Full Transcript for Transcendence Cabaret. In conversation with Eun Bee Yes.

about all of that. 00:05:49.394 --> 00:05:54.735 And as always, you you stand on the shoulders of the giants before you. 00:05:54.735 --> 00:06:00.749 So I stand on the shoulders of my trancestors, as we coined that, right? 00:06:00.749 --> 00:06:02.429 um Marsha P. 00:06:02.429 --> 00:06:29.131 Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, the people who in Stonewall and Compton cafeteria, know, the uprisings then of our trans brothers and sisters and siblings and primarily People of Color, especially Black and brown, who led the whole, you know, um fight against homophobia, transphobia, and all of that, and brought about pride. 00:06:29.131 --> 00:06:34.971 So to stand on those shoulders is humbling, and to carry on that work is important. 00:06:34.971 --> 00:06:39.331 So after that fundraiser, I was like, oh my God, this is amazing, we should have more of this. 00:06:39.331 --> 00:06:41.790 I'm like, well, why don't we have more of this? 00:06:41.790 --> 00:07:12.103 So in 2017, I approached the then managers of Lush and said, hey, Would you be interested in us having a monthly show featuring all trans artists and primarily Black Indigenous People of Color artists, primarily, and then of course some white artists as well, but all trans. 00:07:12.103 --> 00:07:13.624 It's an all trans period. 00:07:13.624 --> 00:07:26.208 I'm not interested in centering cisgender at all because dominant society always centers cisgender and Here in Minneapolis, St. 00:07:26.208 --> 00:07:37.610 Paul and the surrounding communities, we still have, it's mostly cisgender, troupes, drag shows and whatnot, burlesque shows. 00:07:37.610 --> 00:07:45.453 It's gotten better, to be fair, since then, you know, it's gotten a lot more eclectic and a lot more better. 00:07:45.453 --> 00:07:51.875 And so 2018, we had our very first show there at Lush. 00:07:51.875 --> 00:07:53.956 And this is like our eighth year, right? 00:07:53.956 --> 00:08:03.579 Eight consecutive year and 2020, epidemic, that epidemic, COVID epidemic, I should say, started and everything shut down. 00:08:03.579 --> 00:08:05.701 And you you mentioned the hybrid. 00:08:05.701 --> 00:08:13.665 are now the only monthly show that has a option. 00:08:13.665 --> 00:08:18.907 We are at the Phoenix Theater and we moved from Lush to the Phoenix. 00:08:18.907 --> 00:08:33.126 And well, first we moved to online only that first you saw that that March show was interesting on zoom because we didn't know what we're doing and things about and then we got lots better. 00:08:33.126 --> 00:08:36.117 And then we moved to Phoenix eventually. 00:08:36.117 --> 00:08:42.308 We were at this small, very intimate little place called the Midnight Theater, which is really amazing. 00:08:42.308 --> 00:08:48.006 And my friend ran that and then they could no longer be there. 00:08:48.006 --> 00:08:49.311 It's like now what? 00:08:49.311 --> 00:08:55.514 And I chose Phoenix because it had built in streaming capabilities. 00:08:55.514 --> 00:09:02.778 So now

among these shows that Phoenix are streaming and it's still mandatory masking. 00:09:02.778 --> 00:09:06.699 So in-person mandatory masking, no exceptions. 00:09:06.699 --> 00:09:14.193 And then we have the streaming on our YouTube channel where like you said, anywhere in the world, people can just subscribe. 00:09:14.193 --> 00:09:19.160 You know, they get a ticket, they get an automatic link and they can come in person. 00:09:19.160 --> 00:09:23.875 with a masc or they can go online and it can stream. 00:09:23.875 --> 00:09:33.022 to answer, go back to your original question as we started, because representation is important, because BIPOC representation is important. 00:09:33.022 --> 00:09:48.519 When you have the intersectionality of BIPOC, trans, non-binary, and especially Two-Spirit, a representation within the artistic community back in 2017, 2018. 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:50.719 that was scarce on the ground. 00:09:50.719 --> 00:10:05.185 And so I really wanted to center our communities that way and start a troupe that was really um revolutionary in the cities at that time. 00:10:05.185 --> 00:10:07.786 And now it might be like, this is old hat. 00:10:07.786 --> 00:10:15.209 And again, people standing in our show to say, know, transcendentists, they will then we also, and it's like, absolutely. 00:10:15.209 --> 00:10:18.052 Let's expand beyond. 00:10:18.052 --> 00:10:19.423 So it's more common, right? 00:10:19.423 --> 00:10:20.824 Now it seems more common. 00:10:20.824 --> 00:10:24.986 you know, we have troupes, people who are within the trans community. 00:10:24.986 --> 00:10:25.897 No one blinks an eye. 00:10:25.897 --> 00:10:39.795 And I'd like to hope that when we started in 2018, our, my goal was to make that less of a singular thing and more of a common occurrence. 00:10:39.795 --> 00:10:44.899 And if it's more common occurrence now, then we did our job. 00:10:44.899 --> 00:10:46.269 Absolutely. 00:10:46.269 --> 00:10:48.729 You know, when you were saying like, it is more common now. 00:10:48.729 --> 00:10:51.309 And I was like, and you were part of that change. 