Sex Appeal Is His Forte
I didn’t plan to go there. I wanted to go home like a good girl and finally get some sleep. But it so happened that I was walking by the place and suddenly two drag queens passed me on the street. They went inside and so – naturally! – I followed. I saw a poster announcing nightly shows with a new drag queen every evening, so I knew I was stuck there for good. I got myself a drink and seconds later I was talking to Shawn, a regular who said I looked like his boss – supposedly, our facial expressions are similar. I didn’t take it for a compliment.
Shawn introduced me to his equally gay friend, who told me that if at any point of the evening I feel lonely, I should find him in the room and he will be glad to keep me company. Keeping that in mind (as well as holding a drink in my hand), I was ready for the show. It started at 9 PM and lasted for 2 hours. The evening was introduced by Misty Meaner, but her friends started to populate the stage soon. All drag queens were imitating famous pop stars such as Beyonce (an absolute favorite of New York gay men), Cher and Christina Aguillera. There were several duets, as well. The girls joked in between numbers or else commented on one another. They said things like: „Give some applause to the girl! She may not be pretty, but she has talent!”.
I had a great time and I will definitely be going back (especially since the show is free). I said goodbye to Shawn and I was walking home not only with a huge smile on my face but with a certain thought taking root in my mind, as well. All drag queens I met so far were characterized by three things: they have a tremendous sense of humor, they are often objects of their own ridicule and they know how to appreciate and enjoy femininity. That last thing should be (paradoxically) learned from them by all women who live their lives enslaved by complexes, instead of taking pride in the fact that they don’t need to shave a beard before they leave their apartments.
The gay club I was referring to is called Boots and Saddle, and is located in Manhattan at 76 Christopher Street, which is the same street that also boasts the most famous of all NYC gay clubs, Stonewall Inn (53 Christopher Street).
