From my personal experience I would have to say Drag Queens have some of the biggest hearts I have ever seen. I'm not saying that they can't be bitchy little Divas, because trust me they can be. However they are the first ones in our community to come together and either raise money or bring attention to the issues we are facing.
Yes, you can throw a stone and hit some sort of fundraiser these days. How many times though can you throw that rock and have it hit fundraisers featuring the same individuals? Well if Drag Queens are involved I can say with confidence it will be several times if not always.
In Columbus, Ohio these fundraisers run the gamut of queens from new queens to established queens and in some circumstances nationally known queens. It's not uncommon for an organization to approach the drag community and ask for help in planning a fundraiser. With all the queens I know, and trust me it's a lot, I have never known one to say no. Quite the opposite happens actually, they say yes and start asking their friends if they would be willing to be involved. Some times these friends are queens from other cities or even RuPaul's Drag Race. I have seen these fundraisers raise anywhere between $5,000 to $10,000.
Even if a drag queen is not performing at a fundraiser, the new standard in Columbus for any large off Broadway style drag show is that tips from at least one number will be donated to a local or national charity. I have witnessed amounts raised from as small as $100 to over a $2000 for one song. Some times there will even be auctions or 50/50 raffles taking placing during the show to raise money as well.
Raising money for charities is not something Drag Queens have to do. It is something they choose to do. For most of them they are so thankful to be doing something they love that they want to give back some how. The way they do this is raising money for charities they believe in or bringing a voice to an issue that affects our community.
A perfect example of this is the show exPOZed. A show Vivian and I had the pleasure of being a part of this past weekend. The goal of this show was to raise money and education about HIV/AIDS. EVERY entertainer who performed not only donated their time, but their tips went to ARC Ohio & Project Zero Ohio, 2 local organizations helping those affected by HIV/AIDS. This show raised over $6500 which will be donated to both organizations.
So before you dismiss Drag Queens and assume they only do drag for the attention or the money, go to one of their shows and educate yourself. You may be surprised what you learn and who knows you may even enjoy yourself.
If you would like to learn more about ARC Ohio or Project Zero Ohio please visit:
Please visit www.diaryofadragqueenhusband.com for upcoming fundraisers in Columbus, OH