00:10:51.309 --> 00:11:06.289 Like you, I really believe that at least in the Twin Cities, Transcendence was very much part of that change of that shift towards, you know, giving opportunities as well, because it's not just about the representation, it's also the opportunities for growth, right? 00:11:06.289 --> 00:11:12.549 I love what it says in the bio for Transcendence Cabaret, that it's also about pushing kind of artistic expression, right? 00:11:12.549 --> 00:11:13.428 And I... 00:11:13.428 --> 00:11:29.128 I would assume that for a lot of Black, Indigenous, know, Folks of Color who wanted to enter the drag scene, and then on top of that trans, you know, the Two-Spirit, gender, expansive, non-binary, there would have been multiple barriers to access traditional drag scene. 00:11:29.128 --> 00:11:39.348 And so I'm also curious about, you know, having a space like Transcendence is also a place for mentorship and like an entry point for artists, right? 00:11:39.348 --> 00:11:41.288 Or at least I'm assuming so. 00:11:41.288 --> 00:11:57.714 Yeah, because I had original troupe and then as people would be guest artists on our shows, I like to think I have an eye for it, of really great talent, and I'd ask them to join, especially BIPOC. 00:11:57.714 --> 00:12:07.855 And then after a while, these people would catch the eye of other show directors and other house leaders, parents, and join houses and then... 00:12:07.855 --> 00:12:12.127 They'd be like, you know, I love my time with Transcendence and I'm not too time to move on. 00:12:12.127 --> 00:12:13.668 It's like, you know, yeah. 00:12:13.668 --> 00:12:16.907 I mean, I'm sad to see them go because it's bad. 00:12:16.907 --> 00:12:26.048 But, you know, as parents and you and I also parents, I think one of the big goals we want is our kids to go beyond us. 00:12:26.048 --> 00:12:31.887 So even though this wasn't like a house traditional, but maybe it kind of is right. 00:12:31.887 --> 00:12:35.371 Because when you think of like the ballroom scene. 00:12:35.371 --> 00:12:37.313 and the houses and the competitions. 00:12:37.313 --> 00:12:44.870 was people bound together by chosen family and talent and their houses and competing. 00:12:44.870 --> 00:12:51.668 And though we don't compete per se, it is, I tried to do two things. 00:12:51.668 --> 00:12:55.748 One, the mentorship and the safety to do your art. 00:12:55.748 --> 00:13:00.512 So our shows are not necessarily mainstream drag and there's nothing wrong with mainstream drag. 00:13:00.512 --> 00:13:05.001 if you go back, like you mentioned the history of drag, drag was subversive. 00:13:05.001 --> 00:13:08.634 You weren't supposed to do drag you know? 00:13:08.634 --> 00:13:17.111 And I think also, I also understand flip side, where some trans people, especially trans women, be like, well, drag is mocking us as women. 00:13:17.111 --> 00:13:20.584 It's like, my God, wasn't supposed to be like that at all. 00:13:20.584 --> 00:13:32.949 And for those drag artists to do that, you need to correct yourself because drag really was, how dare you tell me that I can't get into fem, fem. 00:13:32.949 --> 00:13:37.021 or female or femme presenting and do art. 00:13:37.021 --> 00:13:41.741 Or later on, oh masc masc presenting and do art. 00:13:41.741 --> 00:13:43.001 And that's still an issue, right? 00:13:43.001 --> 00:13:54.450 Because drag King's masculine-centered art has seen us less than, which absolutely burns my biscuits, as our grandmas used to say, because you don't gatekeep. 00:13:54.450 --> 00:13:57.732 Gatekeeping does not belong in a community. 00:13:57.732 --> 00:14:03.075 So to go back to the origins of drag, it's a... 00:14:03.075 --> 00:14:07.250 you get to interpret drag how you want to interpret drag. 00:14:07.250 --> 00:14:15.072 And if you want to do mainstream pop stuff by all means, but for

elevated, however you want to elevate that. 00:14:15.072 --> 00:14:17.851 But I encourage the subversiveness. 00:14:17.851 --> 00:14:24.511 Like if you want to do that cool, weird, funky art, if you want to do, I call it activist drag. 00:14:24.511 --> 00:14:32.192 And maybe I coined that where you like take an issue and you do a number around it and you just expand that whether it's around. 00:14:32.192 --> 00:14:44.628 you know, AIDS, HIV, whether it's around safe sex, whether it's around consent, whether it's around kink, polyamory, whether it's around Gothic stuff, know, alternative drag and all this is like big now. 00:14:44.628 --> 00:14:49.721 But again, that stayed in the shadows for so long because that wasn't drag. 00:14:49.721 --> 00:14:53.562 And I'm going to say, no, that's not, that's not true. 00:14:53.562 --> 00:14:56.464 There's, drag is so big. 00:14:56.464 --> 00:15:02.632 There's so many things that can do with, with drag that There should not be any gatekeeping. 00:15:02.632 --> 00:15:05.331 What I want is good. 00:15:05.331 --> 00:15:07.035 I want you to do the best. 00:15:07.035 --> 00:15:10.828 I don't want you to come and just like sleepwalk. 00:15:10.828 --> 00:15:14.480 Then this true person for you and our shows aren't for you. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:18.443 You're not going to see that in our shows. 