RuPaul’s DragCon is more than just a weekend of serving cunt, sporting sky-high stilettos, and mugging for the camera (although there is a lot of that). It’s also a celebration of queer excellence in all its many flavors, where drag queens from the Emmy Award-winning program, RuPaul’s Drag Race, gather to meet with their devoted fans. Among the hundreds of drag performers who stunned at The Los Angeles Convention Center were fierce transgender queens navigating the intersection of their authentic identities and exquisite drag artistry. Last weekend, GO Magazine got to chat with four fabulous dolls from around the country to discuss today’s political landscape, trans inclusivity in drag, and hope for brighter trans futures.
Fans know Kerri Kolby for “living the trantasy” on season 14 of Drag Race with her breathtaking mug, undeniable charm, and sickening wardrobe. But out of drag, Elyse Alessandra Anderson is “an everyday little girl [who] enjoys feeling normal as normal can be,” she told GO Magazine.
Kerri Colby serves face and body on The Pink Carpet at RuPaul’s DragCon LA 2024
Although the drag star does differentiate between her drag persona and her everyday self, there is no denying that Kerri and Elyse are different sides of the same coin.
“I feel like Kerri Colby is kind of like Superman the way that Clark Kent is to Elyse,” she shared.
Her trans identity allows her to tap into a part of drag that she believes cis queens can’t necessarily access.
“I think that [trans queens] are so important because we bring an element to drag that a lot of people who aren’t trans simply cannot. We don’t just become the doll. We are the doll. We live that every day,” Colby said.
When asked about her thoughts on drag bans and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments across the country, the queen didn’t miss a beat.
“I feel like not having drag is actually dangerous. It’s really, really concerning when you try to remove art and life and color and expression.”
She continued, “The most dangerous thing in drag is when the girls are doing stunts they didn’t stretch for.”
She also acknowledged that certain types of drag are not intended for every type of audience.
“I will say not all drag is for everybody. But drag is so beautiful and it’s such a nice thing to go and step into and receive if that’s what you’re in the mood for.”
Ally Jeté Marc Jacobs, a 14-year-old queen hailing from Los Angeles, sees Colby as a role model and emphasizes the importance of trans representation in drag.
“I don’t see a lot of people like me on TV. So, for example, seeing Kerri Colby up there was crazy. To see a femme queen up there—I’m just like, ‘werk,’ especially from a queen that is curly-haired and looks like me. It was so magical.”
Ally Jeté Marc Jacobs poses for the camera in sickening silver boots and a fabulous purple coat
The teen drag prodigy has been doing drag since she was eight years old and boasts 100,000 followers on Instagram. Since she got her start as a drag performer, she has been the target of online harassment and bullying. However, to her, letting trans kids live their lives is a no-brainer.
“We need to be allowing the kids to be who they want to be. If you suppress somebody in a little box, they’re not going to grow. So it’s like, ‘Do y’all want the kids to be dumb and not their selves? Or do you want the kids to be fierce and confident?'”
Despite online backlash, Ally doesn’t let the hate get her down. In fact, she thrives despite it.
“Just because people don’t like who I am or like how I act doesn’t mean that I’m going to change who I am.”
Lana Lux and Mia Barbin, drag showgirls from Kansas City and Salt Lake City, respectively, honor the opportunity to be positive trans role models for young people like Ally. They want trans kids to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
“Better times will come, but you can still be yourself. You don’t have to think that being you is wrong,” Mia told GO Mag.
She also highlighted drag’s role in her journey to self-love as an out-and-proud trans woman.
When she started experimenting with drag, she said, “It was time that I showed myself, and I showed my body, showed what trans bodies look like. And I love that visibility. That’s literally why I started drag, and I love it.”
Mia Barbin (left) and Lana Lux (right) show off their showgirl dresses featuring trans flag colors on The Pink Carpet (courtesy of Lola Veronica)
Lana also recognizes the importance of trans visibility in drag and takes pride in her unique situation as a trans woman and a drag queen.
“A lot of the times I’m the first drag queen people see, but I’m also the first trans woman they get to meet, so introducing people to that who are from the cis, straight world, and even queer people that don’t meet many trans people, it’s just an honor and a privilege,” she told GO.
Lana hopes that Republican lawmakers learn to recognize trans people’s humanity. States have passed 42 anti-trans bills this year alone, effectively criminalizing trans folks’ existence.
“We just want to live normal, everyday lives and receive care to live normal, everyday lives where we’re safe and protected from harm. We’re just like anybody else,” Lana said.
With the ongoing debates over queer people’s humanity, events like RuPaul’s DragCon are more crucial than ever. Queer folks need spaces where we can be ourselves and celebrate our fabulousness. So to the haters— Sorry! It looks like we won’t be sashaying away any time soon!
