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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2002)
1 drag after I’d been Emperor,” he recalls. H e’s still active with the court; he mostly appears as Cicely, but he will step into the spotlight as Harold to mark his 30th anniver sary as Emperor. W hat keeps him coming back? “New challenges brought in by new people,” he replies without hesitation. “T he court to me is a very viable organization...there’s always something to make it interesting.” ive years after Cicely ruled, the court made history again by crowning the first woman monarch, Rose Empress XXXVI Maria. She and Emperor XX Babalou marked the only all- female reign in court history. But Maria was no newcom er to titles—or to the concept of a woman playing a drag queen. She gave her first drag-style perform ance at Darcelle’s in 1985 and was crowned Ms. Gay Portland II the next year. O ther titles soon fol lowed, including Princess XXI in 1990, culminating with her election as Empress in 1993. “Princess is usually a drag title,” she says, explaining that her every day look is short hair, glasses and no makeup. “T he “There were very few Legend of women who tried to the Rose,” Lady portray a drag Elaine Peacock queen.. .for the longest time they didn’t know what to do with me— the only lesbian drag queen!” she notes with a hearty laugh. Working as a hostess at Embers Avenue, she let audiences assume she was a drag queen. “I felt really comfortable. It’s like a mask when I’m dressed u p ...I’m more flirtatious, and when F I’m not dressed up I barely speak.” A lthough Maria had to overcome resistance to a female Empress, she eventually was elected and royally feted in San Francisco. “T he street leading to the location of the Portland party was literally lined with roses, and I walked in and finally said to myself, ‘I am the flippin’ Empress of Portland— I’m holdin’ the stick!’ ” She refers, of course, to the massive and impressive royal scepter. “It’s honestly still like it was yesterday. But now I’m an adviser to Poison, and I don’t let her forget it— I call her every day! If it wasn’t for the Rose Court, I wouldn’t be the person I am. It gave me a sense of purpose. I’m able to help peo ple, and that makes my heart feel good.” Kimberlee Van Patten, who was Maria’s partner during her reign, also remembers the year with much fondness. “Maria is the only one who has held every Rose Court title except Debutante. W hat a ride that year was. We traveled and had a blast. She was on fire! Maria’s so well loved in the community,” she says of the woman who now puts on Peacock in the Park with her every year. Since 1994, Maria has been the hostess and Poison Waters has been the master of cere monies— what a combo! A nd since then, more than $65,000 has been awarded to gay and lesbian stu dents seeking higher education. nd last but surely not least is the newest black god dess, Rose Empress XLIV Poison Marie Waters. As she says (only half jokingly), “All the pretty ones are black!" Her coronation last October was made extra special because her supportive family was there, and her mother was the first to give her a rose after she was crowned. “I try to share her with friends who don’t have that,” she con fides. “I feel like I have a charmed life.” Waters won her first title, Rosebud, when she was just a tender 20, but in the beginning she was hesitant. “W hen I first saw a drag queen it totally threw me. It never occurred to me that a man would dress as a woman! I was actually repulsed! U ntil I saw a black person in drag, I thought they were all ugly. For some 0 k S£oi;e ^Boutique "The adult gift shop fo r lovers with good taste ” * A dult G ifts & C ards V L otions & P otions V M assage O ils * M en ’ s & W omen ’ s L ingerie * S ex T oys V N ovelties V A dult C andies & G ames * 2 0 % O ff S elected L ong G owns Open Mon-Sat 1720 SE 122nd Avenue • Portland OR 503-252-2017 • www.lboutique.com reason minority drag queens come across a lot she’s having custom-made. Although she occa softer,” she says. sionally buys off the rack, she prefers originals As soon as she came of age, Waters started because she doesn’t want to show up at an working at Darcelle’s. “T hat was a event wearing the same outfit as anoth great training ground,” she says. er drag queen. “Even worse is to “So now I don’t even think have a real lady show up in the about it. I can walk up to same dress. A shapely petite anyone, look them in the woman and a huge m on ster man in the same eye and start talking. It’s . second nature.” dress— it’s not pretty!” N ot to worry, Port So how long does it take to turn himself land. O ur reigning Empress will be stun into her fabulousness? ning in a one-of-a-kind “I’ve done it in 30 winter white number as minutes, but normally she represents us in the it takes an hour. I like City by the Bay. | H to take my time, have friends over, serve —Rose Empress XLTV Catch Poison Waters at drinks and make it Poison M arie W aters BV alentines from H ell , a social,” she reveals, Pride o f the Rose Scholarship describing what must be the fund-raiser, 8 p.m . Feb. 17 at best cocktail hour floor show in Embers A venue, 110 N .W . Broadway. town. First-timers stand in the bath This ivill be “tough drag: no shaving, not really try room doorway and watch the whole process ing to hide the masculine, yet also going over the with jaws dropped. top with the glitz and glamour, muscles and A coronation is being held somewhere marabou ,” she promises. almost every weekend, and that keeps Waters on the move. As Empress she already has been In her youth, ORIANA GREEN passed as a man on to Tacoma, Bellingham and Everett, Wash., the streets o f N e w York but, sadly, has never had plus Las Vegas, which seems like the ideal her own tiara. place to sashay around town in drag. Her voice races with enthusiasm when she describes it. | ay and lesbian African Americans have “It’s a free show, and the tourists just camp ¡held 26 Rose Court titles through the years around the entrance...often the foreign tourists I and made countless contributions to our want a picture. I get to do outreach and edu community. In addition to the aforementioned cate: ‘No, it doesn’t turn me o n ...n o , I don’t monarchs, the stars are: want to have a sex change.’ W hen it’s over, I • Princess II Lillian C arter just want to get out of my dress A SA P and go • Princess III Danielle August play the slots all night.” • Princess XI Misty Marie Waters Even after late nights under the heavy • Princess XXI Maria tiara— kind of like Cinderfella?— by 8 a.m. • Princess XXV Poison Marie Waters weekdays, Waters turns into civil servant • Princess XXVIII Krystal Lynn Kevin Cook, who shows up 40 hours a week for • Co-Miss Gay Oregon VIII Misty Marie his day job with the state Department of Envi Waters ronmental Quality. • Miss Gay Oregon IX Krystal Lynn A nd by the way, Cook is single. “But it’s • Miss Gay Oregon X Rosey Waters not for lack of people chasing me,” he quickly • Miss Gay Oregon XI W anda Kentucky adds. “I want to date as Kevin and meet people Jackson who are attracted to him.” • Miss Gay Oregon XII Debonique Most weeks Cook is in drag at least four Richards times, serving as master of ceremonies during • Miss Gay Oregon XXVII Jemca the dance shows Sundays and Tuesdays at Sil Stephens-Hunter verado. “I actually like to be busy. W hen I do • Ms. Gay Oregon VI Maria get a night at home, I just get bored and start • Ms. Gay Oregon XVI Lady Redd moving furniture around,” the overachiever • Miss Gay Portland XVI11 Samone Ceray says. “Before I used to think I was two different • Ms. Gay Portland II Maria people, but now they’re both the same. Poison • Ms. Gay Portland III T N T has calmed down a little, and Kevin has come • Debutante XXIX Savannah out a bit more.” • W h ite Knight III Ty O ’Dora Waters is excited about her upcoming royal visit to San Francisco and the gorgeous gown “When I first saw a drag queen it totally threw me—it never occurred to me that a man would dress as a woman! I was actually repulsed!”