00:15:18.443 --> 00:15:21.786 Those aren't the artists I want in my troupe. 00:15:21.786 --> 00:15:29.538 I want people who want to perform and have this voice and heart and spirit. 00:15:29.538 --> 00:15:33.940 that says when I'm on stage, I'm doing this thing. 00:15:33.940 --> 00:15:39.375 And when I'm doing this thing, it's because I had an idea or I had my muse or whatever. 00:15:39.375 --> 00:15:45.137 And I just crafted everything from the ground, from the ground up. 00:15:45.137 --> 00:15:47.529 And so that's the mentorship that I wanna bring. 00:15:47.529 --> 00:15:49.761 I wanna bring that safe space. 00:15:49.761 --> 00:15:55.565 And then beyond that, I want people to go above and beyond and go out. 00:15:55.565 --> 00:15:58.775 And maybe they're no longer with us, but then I see them. 00:15:58.775 --> 00:16:08.075 getting bookings and doing other shows and being in their houses and just doing amazing things in the drag community. 00:16:08.075 --> 00:16:10.575 And I think that's amazing. 00:16:10.575 --> 00:16:12.555 It's like, wow, aren't we lucky? 00:16:12.555 --> 00:16:18.812 So about a year so ago, one of my artists, Moe Russell, Honor Yes. 00:16:18.812 --> 00:16:22.173 You you gotta remember all the names here. 00:16:22.173 --> 00:16:25.164 Approached me and said, I got an idea. 00:16:25.164 --> 00:16:26.834 And I said, okay. 00:16:26.834 --> 00:16:32.266 And what their idea was was to create an open stage show. 00:16:32.266 --> 00:16:34.538 And there's a lot of them, but here's the thing. 00:16:34.538 --> 00:16:37.017 It's not a judged show. 00:16:37.017 --> 00:16:39.639 It's not honest reaction. 00:16:39.639 --> 00:16:40.899 You win. 00:16:40.899 --> 00:16:43.319 We don't have prizes. 00:16:43.319 --> 00:16:47.024 It's first come, first serve, first five. 00:16:47.024 --> 00:16:48.635 We had to tweak it now to five. 00:16:48.635 --> 00:16:49.906 We've had six or seven. 00:16:49.906 --> 00:16:51.748 That was just, that was a lot. 00:16:51.748 --> 00:17:01.075 So now we've got it honed down to five artists, open stage, two numbers, know, two sets, split tickets, split tips. 00:17:01.075 --> 00:17:02.897 You get to do whatever you want. 00:17:02.897 --> 00:17:05.670 And this is open stage where you don't have to be trans. 00:17:05.670 --> 00:17:06.471 We really are. 00:17:06.471 --> 00:17:12.976 This is open to everyone because again, drag and this is everything. 00:17:12.976 --> 00:17:15.567 drag, burlesque, spoken word, comedy. 00:17:15.567 --> 00:17:18.884 um Amazing. 00:17:18.884 --> 00:17:24.555 whatever your muse wants you to do, you do it. 00:17:24.555 --> 00:17:25.894 So I said, yeah, let's do it. 00:17:25.894 --> 00:17:33.837 And so that's called Spotlight, Late Night Spotlight, because that's always, it's too late for a lot of people, but it's a 10.30 PM show. 00:17:33.837 --> 00:17:35.147 I know, I'm so sorry. 00:17:35.147 --> 00:17:38.759 It's at 10.30 at night at the Phoenix, but it's live streamed. 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:42.399 It's streamed against the hybrid shows so people can watch from wherever. 00:17:42.399 --> 00:17:53.984 And we open it up to everyone, whether you're a veteran and You know, how we pitch it is, if you're a veteran, you've got a new act that you want to just see how this feels on stage. 00:17:53.984 --> 00:18:02.805 See how it feels to as you move, as you do your first choreography on stage for the first time, as you do your makeup or your outfits a certain way. 00:18:02.805 --> 00:18:03.605 How does that look? 00:18:03.605 --> 00:18:04.504 How does that feel? 00:18:04.504 --> 00:18:05.944 Okay, try it out. 00:18:05.944 --> 00:18:08.924 And of course, the newbies, the new people. 00:18:08.924 --> 00:18:10.544 Never stepped on stage. 00:18:10.544 --> 00:18:13.044 I've always dreamed of being on stage. 00:18:13.044 --> 00:18:15.305 I've always wanted to try. 00:18:15.305 --> 00:18:21.696 It's like this is your open opportunity to try it, to network. 00:18:21.696 --> 00:18:28.456 And, you know, we have show producers watching, we have other artists watching going, hey, you know what? 00:18:28.456 --> 00:18:30.017 We've got a show. 00:18:30.017 --> 00:18:31.956 Why don't you, I'm going to like pitch you. 00:18:31.956 --> 00:18:37.557 I'm going to like tell my director, this artist was amazing. 00:18:37.557 --> 00:18:39.656 I think we should have them as guest artists. 00:18:39.656 --> 00:18:44.550 So again, it's all about creating that space. 00:18:44.550 --> 00:19:00.669 where you can not only do that art, but you have opportunities, you have networking, you get to see what it's like, you've got a broad

