#DRAG KINGS FULL#

Drag queens are further described as having an attitude of superiority, and being commonly courted by heterosexual men who would 'not ordinarily participate in homosexual relationships'. In 1971, an article in Lee Brewster's Drag Queens magazine describes a drag queen as a 'homosexual tranvestite' who is hyperfeminine, flamboyant, and militant. It may have been based on the term 'grand rag' which was historically used for a masquerade ball. The origin of the term drag is uncertain the first recorded use of drag in reference to actors dressed in women's clothing is from 1870. Storme herself emerges as a remarkable woman, who came up during hard times but always “kept a touch of class.Drag queens from Buenos Aires in 1995, advertising a nightclub Drag queen Through archival clips from the past, STORME looks back on the grandeur of the Jewel Box Revue and its celebration of pure entertainment in the face of homophobia and segregation. Parkerson finds Storme in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood, now working as a bodyguard at a women’s bar and still singing in her deep silky voice with an “all-girl” band. The multiracial revue was a favorite act of the Black theater circuit and attracted mixed mainstream audiences from the 1940s through the 1960s, a time marked by the violence of segregation. During the 1950’s and 60’s she toured the black theater circuit as a mistress of ceremonies and the sole male impersonator of the legendary Jewel Box Revue, America’s first integrated female impersonation show and forerunner of La Cage aux Folles. “It ain’t easy…being green” is the favorite expression of Storme DeLarverie, a woman whose life flouted prescriptions of gender and race.

#DRAG KINGS FULL#

Here’s the trailer, full length coming soonĪ film by Michelle Parkerson, Producer, Director, Editor Notably, KQIB is the first film to include the gender performance spectrum (male, female, trans). On the 25th anniversary of PARIS IS BURNING, KQIB picks up where that groundbreaking film left off, and includes women and trans folks equally also. KQIB gives voice to a marginalized group and, in the end, shines a light on issues that impact all of us. (Not to mention the confusion about what drag is, who does it, and why.) Using the door of drag as an entryway, KQIB illustrates how a binary system of gender identity doesn’t reflect our bigger reality. While RuPaul has mainstreamed the concept of drag queens, there is a lot of misunderstanding on how gender expression relates (or not) with sexual preference and biological sex. The film focuses on the West Family drag queen and Royal Renegades drag king troupes - people who dedicate themselves to extensive rehearsals, putting their own money (up to $5000/show) into drag as creative expression, personal exploration, community involvement, and/or political activism - KQIB peels back the layers of identity, highlighting the diversity of human experience: Structured like a Chuck Close painting, KQIB presents a large community in their own voices, rippling out to reveal the critical consequences of how gender divisions impact our culture and society–from bullying, to marriage rights, to LGBTQ discrimination. KQIB is an entertaining ethnographic documentary that provides a colorful look into a world few have seen up close. With humor and pathos, KQIB makes a complex subject approachable for mainstream audiences - inviting viewers into a conversation about the distinct differences between gender, sex, and sexuality that has not been represented in film before.

Through the compelling stories of 8 performers in the thriving drag scene of Columbus, Ohio, Kings, Queens, & In-Betweens dives into the next frontier - the often misunderstood topic of “gender” itself.

Interviewees include Christopher Noe, Kentucky Fried Woman, Mel Corn, Deb “Dirk” Pearce, Flare, Julie “Jake” Applegate, Toe B, Sile Luster / Lustivious Dela Virgion, Erin Tarr, Big Papa, Ken Vegas, Dante DiFranco and many more.ĭistribution: Five Sisters Productions, 2017 This documentary provides a reflexive look at “what is a drag king,” but, more importantly, the personal journeys inside the conference. Within this conference, gender, sexuality, race and ability are explored through in-depth discussions and provocative performances. Created in 2008, this documentary examines the preceding 10 years, wherein this performance art exploded into a complex and fascinating movement one that centralizes around an annual drag king conference called the International Drag King Community Extravaganza (IDKE). A Drag King Extravaganza, however, reveals that being a drag king is not so simple. What is a drag king? What is the Drag King Conference? Simply speaking, a drag king is a woman who dresses in a male persona for theatrical purposes.

Drag kings