In the same Florida where rainbow crosswalks have been banned, FSU’s Askew Student Life Cinema presented a 2000s inspired drag show for students Friday, Sept. 12.
The fall drag show is an annual back-to-school tradition in collaboration with the Pride Student Union (PSU). There is a different theme every year, allowing students to enjoy a new experience and celebrate pride, expression and FSU’s queer community. Featured performers included drag queens from the Tallahassee community and students at Florida State University (FSU).
“I always say that drag queens are the front soldiers of the queer community,” featured performer Anitta Minette said in a statement to the FSView. “So, if anyone’s going to step out and say something, it’s always going to be a drag queen. We’re always going to be the front steps for equality.”
Having graduated FSU with a degree in communications, Minette began her drag career as a student. She credits FSU and Tallahassee for always welcoming her drag, with her shows fostering a positive experience.
LGBTQ+ issues have been heavily debated in Florida. The Florida Department of Transportation’s recent order to remove all street artwork, including the Pulse nightclub memorial in Orlando, Fla. and other rainbow street art, has been a prevalent issue in the queer community.
“Art in itself is very political and so is drag inherently,” PSU Public Relations Coordinator Mikayla Green said. “In a very not-safe environment, drag is a place that feels safe and where people can open up.”
Friday’s nostalgia-inspired show embodied this, with performers expressing how much the drag community in Tallahassee has made them into the people and women they are today. A fan favorite of the evening was a performance to Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love.”
Many queens were “daughters,” or mentees, of host Vashai Avionce, who has become a “drag mother” for many of FSU’s aspiring drag queens. Avionce has been a pillar of the Tallahassee community for over a decade. She is the founder and executive director of Capital Tea, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the city’s trans community.
Not all of the drag show’s performances were planned. Political science major Kiley Irizarry was also a performer, alongside six other impromptu contestants, participating in the ASLC drag show’s long-standing tradition: a twerking contest.
“It was my first time doing the twerk contest and even though I didn’t win, it was a fun way to put myself out there and get to have fun with some great people,” Irizarry said. “It was such a privilege to be able to watch a show of such high production quality and top tier performances for absolutely free.”
The ASLC has hosted the free annual drag show with the PSU for years, garnering an ever-growing crowd to support the local drag queens and the queer community at FSU.
“I’m proud that we’ve built a strong community for queer people at FSU,” ASLC Special Events Programmer Dominick Rodriguez-Alvarez said. “It’s an intention of the building to make everyone feel included, at drag shows or showings like ‘Rocky Horror.’ It’s really a goal of ours to make this a place for everyone.”
The Pride Student Union is hosting events throughout the month of October for LGBTQ+ History Month to nurture the community and continue to show support for students. The organization has recently started the student mentorship program “Pride Pals” to help incoming students acclimate to FSU. The PSU expressed that their primary goal is making every student feel supported and seen at FSU.
“My drag is me embodying everything I loved as a kid, everything I dreamt of and everything I wanted to be growing up,” Minette said. “FSU specifically has always been welcoming to my drag and my queer identity.”
Emmie Klekamp and Catalina Salgado are Staff Writers for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: Y2K drag show has Florida State ‘Crazy in Love’
Reporting by Emmie Klekamp and Catalina Salgado, Staff Writers / FSU News
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