Sept. 25, the U-Club at Pittsburg State University was stage lit as students gathered for the University’s annual drag show, hosted by the Gender and Sexuality Alliance. The event served as a fundraiser for Pittsburg Pride Fest, which will be held Saturday, Oct. 4, at Lincoln Park. Students packed the room to see a lineup of bold and colorful performances that blended creativity, style, and personality.
Performers included Jackie Knoph, president of Pitt Kansas Pride, who performed a rendition of “Not Ready to Make Nice,” by The Chicks; Smir LeQueer, who engaged the crowd with “Poker Face,” by Lady Gaga; and Electrick Bill, who delivered a performance of “If the World Was Ending,” by Bruno Mars. Each act brought its own mix of artistry and self-expression, leaving the room with “energy.”
For a number of students, the show was more than entertainment. Tate Thompson, a first-year master’s student in clinical psychology, returned after attending last year.
“I came to the drag show because I went last year and loved Jackie Knoph, so I had to see her again,” Thompson said. “The energy is very fun and artistic, and I love the symbolism in their outfits. Drag being a concentrated performance of gender expression is really fun, and it’s a good reminder to not take things too seriously.”
Thompson said the performance of “Not Ready to Make Nice” was especially powerful.
“It (the performance of “Not Ready to Make Nice”) resonated in a way that only someone who grew up queer in the Midwest could understand,” Thompson said.
Organizers hoped the show would bring students together and introduce more people to GSA events. Marlee Mikel, a senior music education major, said the show’s goal was both fundraising and community building.
“Drag shows are a great way to bring people that usually don’t go to GSA events to come, because they’re awesome,” Mikel said. “I hope students get a better glimpse at the LGBTQ community and all the joy involved in it.”
Knoph, one of the performers, described drag as both art and activism.
“Drag is an art expression, a gender expression, and it’s also about activism. It’s about trying to fight societal norms and fight for people’s rights that are not yours,” Knoph said.
Knoph also spoke about the challenges of performing in a smaller Midwestern community.
“We’ve had all kinds of protesters,” Knoph said. “You just kind of have to not really care. You fight against them, but you also realize they’re fighting their own demons. It’s not going to affect me.”
Kennedy Cooper, assistant director for Campus and Community Resources, emphasized the importance of representation.
“Drag provides an important source of representation,” Cooper said. “Being able to see yourself or someone you can identify with on a stage is important.” She encouraged students to attend GSA meetings on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and highlighted other events like Pride Prom in April.
With Pittsburg Pride Fest just around the corner, GSA hopes the energy from the drag show carries forward, inspiring students to engage, participate, and celebrate their authentic selves. Thompson described this as important to the human experience.
“It’s important to have more public performance events because artistic expression is an important part about being human,” Thompson said. “We get a lot of value from the connection to the community and our shared experiences.”