audience, I get a safe environment, you cheer, there isn't, you don't have to worry about being judged. 00:19:00.669 --> 00:19:13.916 Although this year we had three opportunities of mentorship, not judging, mentors, where we'd have four mentors from the community who I chose. 00:19:13.916 --> 00:19:24.151 who I thought were kind and caring and compassionate, who would truly give feedback that would elevate these artists. 00:19:24.151 --> 00:19:29.292 And our total spotlight is, the theme is called Gentleman's Choice. 00:19:29.292 --> 00:19:36.196 And it's, I got four gentlemen mentors and this is centered about masc-centered art. 00:19:36.196 --> 00:19:41.820 So like I said, drag kings are often looked down on, are often marginalized. 00:19:41.820 --> 00:19:43.000 And I said not. 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:44.560 not at this specific show. 00:19:44.560 --> 00:19:53.963 Not only is it all masc-centered art, we're bringing in four gentlemen um to be mentors to say, this is great. 00:19:53.963 --> 00:20:12.588 Here's how to elevate the look or the number or how you do the choreography so that they can tweak that number and really refine it and really maybe make it, you know, their showstopper number or the number that they're known by or number that they might use. 00:20:12.588 --> 00:20:13.315 you very much. 00:20:13.315 --> 00:20:19.769 to enter a competition or something, that's what the mentor shows up for. 00:20:19.769 --> 00:20:33.942 And spotlight overall is that mentoring opportunity that we want to give open stage, no judging, no competition, just that opportunity. 00:20:33.942 --> 00:20:38.566 So like you said, Alex, that mentoring is important, that nurturing is important. 00:20:38.566 --> 00:20:52.461 And so Transcendence overall, um That's what we do is we encourage the art and the mentoring and the safety and the supports that people can really create art that speaks to them. 00:20:52.461 --> 00:20:55.603 And that the audience could go, I have never seen that. 00:20:55.603 --> 00:20:56.222 We hear that. 00:20:56.222 --> 00:20:58.624 I have never seen that at a show before. 00:20:58.624 --> 00:21:10.388 um And then we're going, great, come back, come back, bring friends, come back, you know, cause it really makes our artists happy to see. 00:21:10.388 --> 00:21:22.711 people and the audience just absolutely thrilled and, you know, just have that wonder and that joy to share that art with. 00:21:22.711 --> 00:21:24.271 Absolutely. 00:21:24.271 --> 00:21:27.591 And that's what I love about Transcendence. 00:21:27.591 --> 00:21:30.731 It's so innovative, it's so fun. 00:21:30.731 --> 00:21:33.751 It's also just beautifully produced, of course. 00:21:33.751 --> 00:21:46.751 But it really feels so consistent with me, with the true spirit of drag, as somebody who's been out as queer for, I don't know, over a quarter of a century. 00:21:46.751 --> 00:22:06.754 Now, let's really seeing kind of, I think that when I first came out, Drag was really interesting because I felt there was a real contrast between the way that cisgender gay men, to be honest, did drag, especially white cisgender gay men, because I think there's an issue, there's a difference, right? 00:22:06.754 --> 00:22:12.588 There's an influence of white supremacy even on the drag scene in some ways, right? 00:22:12.588 --> 00:22:21.394 It's like if I think the way that white cis gay men were doing drag in the 90s is very different than what we're talking about. 00:22:21.394 --> 00:22:51.230 oh I feel like the way Transcendence does drag, really there feels like there is that connection to ballroom culture, to the house culture, to like, and that was really like, Folks of Color where it was very different, you know, in my understanding and having been, having had the privilege and the gift to go to some kind of ballroom events is such a different event than like cis white gay man doing drag, to be honest. 00:22:51.230 --> 00:23:06.101 And so You know, that's what I love about Transcendence that it's drag is not just about uh playing with gender, but it's truly about inviting people to question the norms, right? 00:23:06.101 --> 00:23:11.823 Even of gender question the boundaries of artistic expression, right? 00:23:11.823 --> 00:23:19.871 And really question all those like binaries that we might tend to fall back on in dominant culture and think. 00:23:19.871 --> 00:23:23.412 bigger, larger, brighter, more creatively, right? 00:23:23.412 --> 00:23:28.031 I just love the expansiveness of the shows, right? 00:23:28.031 --> 00:23:35.511 And to me that expansiveness is how I've experienced ballroom culture as an outsider. 00:23:35.511 --> 00:23:40.412 It's the expansiveness of how I think about what drag can bring to the world. 00:23:40.412 --> 00:23:46.291 And it does make me wonder if that is why there's been such a backlash. 00:23:46.291 --> 00:24:02.778 on the drag scene in the past few years, because as the scene has really honored this tradition of ballroom, uh brought us this amazing expansive artist and more artists of color, more Indigenous artists, more trans artists, right? 00:24:02.778 --> 00:24:08.260 Even in mainstream drag, if I think about, I think about drag race as a little more mainstream, right? 00:24:08.260 --> 00:24:13.215 And even seeing the shift that there's been in shows like Drag Race, right? 00:24:13.215 --> 00:24:30.615 if that starts to be a threat to a system or a dominant culture that wants more constriction and more rigidity and more binaries, whereas like drag really brings creativity and possibility and expansion for art. 00:24:30.615 --> 00:24:33.767 I don't know if that makes sense or if you resonate with any of that. 00:24:33.767 --> 00:24:40.942 Yeah, yeah, because you know, I mean, obviously, we've had this whole thing about drag story time, which really is sad. 00:24:40.942 --> 00:24:44.925 Because I've been I've had the privilege of doing drag story time. 00:24:44.925 --> 00:24:49.210 And

