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Drag pageantry

Drag pageantry is a developed form of pageantry for female impersonators, drag queens, and trans women, styled after traditional beauty pageants or contests for cisgender women. It has also evolved into a pageantry for male impersonators, drag kings and trans men.

National pageants in the United States

National drag pageants became enmeshed within the gay community during the 1960s with a national circuit of pageants organized by Flawless Sabrina and have become increasingly prevalent since. Drag pageants were held in individual gay bars, and discothèques during the post Stonewall era. Drag pageants evolved independently, in the decade subsequent to the first gay Mardi Gras coronations.

Miss Gay America

Mirroring the format of the Miss America contest, the first national gay pageant Miss Gay America (MGA) was held in 1972 at the Watch Your Hat & Coat Saloon in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville's first gay dance and show bar.[1] Jerry Peek opened this bar in 1971, and it was an instant sensation, not only with gay patrons, but also with the straight crowd. Norma Kristie, state representative of Arkansas, was crowned as the winner of the 1973 Miss Gay America Pageant, and in 1975 Norman "Norma Kristie" Jones took ownership of the pageant from Jerry Peek, who founded the Miss Gay America Pageant. Norman Jones would form Norma Kristie, Inc. and operate the pageant and its network of preliminaries for the next 30 years.[1]

Since its inception, MGA has prided itself as a showcase for pure female impersonation: Contestants must be men who live as men, achieving a convincing feminine illusion solely through their own ingenuity, creativity, and resourcefulness. Bodily feminization via female hormones, breast implants, and/or injectable fillers such as liquid silicone is strictly forbidden (plastic surgery and fillers above the neck are permitted, however). An interview in male attire is a key component of the pageant; contestants are judged not only for their poise and articulateness but for their overall masculine presentation—points may be deducted for feminine aspects such as overly plucked eyebrows or long fingernails.

In February 2005, the Miss Gay America pageantry system was purchased by Larry Tyger and Terry Eason of L & T Entertainment. Currently, contestants are judged in 5 categories: Male Interview, Solo Talent, Evening Gown, Stage Question & Answer, and Production Talent.

On February 4, 2016, Michael Dutzer and Rob Mansman of Mad Angel Entertainment purchased the Miss Gay America pageant From L & T Entertainment.[2]

Former titleholders

Miss Continental

As Miss Gay America grew in popularity and prestige, many professional female impersonators who lived full-time as women found they were unable to compete in the pageant due to its longstanding rule barring transgender contestants. Aside from the prestige of holding a national title, MGA afforded its winner guaranteed show bookings at every state preliminary held during the title year; thus, the MGA crown turned what was often local, part-time work into a full-time job. Because many trans women also use drag shows as a source of income, it was only natural that a pageantry system would evolve to meet their needs.

In 1980, Chicago nightclub promoter Jim Flint, owner of the Baton Show Lounge, filled this void with the creation of the Miss Continental U.S.A. Pageant. Contestants were scored in interview, swim wear, talent, and evening gown; for the finalists, an on stage question. A number of notable winners either were "boy queens" at the time that they won or have never pursued gender transition—including Chilli Pepper, the first Miss Continental, Michelle Dupree, Miss Continental 1998, Naysha Lopez, Miss Continental, 2013 and Brooke Lynn Hytes, Miss Continental 2014–15—but over time the Continental Pageantry System became renowned for its "titty girls," or pre-/non-operative transsexual contestants. On January 7, 2019 Jim Flint released a statement that Continental would be the second pageant out of the top 5 to allow post-operative contestant to compete in its pageants, the only other National System that allowed that until this time was All American Goddess. Today, Miss Continental has preliminaries representing various U.S. states as well as Canada and Europe.

(All winners were crowned in Chicago, Illinois)

In 2019, Jim Flint, owner of the Continental Pageant announced that long time competitor Sasha Valentino would be named an HONORARY Miss Continental. Sasha passed away 12/26/2011.

