just news
Queens triumph at Waldorf-Astoria bash
\ . .fo r guppified New York, this was an historical occasion,
in which drag was given its deserved place of honor.''
B
R A H
SCH
U L M_A_N
t was hilled as “ The Night of a
Thousand Gowns,” a $250-a-head
fundraising event for selected gay
organizations. But what made this party
more fabulous than most was that the
guests were invited to come in drag, and
they paraded those gowns in the grand
ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria. Now, in
San Francisco, drag at the city’s poshest
hotel might be de rigeuer, but for gup-
pilled New York, this was an historical
occasion, in which drag was given its de
served place of honor. And the presiding
queens made sure that we all realized that
fact.
Crowds gathered outside the Waldorf’s
Park Avenue entrance to cheer the arriving
queens as they stepped out of stretch limos
and luxury automobiles. Couples arrived
from Calgary, Ontario, San Diego, Dallas,
Atlanta, and Brooklyn: he, crisp in tux and
tails, sprinkled, perhaps, with a few old
army decorations; she, always divine,
whether as Catherine the Great, Dolly
Parton, or a wide variety of tramps, de
butantes, royalty and dance-hall girls.
Their gowns ranged from a bar mitzvah
polyester, to Robert Legere originals, to
I
one red plastic post-modern affair. The
escorts ran the gamut from short, balding
types in glasses, to studs, to nice boys, to
greying, dangerous-looking wealth who
could easily work for NASA or the CIA. It
was an all-American event.
Yet, amidst all the glitter, the reality of
the AIDS crisis and the need for a radical,
visible gay movement, were never forgot
ten. Eagle Empress Nicole received the
Lynn Carter award (named for the well-
known female impersonator who died of
AIDS) on behalf of the Imperial Court.
She made a stunning, moving speech, the
most radical that I have heard from the
mouth of a gay leader in years. Nicole
called the event: “ an important chapter in
our gay history as we recognize and pay
tribute to the true pioneers of our movement
— drag queens and female impersonators.
Drag queens were Stonewall. They fought
back and then others followed. They were
the first to fight for our rights when others
couldn’t or wouldn’t . . .”
Nicole also strongly stated that the goals
of the up-coming lesbian and gay march on
Washington, “ Proud, Strong, United,”
could never be accomplished unless dis
crimination against people of color, wo
men and seniors, was overcome in our
We're
Queen in red plastic fantasy.
community, and she called for a return to
the radical tactics of the early movement.
“ It is time to march again, hold massive
demonstrations. We drag queens of yester
year long ago passed the torch to those of
you more acceptable. But we have a mes
sage for you — DON’T BE AFRAID TO
RETURN TO THE STREETS WHERE
OUR MOVEMENT WAS BORN.”
After the crowning of the new empress,
Sybil, the festivities returned to fundrais
ing for the evening’s beneficiaries: the
March on Washington Committee,
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force,
AIDS Action Council, Human Rights
Campaign Fund and the New York Les
bian and Gay Community Center. Quite a
few celebrities were present including the
dapper Vito Russo, Charles Busch in a
white halter top, Rollerena on the arm of
Steve Ault, Miss Gay Great Lakes, Miss
Connie Lingus (Trash Queen of the
Poconos), Pandora Box, Clitoris
Leachman, Rich Donovan, Cardinal Sin,
Dora Jar, and Dolly Lama.
Miss Blaze Starr (Miss Gay America),
summed up the feeling of the evening
when she said, ‘AIDS is making us realize
that every moment we have is extremely
precious.” After a perfectly rendered lip-
synching of herself singing “ The Impossi
ble Dream,” Miss Starr reminded us that
“ female impersonation is a gay art form,
an art which all gay people can be proud
of.”
Yes, boys and girls, we can be our queer
selves, once again. Even in New York.
Originally published in the Gay
Community News, 62 Berkeley St.,
Boston, MA 02116.
out fo r freedom...
nothing less!
Come out for freedom! loin us!
The National Gay &
Lesbian Task Force is
out for gay and lesbian
freedom. Freedom to
live our lives openly
and proudly. Freedom
from second-class
status, violence and
discrimination. Free
dom to love. And noth
ing less than freedom
w ill do.
The Task Force Lobbies
Congres« and the Execu
tive Branch to push for
gay and lesbian civil
rights and for a balanced
response to the A ID S
health crisis. N G LTF also
lobbies at the state level,
in the private sector,
before professional orga
nizations, unions, reli
gious groups, and
feminist and progressive
groups.
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Anti-violence poster
fas k Force •italiat work
The Task Force Works
as a resource center for
over 2,000 local gay and
lesbian groups, as a
research and information
hub on gay issues, as a
nerve center for the gay
liberation movement
The Task Force
Organizes
to end violence, to repeal
laws that criminalize
gay/lesbian sexuality, to
fight stereotypes of gay
people in the media, to
press for the civil rights of
people with A IDS and
H IV antibodies, to push
reproductive freedom,
domestic partnership and
much, much more.
Anti-vioiente P ro te i t
D im tor Kevin Herrill testifies
before ( onuress
NC.LI F, 1517 U Street, N.W., W ashington, D .C . 20009
Just Out 8 June. 1 ^X 7
(202) 332-6483
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