when I'm looking at an audience of little children in their eyes are big and white. 00:24:49.210 --> 00:24:55.046 And I'm reading to them a story about, you know, feeling like a crayon. 00:24:55.046 --> 00:25:03.704 You know, there's that one book about You know, where you have a red crayon or a green crayon on the outside and a red crayon on the inside, right? 00:25:03.704 --> 00:25:07.924 And then you finally take off the wrapper and you're the red crayon and you're accepted. 00:25:07.924 --> 00:25:12.224 Finally, for who you are, obviously allegory, trans allegory. 00:25:12.224 --> 00:25:25.884 But when you read this to children who are three, four, five, six, seven years old, we're not talking about mix of cisgender, it may be queer, trans children. 00:25:25.884 --> 00:25:38.791 sure you see the rainbow pins and the trans pins sometimes with them but all I see are children who are like going this is a cool story and can I touch your dress? 00:25:38.791 --> 00:26:03.404 Can I you know can I can I look at your you can touch your dress can I look at your makeup and the hair can I have a photo and and it's not pushing an agenda right the only agenda pushing is first of all reading literacy and knowledge and being together as a community. 00:26:03.404 --> 00:26:25.115 And when I see all these children, regardless of race, regardless of gender, whatever, enjoying a story, that's all I'm doing is I'm sharing a story and then we get photos and I'm chatting to them and they're asking me the best questions like, your makeup is so sparkly. 00:26:25.115 --> 00:26:28.916 Yes, how do you make your makeup so sparkly, right? 00:26:28.916 --> 00:26:29.757 you do that? 00:26:29.757 --> 00:26:31.136 And then they want to look at my nails. 00:26:31.136 --> 00:26:32.596 So they want to try my rings. 00:26:32.596 --> 00:26:37.278 And I'm like, well, you know, I don't understand that hate. 00:26:37.278 --> 00:26:42.778 Because I don't think any of these people have actually attended a drag story time, honestly. 00:26:42.778 --> 00:26:46.077 They'd be saying, you're telling a story. 00:26:46.077 --> 00:26:47.066 I'm like, yeah. 00:26:47.066 --> 00:26:50.378 Yeah, and just looking fabulous while you do it. 00:26:50.378 --> 00:26:51.471 And that's the thing. 00:26:51.471 --> 00:26:53.422 Yeah. 00:26:53.422 --> 00:27:04.982 And that's why I think drag is such a beautiful celebration of imagination and possibility and what happens when we're not limited by constriction, right? 00:27:04.982 --> 00:27:08.975 If I think even, you know, my daughter, who you know, like... 00:27:08.975 --> 00:27:14.203 has been exposed in air quotes to drag since she was little. 00:27:14.203 --> 00:27:18.474 I think she probably saw her first drag show when she was like five or six, right? 00:27:18.474 --> 00:27:25.807 And she's in her twenties now and I'm pretty sure she would be fine with me saying this, but I'll check in with her. 00:27:25.807 --> 00:27:26.317 worry. 00:27:26.317 --> 00:27:28.478 Before I release this episode. 00:27:28.478 --> 00:27:37.580 And if you hear this Gender Stories, listeners or watchers, if you're watching on YouTube, please rest assured that this story is going to be shared with her consent. 00:27:37.580 --> 00:27:39.530 I will make sure I get her consent. 00:27:39.530 --> 00:27:43.033 but she's one of the most cisgender girls I've ever met. 00:27:43.033 --> 00:27:43.625 know what I mean? 00:27:43.625 --> 00:27:50.518 Like even my friends would tease me when they came to our house and be like, it looks like a pink dragon is puked all over this room. 00:27:50.518 --> 00:27:55.240 This is your child, you know, from this very queer household, you know? 00:27:55.240 --> 00:27:57.119 And she's always loved femininity. 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:03.802 And for her drag was just this like beautiful, expansive celebration of femininity, right? 00:28:03.802 --> 00:28:29.201 And I remember after she saw her first all ages, of course, family-friendly drag shows, because sometimes people don't understand that there are kind of adults-only drag shows, but there are also all-ages family-friendly drag shows, and so this would have been all-ages family-friendly drag shows, that what she was excited about was the imagination aspect, the dressing up, the performing. 00:28:29.201 --> 00:28:32.325 I remember, you know, practicing like lip syncing. 00:28:32.325 --> 00:28:33.845 and doing choreography. 00:28:33.845 --> 00:28:42.625 And a lot of that came from drag and seeing just how wonderful it is to just be yourself. 00:28:42.625 --> 00:28:51.805 And that message, I think, is so powerful, no matter what the identities of the kids involved in Drag Story Hour. 00:28:51.805 --> 00:28:54.284 Because this was before Drag Story Hour was the thing. 