Miss Continental Plus Winners

Miss Continental Elite Winners

Mr. Continental Winners

Miss Continental Newcomer Winners

Mr. Continental Newcomer Winners

National Entertainer of the Year

This contest was created by George Stinson and Ed Lewis, owners of the successful Connection Complex in Louisville, Kentucky. They drew their inspiration from Female Impersonator of the Year, a one-time pageant event held in Houston in 1985, hosted by Ruth Buzzi and Lyle Waggoner, and released as a cable-TV special and home video. The winner of that contest, the late Naomi Sims (Newman Braud), is honored as EOY Emeritus.[23] The headquarters for the contest was also in the Connection.[24]

Mr. Entertainer of the Year

King Entertainer of the Year

In 2011, after years of pushing from EOY promoters and a final agreement from major sponsor Anheuser Busch, National EOY introduced an MI division. On a preliminary level, the first MI crowned into the EOY system was Joey Paige, who captured the title of Kentucky EOY King at the preliminary pageant in Louisville on July 3, 2011. This was the only EOY MI prelim contest held that year. Michigan EOY also sent a representative to Nationals that year, Spacee Kadett, though Spacee was appointed the title in the state. The remaining contestants for the first EOY King contest entered as open competitors, and such open entry into EOY King competition continues to this day.

In July 2011, after national competition, EOY crowned Spacee Kadett as the first national king in its system. Spacee's victory and reign of outrageous drag helped push drag kinging to a more daring and theatrical level across the US, and set a standard for kings in the EOY system.

Femme Entertainer of the Year

In 2015, EOY promoters and owners expanded the contest to include the Femme counterparts with the first National Pageant held at the Connection Complex theatre.

[27][28]

Miss Gay USofA

Houston, Texas based MGA promoter Jerry Bird purchased the bankrupt Miss Gay USA pageant from former MGA Jimi Dee in 1985.[29] Within a few years he took the pageant from a small twelve contestant affair to a national showcase with over eighty participants. In 1986, the first Miss Gay USA Naomi Sims crowned Michael Andrews. In the mid-1990s the pageant was renamed Miss Gay USofA after complaints and legal threats from the owner of Miss USA, Donald Trump, who placed a cease and desist order until verbiage could be agreed upon that allowed for both competitions to continue without confusion or discrimination.

There have been a wide range of contestants in the Miss USofA System, and many USofA titleholders also count the Miss Gay America crown as accomplishments in female impersonation. These include:

Naomi Sims, Miss Gay USA 1979 (Miss Gay America 1985); Michael Andrews, Miss Gay USA 1986 (Miss Gay America 1977); Jacquelyn DeVaroe, Miss Gay USofA 1997 (Miss Gay America 1994); Lauren Taylor, Miss Gay USofA 1998 (Miss Gay America 1997); Alyssa Edwards, Miss Gay USofA 2006 (Miss Gay America 2010, though Edwards was stripped of the title a few short months after winning the crown); Dominique Sanchez, Miss Gay USofA 2010 (Miss Gay America 2003); Luscious, Miss Gay USofA 2011 (Miss Gay America 2007), and, Asia O'Hara, Miss Gay USofA 2007 (Miss Gay America 2016).

The following is the list of the winners of the Miss Gay U.S.A. Pageant — then a complete change of ownership — Miss Gay USA winners 1986 through 1994 and Miss Gay USofA winners from 1995 through present:

Miss Gay USofA

Miss Gay USofA at Large

Miss Gay USofA Classic

Miss Gay USofA Newcomer

Mr. Gay USofA

Mr. Gay USofA at Large

Mister USofA MI

Mister USofA MI Classic

Miss USofA DIVA (femme)

During the 1990s, the range and variety of drag pageantry continued to expand; however the "big four" pageant systems of MGA, Continental, USofA and EOY still dominated the market. New competitions with new requirements brought a wider variety of performers to drag pageantry. Contests for plus-sized, mature and African American female impersonators became popular.

All American Goddess

This pageant system was created by Scott Gonyaw. Unlike the "Big Four" of drag pageantry, AAG welcomes postoperative trans women as contestants. As of January 7, 2020, AAG is now promoted by former AAG, Nikki Vixxen.[30]

All American Goddess at Large

All American Gent

The Female Impersonators’ Miss Florida Pageant (Miss Florida FI)

First held in 1972, a few months after the first Miss Gay America contest, this pageant was revived in 2014 after seven years of inactivity. Though technically a state pageant, Miss Florida FI held prestige comparable to that of a national pageant for many years, with entertainers from around the U.S. vying for the crown, and guests and judges who included international celebrities. Before Miss Continental and Miss Gay USA (now Miss Gay USofA) were created, Miss Florida was the only major female-impersonation pageant that permitted trans women to compete. (Jim Flint, owner and founder of the Continental Pageantry System, has acknowledged Miss Florida as his inspiration for creating Miss Continental.)

