Drag is for Everyone!
We're serving gender expression realness this year for our biggest little awards show. But why?
Don't miss the #2019TeenyAwards DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA!
Every year, TeenTix throws a big ol' party (the Teeny Awards!) to celebrate the work that our Arts Partners do to keep art accessible for young people. In true TeenTix style, the party is full of snacks, crafts, photo booths, and an awards ceremony that honors art from the last year voted on by you, TeenTix members, PLUS a program full of super-fun teen-choice performances.
These days, gender politics are at the forefront of our national dialogue and, more often than not, young people are in the center of the conversation. The young activists who fight every day to express themselves freely inspired us to celebrate gender expression with a DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA this year at the Teeny Awards!
So, why is TeenTix preparing to throw a drag ball of epic proportions this year? And what IS drag, anyhow?
The story of drag goes back a long way, but it's far from ancient history. In this video, contestants from RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars give a brief history of the art of drag, and explain how it has burst onto the modern pop culture scene:
Today's drag and genderplay movements challenge traditional gender roles and offer a place for creativity, fun, and freedom for people of all walks of life. It also provides a space for young people to feel good about themselves in a binary world that can feel stifling. With this year’s theme we're celebrating the ways in which all young people are free to express themselves, and how that freedom helps foster a strong, healthy arts community.
But don't just take it from us! Betty Wetter, host of the #2019TeenyAwards, has plenty to say about drag's impact on her life.
Plus, we can’t wait to highlight some of our wonderful Arts & Community Partners that support gender-diverse programming. You might see some of these organizations win a Teeny Award when you attend this year! These partners are actively working to foster a more inclusive community: 18th and Union, ACT Theatre, Copious Love Productions, Lambert House, MoPOP, Northwest Film Forum, Reel Grrls, Skate Like a Girl, Three Dollar Bill Cinema, and Washington Ensemble Theatre
Do you want even more drag in your life? Check out our watchlist:
YouTube: The History of the Word 'Drag' | Drag HerStory Series | 100 Years of Drag Queen Fashion | 2000 Years of Drag: A Musical Oddity
Movies & TV: Paris is Burning, POSE, Wigstock: The Movie, Kinky Boots, The Birdcage, Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar, Viktor and Viktoria, Sylvia Scarlett, Yentl, Some Like It Hot, Tootsie, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Connie and Carla, Jinx Monsoon: Drag Becomes Him, Dressed As A Girl, The Queen of Ireland... and more!