00:28:54.284 --> 00:28:58.204 It would have been 18 or so years ago. 00:28:58.204 --> 00:29:09.190 But even just like the celebration of imagination, creativity, glitter, glamour, show... 00:29:09.190 --> 00:29:14.134 person-ship, I don't know what to say, showmanship, show person-ship, right? 00:29:14.134 --> 00:29:26.144 And the centering of femininity, you know, which is traditional in drag, even though we have so many wonderful drag kings too, was what was really powerful. 00:29:26.144 --> 00:29:30.823 for her, especially because there were so many masc people in her life. 00:29:30.823 --> 00:29:35.519 She was surrounded by so many trans masc people and queer men. 00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:46.538 so drag was like, yes, all the girliness and the femininity and the beauty and the makeup and the nails and the dress and the music. 00:29:46.538 --> 00:29:47.499 It's fabulous. 00:29:47.499 --> 00:29:50.061 It's just fabulous, if nothing else. 00:29:50.061 --> 00:29:53.966 And why do we want to take that away from anybody, especially children? 00:29:53.966 --> 00:29:55.217 who love imagination. 00:29:55.217 --> 00:29:57.124 don't know if that makes sense, but. 00:29:57.124 -->

00:30:03.173 Oh yeah, well I think it makes a good point because all ages drag shows versus adult shows. 00:30:03.173 --> 00:30:20.854 When we get an invite and we've been lucky to be at Pride like I think for the last three years now, I know I do the artist chat and I make it very clear, no more, no PG-13 perhaps, but nothing strong with the music, no F words, none. 00:30:20.854 --> 00:30:24.834 Maybe a damn, maybe a hell, maybe a shit. 00:30:24.834 --> 00:30:32.397 but we are performing in front of a mixed audience with very small children, like three, four years on up. 00:30:32.397 --> 00:30:37.738 And I always tell them, we have our venues where we perform, it's adults only. 00:30:37.738 --> 00:30:39.097 We can get raunchy. 00:30:39.097 --> 00:30:42.437 We can do our show, our rated, X rated songs. 00:30:42.437 --> 00:30:45.597 We can do the adult gestures and whatnot. 00:30:45.597 --> 00:30:51.677 But when we're doing an all ages show, let's tap into... 00:30:51.677 --> 00:30:53.841 Let this be creative, you know? 00:30:53.841 --> 00:30:58.801 Like I remember one artist said, I don't know how to do that because I've never done it. 00:30:58.801 --> 00:31:04.281 I said, well, now there's a great opportunity for you to expand that part of your art. 00:31:04.281 --> 00:31:05.442 If this is what you like to do. 00:31:05.442 --> 00:31:06.321 And they did great. 00:31:06.321 --> 00:31:08.101 They're like, oh my God, I'm a little intimidated. 00:31:08.101 --> 00:31:12.422 I said, just listen to a bunch of songs, you know? 00:31:12.422 --> 00:31:16.721 And they found something and they said, oh my God, I've got the, and the kids loved them. 00:31:16.721 --> 00:31:20.301 they just afterwards they're like, that was so much fun. 00:31:20.301 --> 00:31:21.791 And they couldn't wait to do the next. 00:31:21.791 --> 00:31:25.307 all ages show, which is the point, you know. 00:31:25.307 --> 00:31:29.543 But it is about fun, and it is about imagination, and it is about... 00:31:29.543 --> 00:31:40.907 I think as adults, we are told that we need to be adults and that we are not to be frivolous. 00:31:40.907 --> 00:31:48.029 And I think what an All Ages drag show allows everyone to do. 00:31:48.029 --> 00:32:00.803 You you can have the excuse, maybe excuse of, I'm bringing my kids or my nieces, nephews, nieblets to a drag show or my friends' kids to an All Ages drag show. 00:32:00.803 --> 00:32:02.013 But I wonder. 00:32:02.013 --> 00:32:13.822 As some of these adults, isn't that a grand excuse to be like, I get to also, you know, have that childlike glee and wonder and just let it go, let it go. 00:32:13.822 --> 00:32:27.645 Just enjoy and get caught up in the art and the imagination and the creativity and the music, you know, and hand, you know, tipping and it's so fun to tip, you know, because we just love. 00:32:27.645 --> 00:32:31.826 We love it when it's at all ages because the little ones come up with their dollar bills and we all melt. 00:32:31.826 -->

00:32:39.588 You can just see us just physically turn into piles of ghoul on the stage with these children. 00:32:39.588 --> 00:32:42.250 And it's just, it's just love. 00:32:42.250 --> 00:32:45.840 It's love from us to them. 00:32:45.840 --> 00:32:53.272 And one of the things I always say, you know, at Pride is you are our best hope. 00:32:53.272 --> 00:32:55.473 You are the next generations. 00:32:55.473 --> 00:33:08.908 You are hope and you are what we pour everything into because you'll be better than us and hopefully have more opportunities than we did and bust down more doors than we did. 00:33:08.908 --> 00:33:24.647 And again, just to build on the shoulders that you're standing upon, I want these kids who watch us now to be like, I watched drag and I understood that I could do whatever I wanted to do creatively. 00:33:24.647 --> 00:33:26.559 I didn't have to ask for permission. 00:33:26.559 --> 00:33:31.243 didn't matter that I was Black or Brown or Indigenous. 00:33:31.243 --> 00:33:32.484 I could be up on that stage. 