Miss Florida FI at Large

Miss Florida FI Supreme

Mr. Florida M.E

Universal ShowQueen

Since 1984, Universal ShowQueen has been held annually in Honolulu, Hawaii. Similar to Miss Florida FI, USQ is a "local national" pageant that attracts contestants from not only Hawaii but also the mainland U.S. It is renowned for its signature category—Showgirl Costume—a showcase for lavish and elaborate Las Vegas–style costumes and headdresses.

Miss Gay International

(Formerly Miss Amateur National) This pageant founded for newer queens transformed into what is now Miss International Inc. -This system is not to be confused with the hostile split with former's (Vicki Valentino & Marlowe Septimius) with the now defunct Miss Gay International Inc.

~ Chelsey took over for Lady Angelica when she was temporarily dethroned. When Anjelica was rethroned after the crowning of a new winner, Chelsey was named Honorary for her service to the pageant.

~~ Monet was initially crowned in 2006 but shortly after it was discovered there was a scoring error and Amaya had actually won. They shared the title briefly before Monet was de-crowned for unknown reasons.

Miss Gay International Plus

National Bearded Queen

In 2016 this system was founded to provide individuals who did not fit the "standard norm" of drag. National Bearded Queen is a system that provides an opportunity for Bearded Queers to compete and showcase their talents. This system is open to individuals of all genders with the only requirement to compete being they must perform regularly as a bearded performer (Real or Prosthetic). Prelims started in 2017 with the first National Competition held in May 2018.

America's Bearded Queen

Bearded Pageantry Inc created America's Bearded Queen in 2019 and the first national contest was held in November 2021. It will be held in November each year in Dallas, TX.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "About Miss Gay America". Miss Gay America. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  2. ^ "Miss Gay America Pageant Sold to Mad Angel Entertainment".
  3. ^ Greenwell, John. "Teased Hair & the Quest for Tiaras: The Story of Rachel Wells, Miss Gay America 1979". Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  4. ^ "Miss Gay America 1996 Part 3". YouTube.
  5. ^ "Miss Gay America 1996 Part 2". YouTube.
  6. ^ "Opening of Miss Gay America 1997". YouTube.
  7. ^ "Opening of Miss Gay America 1997". YouTube.
  8. ^ "Miss Gay America 1998 Friday night preliminary competition part 1". YouTube.
  9. ^ "Opening of Miss Gay America 1998". YouTube.
  10. ^ "Opening of Miss Gay America 1999". YouTube.
  11. ^ "Opening of Miss Gay America 1999". YouTube.
  12. ^ "Parade of Contestants & Top 10 - Miss Gay America 2000". YouTube.
  13. ^ "Parade of Contestants & Top 10 - Miss Gay America 2000". YouTube.
  14. ^ "Parade of Contestants & Top 10 - Miss Gay America 2000". YouTube.
  15. ^ "Sabrina White ★ Finalist MGA 2001". YouTube.
  16. ^ "Opening of Miss Gay America 2002". YouTube.
  17. ^ "Opening of Miss Gay America 2002". YouTube.
  18. ^ Hartwig, Gabe (2009-11-02). "50 contestants, 4 days, 1 Miss Gay America". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
  19. ^ "Miss Gay America 2013". YouTube.
  20. ^ Hartwig, Gabe (7 October 2018). "Miss Gay America crowns 2019 queen in St. Louis". Retrieved October 7, 2018.
  21. ^ Hartwig, Gabe (6 October 2019). "Miss Gay America pageant crowns its 49th queen in O'Fallon, Ill". Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  22. ^ "Little Rock to host 50th annual Miss Gay America pageant next week". 13 January 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  23. ^ "NEOYHOME". entoftheyear. Retrieved 2019-11-17.
  24. ^ Egerton, Judith (25 June 1994). "Think Pink". The Courier-Journal. p. 18. Retrieved 4 May 2019 – via Newspapers.com. and "Untitled". The Courier-Journal. 25 June 1994. p. 19. Retrieved 4 May 2019 – via Newspapers.com. and "Think Pink". The Courier-Journal. 25 June 1994. p. 20. Retrieved 4 May 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Thurston, Susan (17 July 2009). "Will This Lady Be a Champ?". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 4 May 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Clyde Harris". resume.castingnetworks.com. Archived from the original on May 18, 2018. Retrieved 2019-11-17.
  27. ^ "Homepage". EOY Pageantry. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  28. ^ Click Click Expose Gay Entertainment Media / http://www.clickclickexpose.com
  29. ^ Fairfield, Carrie. "Interview with Jerry Bird". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-08-17.
  30. ^ "About Us".