Drag is Back on Campus!

From left to right: Jazzlyn, Spectrum, The Original Eve, and Octavia Forte holding a UWS Sweatshirt after the performance.

Photo by Alicia Zoltowski | The Promethean

A drag show took place in the Yellowjacket Atrium here at the University of Wisconsin-Superior (UWS). Alliance, The Gender Equity Recourse Center (GERC), and support from staff brought the queens to campus Nov. 8.

According to T Wainman, gender & sexuality programs coordinator, this drag show was around the tenth to happen at UWS. However, for helpers Sam Gilbert and Sandra Plutchak this was their first time helping.

T Wainman Pointing at the Camera
Photo by Alicia Zoltowski | The Promethean

“This was actually kind of my first real experience with even a drag show. I think I’ve been to like one before. It was awesome, it was super fun… from the work programming side of things, it was cool to see so many community members, so many students of all kinds that showed up… and the from my own personal, it was really fun, it was really cool to be there in a setting I’m not familiar with.” said Gilbert after being asked about their experience at the drag show.

Plutchak had a similar take on her experience helping and attending the drag show. “So, this was my first year attending the UW-Superior drag show. I thought it was a great turn out; we had all kinds of people there. It was so much fun. The performers were awesome, and I can’t wait to do it again next year!”

The queens who came were The Original Eve, Dixie Diamond, Octavia Forte, Spectrum, and Jazzlyn! They each performed two songs except The Original Eve who performed three. The show was split into two halves, allowing for outfit changes. Many tips were given, and the crowd was full of cheers!

Octavia Forte Starting her performance Photo by Alicia Zoltowski | The Promethean

Octavia Forte was especially excited to be back at UWS, as she is an alumni! She graduated in 2016, coming as a freshman transfer in 2011.

When asked if coming back to perform at UWS was special Octavia Forte wrote that she’d rapped at open mics, had her own set rapping for March music madness and won a few Jacket Racket events while a student “but this meant so much to bring it [to a] full circle, and be so much more polished.”

Wainman has helped bring quite a few drag shows to campus and for them “it’s really just the opportunity to introduce folks to something like drag or to this type of cultural experience that is beyond what people might expect, or that is in more of a comfortable environment,” Wainman said. “Bringing folks and bringing this experience to people in a way and in a setting that is comfortable for them, that is inclusive of peoples, experiences, and needs, and then making sure people are taken care of as they do that.”

When asked if they would like to add anything Gilbert said, “Thinking towards next years it would be awesome to see students and more students participate.”

Spectrum Preforming on the Ground
Photo by Alicia Zoltowski | The Promethean

“Our show is always open for students, and staff and faculty too if they want to participate, to perform and they don’t have to be people who have done drag all the time, it can be somebody who has never done drag before and just wants to try it.” Wainman said, adding to Gilbert’s hopes.