By Natalie Padron |Staff Writer|
This past weekend marked the second annual RuPaul’s Drag Convention and let’s just say, it was inspirational.
The west hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center was crawling with glamorous amazons with the hopes of meeting their favorite drag queens and iconic members of the LGBTQIA community.
The venue was covered in vendors of vintage clothing, lace front wigs, nail salons and even plush toys.
The back half was taken up by both past and present drag queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
RuPaul’s costume exhibit and dressed up wax figure was a real crowd-pleaser; and right behind it all was a curtained off room where you could go get your picture taken with the man himself.
Panels such as “Golden Girls Forever!,” where queens and Jim Colucci, author of “Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai,” discussed the magic behind the award-winning show and why it was so easy for people in the community to identify with these older women.
The infamous James St. James, writer and past celebrity of the 80s New York club kid scene, shared some secrets about his book “Freak Show,” and how it’s being adapted into a feature film like his first best seller, “Disco Bloodbath.”
This convention is not just for drag queens or ally adults.
Plenty of kids attended, being exposed to such an open minded and joyful environment.
Alyssa Edwards, a season five contestant and owner of Beyond Belief Dance Company, taught a master class for all ages and even showcased her students’ talents.
Plenty of parents were there supporting their young teens, like Tanya Kerr who spoke out about her daughter’s male friend whose parents would not let him attend, claiming they think drag is just a phase he is going through.
“Even if it is a phase, suppressing it isn’t helping and showing disapproval on such an artistic and brave choice for him to make is just going to crush his creative mind and make him insecure in his own home,” said Kerr.
“My daughter is 14 and has declared to be a lesbian. She still deserves my love and always will,” added Kerr.
Throughout the day you could also meet ex-pop singer and RuPaul’s Drag Race’s most known and feared judge, Michelle Visage.
Visage’s meet and greet had quite a long line but she really took the time to have a conversation and give some advice from the heart to her fans, which was refreshing but not unlike most of the attractions there.
RuPaul, much like Michelle, gave his fans the personal connection they deserved.
“Everyone I’ve met really made me feel loved for loving them, and I’ve never experienced anything like it at any kind of convention. There’s something special in this community,” raved long time Drag Race fan Cory Morales.
The convention wrapped up Mother’s Day with a keynote given by the drag mother to all, RuPaul.
He spoke about what it’s like to grow up different and how to accept it as your super power to achieve all that you’ve ever wanted.
He prepped his crowd for the struggles along the way but he assured it’s all going to be worth it and his listeners should believe that they are also worth it.
“You are God’s gift to this world. You are God. Can you handle it?” inquired RuPaul.
RuPaul left the crowd with that to chew on as they go out and take over the world.
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