Spring Break
Show may be drag, but it's dressed that way
Briana Hernandez
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: News
Adrienne Keel, a junior psychology major, said she started to dress like a man about a year ago.
"There's a couple of characters I do just for fun," she said. "I think it's fun to dress up and be silly."
Keel will dress in drag Friday for QTIP, or Queers Thoughtfully Interrupting Prejudice, and its first-ever Drag Show, which is scheduled to be held Friday in the University Room of the Student Union from 7 to 10 p.m.
QTIP will be pre-selling tickets outside of the Student Union from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., every day this week, for $5. After that, tickets sold at the door will be $7 - or $5 if you come dressed in drag.
Derrick Quefa, co-chair of QTIP, said the drag show has seven performers so far, and the event will include dance numbers, singing, lip-syncing and possibly a comedy skit. A dance is slated to follow the show.
Quefa said the drag show has been in production for the whole of this semester and the idea for a drag show came collectively from club members.
"As soon as someone said it," he said, "everyone was like, 'Oh yeah! Let's do that.'"
As far as the performance, Quefa said that no political statements are likely to be made, as entertainment is the primary goal.
"For the most part, we just want everyone to have fun," he said.
Megan Heher, another co-chair of QTIP, will be overseeing stage management and security for the event, but she may be obligated to perform due to an overwhelming nomination from club members.
"Last I checked, I was far in the lead so I may be performing as well for one number," she said.
Heher said the drag show will be a chance to address certain issues that QTIP may periodically overlook.
"It's been mine and several other members' goal to get trans(gender) issues a little bit highlighted within QTIP," she said. "In QTIP, we focus on (lesbian, gay and bisexual) issues quite a bit, but the 'T' kind of gets left off."
Event emcee Keel said the drag show will also be an opportunity to reach out to students who have not heard of QTIP.
"I think that there's a lot of people on campus who are still unaware there is an LGBT club on campus," Keel said. "We want to be able to socialize with other kids on campus.
As for dressing in drag, Keel said it gives her a lot freedom.
"I think that being a man or being a woman, it's so confining," she said. "You can only do this or that if you're a man. You can only be this way if you're a woman. But dressing in drag is a way for you to dance on the lines of what it acceptable - to be able to defy the standard. It's liberating."
While the event is open to everyone, Heher said people should come with an open mind.
"There'll be a lot of interesting things to see," she said. "Primarily, it's a lot of fun, and everyone should come with a good attitude. A drag show is really a unique experience."
"There's a couple of characters I do just for fun," she said. "I think it's fun to dress up and be silly."
Keel will dress in drag Friday for QTIP, or Queers Thoughtfully Interrupting Prejudice, and its first-ever Drag Show, which is scheduled to be held Friday in the University Room of the Student Union from 7 to 10 p.m.
QTIP will be pre-selling tickets outside of the Student Union from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., every day this week, for $5. After that, tickets sold at the door will be $7 - or $5 if you come dressed in drag.
Derrick Quefa, co-chair of QTIP, said the drag show has seven performers so far, and the event will include dance numbers, singing, lip-syncing and possibly a comedy skit. A dance is slated to follow the show.
Quefa said the drag show has been in production for the whole of this semester and the idea for a drag show came collectively from club members.
"As soon as someone said it," he said, "everyone was like, 'Oh yeah! Let's do that.'"
As far as the performance, Quefa said that no political statements are likely to be made, as entertainment is the primary goal.
"For the most part, we just want everyone to have fun," he said.
Megan Heher, another co-chair of QTIP, will be overseeing stage management and security for the event, but she may be obligated to perform due to an overwhelming nomination from club members.
"Last I checked, I was far in the lead so I may be performing as well for one number," she said.
Heher said the drag show will be a chance to address certain issues that QTIP may periodically overlook.
"It's been mine and several other members' goal to get trans(gender) issues a little bit highlighted within QTIP," she said. "In QTIP, we focus on (lesbian, gay and bisexual) issues quite a bit, but the 'T' kind of gets left off."
Event emcee Keel said the drag show will also be an opportunity to reach out to students who have not heard of QTIP.
"I think that there's a lot of people on campus who are still unaware there is an LGBT club on campus," Keel said. "We want to be able to socialize with other kids on campus.
As for dressing in drag, Keel said it gives her a lot freedom.
"I think that being a man or being a woman, it's so confining," she said. "You can only do this or that if you're a man. You can only be this way if you're a woman. But dressing in drag is a way for you to dance on the lines of what it acceptable - to be able to defy the standard. It's liberating."
While the event is open to everyone, Heher said people should come with an open mind.
"There'll be a lot of interesting things to see," she said. "Primarily, it's a lot of fun, and everyone should come with a good attitude. A drag show is really a unique experience."
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Kevin
posted 3/30/09 @ 1:16 PM PST
Hi, was wondering if you happen to know how I can contact the LGBT club at sjsu? Thanks.
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