TCU Gay-Straight Alliance hosted its seventh annual TCU drag show to express to the campus there are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members in the community, said GSA President Alonzo Thompson.
“We may be of the rainbow, but we still bleed purple,” Thompson said. “We have a voice and are not longer going to sit behind closed doors.”
Drag kings and queens from TCU and the Dallas-Fort Worth area performed for an audience of more than 130 people in the Brown-Lupton University Union Auditorium.
Elliott Puckett, who goes by the drag name Perry Ellis Edwards, danced in the finale. He is a professional dancer and has been a dancer since childhood. However, he began taking drag seriously about a year ago.
Puckett, who danced to Lady Gaga, said his favorite part of dancing in drag is the transformation from his daily life as a male, to his drag character as a female.
Zimora Davenport, who identifies as transgender, dances in drag as a hobby. She was not scheduled to perform, but stepped in when another dancer had to step out due to injury.
Davenport began dancing four years ago when she was convinced to dance the first night she ever dressed in drag.
“Ever since then, since I hit the stage, I have not been able to quit.”
This year’s event, titled “A Night in Wonderland,” demonstrated several firsts for the organization, which included a disc jockey as well as professional drag kings and queens. Thompson said the organization has grown over the past several years, allowing the drag show to expand.
Although the event was free, the audience was encouraged to bring single dollar bills to give to their favorite participants. All of the collected money will be donated to Youth First Texas, an organization that serves as a resource for North Texas LBGT youths.
Puckett got involved with the event due to his background with Youth First. He volunteered there for three years and wants to continue to give back.
“They helped me out a lot when I was going through a lot of stuff, so it’s important to keep the organization going for other youth that are in need of help,” Puckett said.
