USU’s annual drag show gives spotlight to queer community
The annual USU Drag Show is a spectacle of inclusion that celebrates LGBTQ+ students.
Emily Hill and Abby Lamborn are the directors of this year’s show, which will be held on Nov. 15.
Hill has been involved in every USU drag show so far. The event, put on by the Inclusion Center, was carried out by the Residence Life directors when Hill and Lamborn were resident assistants.
“We advertise for auditions around campus and around the community,” Hill said. “The very first year, we also reached out to more professional performers based out of Salt Lake. The vast majority of performers, probably 99% throughout the years, have either been current USU students or alumni.”
At a university Lamborn felt was “lacking in representation,” one of her friends had the idea for a drag show, thinking it was “something that he could do to bring more awareness to the queer community,” she said.
“We did have backlash at the time,” Lamborn said. “But the university decided to support us in going forward in that, so we’re really proud and excited.”
According to Lamborn, many don’t have open spaces.
“Utah was not known to be the heaviest inclusion for a lot of queer individuals,” Lamborn said. “And especially at our shows, I believe every single year at least one person who says this is the first open space, the first welcoming space they’ve had to be queer, to celebrate queerness or to even be exposed to any form of queerness. At least to us, it’s a lot of just creating a space where they can be educated about this community and feel safe to be whatever they are.”
Ike Thomas was involved in the drag show last year. He is excited to be a part of the show this year, performing as
“Gassy Cassy.”
“I’ve always been interested in drag, starting in middle and high school experimenting with makeup,” Thomas said. “I love the creativity I can put together. I am always having fun.”
According to Thomas, the drag show is important because it has been one of USU’s most attended events in the past few years.
Lamborn said the keynote speaker that annually presents at each show is a big part of the performance.
“We always have a keynote speaker as a part of the performance,” Lamborn said. “That speaker talks about the importance of drag in the queer community — a lot of rights that we have now as queer people from drag.”
The show will take place Nov. 15, as part of Trans Awareness Week, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are free and can be picked up at the TSC card office.