of theater in a way, and I’m a huge theater nerd so I absolutely love it.”
Maginnis said she is a huge fan of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” a television show that features drag queen competitions and was excited to see Mayhem Miller as the lead performer for the St. Joe’s Drag Show. Miller competed on season 10 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and season 5 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.”
The show also featured local performers, including Pi, a Philadelphia-based drag artist who has been performing since May 2016. Pi said performing drag on college campuses is a fun way to highlight the queer community.
“I think it’s important to be able to show this type of an art form, gender expression,” Pi said. “There’s so many elements that go into drag that it’s just truly something special and memorable and I think it belongs in as many places as it can belong.”
Most drag shows are held in venues where individuals must be 21 or older to attend, according to Ramirez. SJU Pride’s event was free and open to all members of the St. Joe’s community.
“I want people to learn about drag, but I also want people to just fall in love with it and just support [drag] queens,” Ramirez said. “Once they turn 21, go to a drag show.”
Hernandez said the drag show was a good way to make people feel heard and comfortable amongst the LGBTQIA+ community on campus.
“There’s a lot of people on campus who are allies, but they don’t know how to show it,” Hernandez said. “So I think it’s a good way for people to become aware that there is a safe place on campus whether you’re an ally or you are a part of the LGBT community.”
