Drag queens make LGBTQ Pride Weekend in New Haven ‘bigger than ever’
By Pam McLoughlin, New Haven Register, Conn. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The drag queens are ambassadors that connect the LGBT and straight communities, said
"When we have a drag show, it draws a huge straight audience and so there's interaction (with LGBT community. Everyone will go to a drag show," Scheller said. "We all come away feeling happy."
Dandy Lions, a drag queen from
The block in front of the
Wyman, perkier than she usually is at public appearances, hugged drag queen emcee
"I've never seen her happier in her entire life," Wyman said, wrapping up with, "So go out there and party."
Pride New Haven Weekend began Thursday and will end Sunday with a wrap-up brunch.
He started the Pride group because, "With pride comes exposure, then tolerance and then tolerance turns into acceptance," he said. He said acceptance has come a long way in 20 years, as the club has an entrance on bustling
The interesting array of informational tables includes representatives from: Yale LBGT Affinity group, an employees organization that won in getting the insurance to cover gender reassignment surgery; The Gay Father's Project through the
There were also some kinky props and products for sale that certainly can't be found in
LGBT -- which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender -- now often has a Q added for queer, and in some cases, I for intersex, referring to those formerly known as hermaphrodites, said
Love said the word "queer" used to have a negative connotation, but the LGBT community is "taking it back and owning the strength," of the word.
"We're embracing it," said Love, also a member of the Gay Men's Chorus. He said adding the queer also broadens the scope of people who fit into the community because LGBT didn't cover it all.
Bartenders and popular people in the New Haven LBGT community braved a dunk tank to raise money to help cover the cost of the weekend. It was five balls for
By
There were some serious speeches on stage between drag queen acts, including two scholarships awarded and some advocacy during the acts: background drag queens holding up signs that said: "LGBT people carry on in
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