HELLO HOMO: Getting into Drag with Felony Misdemeanor!
Hello Homo,
I have always wanted to get into drag. I love drag, making things, and being creative. I admire the courage and power of the drag queens I see performing live and online. I’ve played around with makeup and dressing up on my own but have never gone out in public or tried to put together a performance. What advice do you have for someone wanting to do drag for the first time?
-Brian, Denver
Hello Brain,
First, I want to correct one thing—If you are already trying out looks and painting, you are doing drag.
Not all drag has to take place on a stage or at a bar. Some drag queens never perform on a stage or in front of an audience; just look at the past couple of seasons of Drag Race. Some of those girls lack awareness outside of the context of Instagram or TikTok and have no stage presence. That is meant to be both shady and to help you see that not all drag takes place on stage.
For safety, too, especially in the current social-political era, going out in public in drag can be very vulnerable and anxiety-provoking. I wrote about the politicization of drag and conservatives scapegoating drag in my article “Drag Queens are not Groomers” a few years ago. In all reality, in some cities and towns, going out in drag can be very unsafe.
So, across the board, I think it is important to clarify what “doing drag” means to you and ensure you are not just trying to fill an expectation of what you think it is or is not. So I ask the legendary Felony Misdemeanor to weigh in and provide some insight for you and other baby queens needing some mothering guidance.
Felony Misdemeanor
If you live in Denver, visit often, or follow any of the queens from Denver, then you know Felony Misdemeanor. She is a household name in all the LGBTQ+ pockets and communities here. She is the drag mother to all the legendary misdemeanor children. She has been awarded the Best Drag Queen and Best Drag Show awards from Westword. If you know Felony is performing at or simply attending an event, it’s going to be good.
Felony has an upcoming TED Talk which we will get into, and she graciously agreed to answer this reader’s question! Thanks for lending some advice, Felony!
Felony: The advice I have is to just do it. Life is too short to worry about what could have been. It’s not healthy to not live your most authentic self. Yes, times are not ideal now, but I say if not now, when? Now is the time that we need to make our voices heard and faces seen. Please don’t live in fear, and also, don’t worry about what people say about your drag. People will tell you what they think you should do, but it’s all up to you to find yourself and how you want to present yourself. Lastly, don’t think that things happen overnight. Drag, if you’re serious about it, is a marathon.
Felony, Your drag emerged while you were living in Texas and in the Texas pageant scene. You’ve been doing drag for over 25 years now, and you have grown into a legend and icon. Looking back, what insights, guidance, and tips do you wish you were given as you were first cutting your teeth as a drag performer?
Honestly, I wish someone told me what I just mentioned in my previous response.
What advice do you have for this OFM reader trying to carve out their drag identity and learn who they are in the Denver drag scene?
Brian is not going to find themselves/identity overnight. A true artist is always and forever changing. Even when discovering one’s identity, that can change. My advice is to go with the flow, and whatever emerges, accept it or change it. It’s all up to you.
In anOFM interview back in 2019, you shared that over the years, you have learned that the trick to staying relevant in the drag world is to “Be kind and nurturing; be entertaining, and know your worth.” How do you think that applies to this reader’s question?
My stance has since changed since then. Staying relevant is a matter of a constant uphill run. It’s really up to the artist to continue to give amazing performances or ideas. Keep up with the times, but also honor where you started and come from. Don’t always go with what you think people want to see and hear.
Felony and TED
You have a TED talk coming up! What can audiences expect, and how do you think it can support other folks wanting to dip their toes in the drag waters?
Unfortunately, you’re going to have to come to my TED Talk to find out. It’s like an Avengers script; it’s a secret until it’s revealed. Hopefully, people will pick up what I’m putting down
Thank you for being a part of this Hello Homo, Felony. Looking forward to watching your TED talk and catching you out and about! It’s always amazing running into you!
Thank you for the opportunity to answer these questions and hopefully change someone’s life a lil bit.
Brian, I hope that this helped influence and form your opinion on how you would like to engage with drag. To my other OFM readers, please go check out Felony’s TED talk. You can catch it live on Saturday, April 5 in Boulder at Macky Auditorium Concert Hall. The link to the tickets is here.
For more inspiration and drag excellence, go check out Felony on Instagram @felony_misdemeanor.
Follow me on Instagram @holistic.homosexual for updates on my column, and stay tuned for the next HELLO HOMO! See you next month!
Have a question you would like answered? Submit your questions directly to me at hellohomo@ofm.media.
Disclaimer: Hello Homo is for informational and educational purposes and is not a substitute for mental health treatment. Hello, Homo (Jesse Proia) is not providing mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment to readers. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please contact 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.
All images courtesy of Felony’s Instagram
