Drag Queens have danced their way to the forefront of pop culture, but Drag Kings are still fighting for their time in the spotlight.
Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 drag scene is growing and diversifying, but the drag kings have always been around according to Laura McKenzie, also known as 害羞草研究所楥raven Moorehead害羞草研究所� who she describes as,害羞草研究所漛oth a rock and roll legend and a total perv.害羞草研究所�
McKenzie first met her masculine alter ego five years ago during her second amateur drag competition and then Craven Moorehead was asked to do more shows by infamous Kelowna Drag Queen Ella Lamoureux.
害羞草研究所淲hen I started doing more shows the question came up, what kind of man do I want to be? At first he was a dirty rock and roller, evolving with the themes of the show I was doing. Then he was a disco drag king, turns out he was very dirty, funny and liked to hump things. This is poking fun at gender, and what I think a man does,害羞草研究所� McKenzie said. 害羞草研究所淚 just kept getting more creative.害羞草研究所�
Drag found her when she moved to Kelowna 11 years ago with her now fianc茅, drifting towards the LGBTQ+ community in the valley instead of the hetero-normative one.
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The androgynous special effects makeup artist began wondering what she would look like as a man and playing with gender. Working at Calowna Costume for eight years, McKenzie had racks of clothing to choose from to begin sculpting Craven Moorehead.
害羞草研究所淚 started playing around with, facial hair and it all took off from there,害羞草研究所� now McKenzie prefers grease paint and a stipple brush to create the illusion of facial hair for performances. 害羞草研究所淓ven if my face is convincing, I am still a petite girl, and I am still 5-foot-5.害羞草研究所�
The sexual remarks and gestures Craven Moorehead makes on stage are taken lightly because the crowd still sees her as a woman performing her craft. She gets grabbed more when performing by the audience than in her day to day life; where the crowd comes to celebrating and poke fun at traditional gender roles and the social economic climate where men sexually harass women.
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害羞草研究所淭hey feel because I am a girl doing it and I am not getting any sexual gratification out of it, it害羞草研究所檚 more fun. They find it hilarious and we get to poke fun at this culture. The queens put their tips in their bra, I put mine in my pants. It害羞草研究所檚 funnier because those boobs aren害羞草研究所檛 real and I have a sock in my pants.害羞草研究所�
Drag Kings are not allowed to compete in the cult classic RuPaul害羞草研究所檚 Drag Race and neither are transwomen. However the kings have been climbing their way to the spotlight. A Drag King was the second runner-up in last year害羞草研究所檚 Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 Next Drag Superstar event. Kings originated in the 19th Century but were never able to make it to the main stream due to expressions of exaggerated femininity being more accepted and celebrated than expressions of exaggerated masculinity.
Related: The Bank of Montreal害羞草研究所檚 Kelowna branches add Pride flag to lobbies
This year McKenzie will not perform during Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 Pride weekend, she will be emulating Craven Moorehead at the Radiant Wrap-Up Dance Party at Level Nightclub on Aug. 19 at 10 p.m.
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