00:33:32.484 --> 00:33:40.350 It didn't matter if I wanted to do, you know, feminine drag, masc drag, androgynous, gender fluid drag. 00:33:40.350 --> 00:33:42.251 That was okay. 00:33:42.251 --> 00:33:46.175 What mattered was I could do art that spoke to people. 00:33:46.175 --> 00:33:48.067 I could do art that made people think. 00:33:48.067 --> 00:33:52.319 I could do art that made my heart sing regardless. 00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:59.930 That's what this is all about is connecting with people and saying, was the show? 00:33:59.930 --> 00:34:10.923 And they said, I loved it because I could, this number or that number, or when your artists did this and they go, I got tears in my eyes or I felt such joy. 00:34:10.923 --> 00:34:13.123 It's like, then we did our job. 00:34:13.123 --> 00:34:37.925 Then that to us is a successful show is when we have people go, we come back because we feel this joy and we feel, we just feel and I think we are told so much, in this regime that we're in now, we're supposed to conform and not question and numb ourselves. 00:34:37.925 --> 00:34:59.289 And I think really that's what they're afraid of, you know, is because when you do art and when you tap into art or when you see art and you feel art and art is telling you Don't conform, don't give up, resist, don't give in. 00:34:59.289 --> 00:35:03.692 Support is community, support as all of us standing together. 00:35:03.692 --> 00:35:07.014 No regime wants to hear that. 00:35:07.014 --> 00:35:17.800 No fascist regime, no authoritarian regime wants to hear fight back and it doesn't have to be violence. 00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:21.728 It can be many different ways of fighting. 00:35:21.728 --> 00:35:27.459 back and if that's the nourishment that we're giving people, you're right. 00:35:27.459 --> 00:35:29.180 We are dangerous. 00:35:29.180 --> 00:35:45.304 We should be stopped because we're giving a message that they don't want given out to everyone,

to the public, to nourish, to guide, maybe to spark. 00:35:45.304 --> 00:35:48.315 And I think that's to go back to what we first started about, right? 00:35:48.315 --> 00:35:55.647 Which is what is so dangerous about drag so dangerous about even Transcendence cabaret. 00:35:55.647 --> 00:36:06.630 It's because we are trying to provide different blueprints of joy and creativity and resistance. 00:36:06.630 --> 00:36:09.171 And I hate saying strength because you know got to be strong. 00:36:09.171 --> 00:36:18.734 That's really hot but strength and uh networking and connection and to provide all those different important parts. 00:36:18.734 --> 00:36:25.846 um to people who might have lost hope or are losing hope and provide hope. 00:36:25.846 --> 00:36:28.606 Rebellions are built on hope. 00:36:28.606 --> 00:36:31.126 There's my geek part coming out, right? 00:36:31.126 --> 00:36:32.746 And that's true. 00:36:32.746 --> 00:36:38.426 I remember Andor Season 2, oh my gosh, what a brilliant season. 00:36:38.426 --> 00:36:40.806 Like they said, they did this three years before. 00:36:40.806 --> 00:36:43.246 They storyboarded this three years before. 00:36:43.246 --> 00:36:46.346 This wasn't a three years now, we know what this is gonna be like. 00:36:46.346 --> 00:36:49.226 God, why would we want that three years from now? 00:36:49.226 --> 00:36:51.002 But here we are. 00:36:51.002 --> 00:36:57.749 And Andor gave that whole epic storyline about what does the empire do? 00:36:57.749 --> 00:37:00.970 What does a fascist regime do? 00:37:00.970 --> 00:37:03.532 What stories does it tell? 00:37:03.532 --> 00:37:06.253 Who does it make, right? 00:37:06.253 --> 00:37:08.614 The victims. 00:37:08.614 --> 00:37:09.994 Exactly. 00:37:09.994 --> 00:37:15.742 And then what does the resistance do to resist that? 00:37:15.742 --> 00:37:17.493 It's not always the big grand gestures. 00:37:17.493 --> 00:37:22.066 It's sometimes the small trickle, that steady stream. 00:37:22.066 --> 00:37:31.753 And if we are part of that steady stream in small ways, or we're seen as a big resistor in big ways, which puts a target on our backs. 00:37:31.753 --> 00:37:33.084 I'm aware of that. 00:37:33.084 --> 00:37:37.609 well. 00:37:37.609 --> 00:37:45.999 Absolutely, I love that that's where the conversation is going because in a way drag is resistance. 00:37:45.999 --> 00:37:58.313 Drag is resistance to, you know, um the normativity of like, is resistance to cis-gender or mononormativity is resistance to rigid gender norms. 00:37:58.313 --> 00:38:05.825 And in that way, it's also resistance to colonialism is resistance to white supremacy is resistance to fascism. 00:38:05.825 --> 00:38:17.814 And I don't think it's an accident that kind of oppressive regimes like the current fascist regime kind of targets intellectuals, artists, trans people, know, drag artists. 00:38:17.814 --> 00:38:18.495 You're right. 00:38:18.495 --> 00:38:26.701 We're dangerous because we invite people to

keep dreaming, to keep dreaming into possibility, to ask questions. 00:38:26.701 --> 00:38:32.421 And I always say to people, let's just think about who benefits when you stop asking questions. 00:38:32.421 --> 00:38:39.661 Like who really benefits when we stop asking questions, when we stop dreaming, when we stop playing, because that's the other thing, right? 00:38:39.661 --> 00:38:43.721 You were saying like, as adults, we're told that some things are frivolous, right? 00:38:43.721 --> 00:38:44.701 Like play. 00:38:44.701 --> 00:38:46.701 And yet we need play. 00:38:46.701 --> 00:38:55.581 So drag is also form of play and joy and just celebration and community. 00:38:55.581 --> 00:39:01.781 and in that becomes a threat when we want people to just focus on. 00:39:01.781 --> 00:39:09.271 producing and upholding a system that only certain people benefit from, right? 00:39:09.271 --> 00:39:27.407 And so in that way, a dumping, it's an accident that Drag Story Hour, for example, has been so targeted because it does invite children to like dream into the fact that play doesn't have to end uh when you become an adult. 00:39:27.407 --> 00:39:30.637 Play might change, but we can still play dress up. 00:39:30.637 --> 00:39:39.560 we can still play make believe, we can still test artistic boundaries, and we can still honor each other's creativity. 00:39:39.560 --> 00:39:43.062 And I think drag is such a beautiful celebration of that. 00:39:43.062 --> 00:39:52.965 It's, you know, I tear up at drag shows and then I feel a little embarrassed because, you know, it's fun, it's a drag show, but it's the emotions move. 00:39:52.965 --> 00:39:55.721 You know, and I'm so excited. 00:39:55.721 --> 00:39:57.281 I had so many thoughts when you were talking. 00:39:57.281 --> 00:40:00.641 The other thing that I love, it's also that drag shows are interactive. 00:40:00.641 --> 00:40:04.401 You were talking about kids coming up with their little $1 bills, right? 00:40:04.401 --> 00:40:09.260 And in a way, that's also teaching children the mutuality of art, right? 00:40:09.260 --> 00:40:13.637 The artist is giving you a show and you're showing them appreciation, but like. 00:40:13.637 --> 00:40:19.813 clapping and making noises and participating and giving money if you can, right? 00:40:19.813 --> 00:40:21.584 To say thank you. 00:40:21.584 --> 00:40:26.389 it's like, there is a, it's not a transactional relationship. 00:40:26.389 --> 00:40:31.373 It's a, there's a mutuality for me to good drag shows, if that makes sense. 00:40:31.373 --> 00:40:33.638 Yeah, it sure does. 00:40:33.638 --> 00:40:39.198 mean, the money, I mean, we're not gonna, like Dolly said, it takes a lot of money to make me look this cheap, right? 00:40:39.198 --> 00:40:45.458 And it takes a lot of money to make a drag artist look as wonderful as they look. 00:40:45.458 --> 00:40:52.077 don't, I'm not, I'm never gonna like get back all the money I've put into my outfits and the makeup and whatnot. 00:40:52.077 --> 00:40:53.957 But that's not the point. 00:40:53.957 --> 00:40:54.898 Yes. 00:40:54.898 --> 00:40:56.320 Yeah. 00:40:56.320 --> 00:40:56.923 Yeah. 00:40:56.923 --> 00:40:59.329 I think there's just so many misunderstandings. 00:40:59.329 --> 00:41:02.292 So I'm glad we're talking about all of this. 00:41:02.292 --> 00:41:07.885 I feel like this is a conversation that could have for a long time, but do want to be respectful of your time. 00:41:07.885 --> 00:41:09.847 And you did mention safety. 00:41:09.847 --> 00:41:23.678 And so I do want to take a moment to think about, especially a troupe like Transcendence, right, with the centering of, you know, Black, Indigenous, Folks of Color and trans artists. 00:41:23.678 --> 00:41:47.418 You know, I'm assuming there might be some feelings of unease or concerns maybe around safety, not only physical safety, but also emotional and psychological safety because of the onslaught of like transphobic messages and racist messages and ableist, you know, messages that we keep hearing every day. 00:41:47.418 --> 00:41:50.963 So How are you and your troupe and also your house? 00:41:50.963 --> 00:41:52.643 Cause you also have the house of yes. 00:41:52.643 --> 00:41:56.347 I believe you're the Zaddy house dad of the house of yes. 00:41:56.347 --> 00:42:03.253 How are folks in your circle doing in terms of all of those safety concerns at the moment? 00:42:03.253 --> 00:42:04.907 thank you for that. 00:42:04.907 --> 00:42:06.407 uh I guess we're doing. 00:42:06.407 --> 00:42:09.730 uh I've reached out to my artists. 00:42:09.730 --> 00:42:31.782 I'm going to be writing something on Instagram the next day or so, a statement from us, adjusting the ramped up transphobic, the targeting against trans people and the transphobic, really hateful messaging that is coming out and also kind of like the urging of violence. 00:42:31.782 --> 00:42:32.226 Mm-hmm. 00:42:32.226 --> 00:42:34.206 And first of we're not going anywhere. 00:42:34.206 --> 00:42:35.126 Our art's here to stay. 00:42:35.126 --> 00:42:36.026 So there's that. 00:42:36.026 --> 00:42:40.526 And to balance that as always, there's a safety of my artists. 00:42:40.526 --> 00:42:50.385 So I've told my people, you get to decide if you need to step back from, I mean, that literal and the figurative spotlight. 00:42:50.385 --> 00:43:00.322 You get to decide if this is too much for you emotionally to handle because it's emotionally, it's a lot. 00:43:00.322 --> 00:43:10.778 for our communities right now, for day-to-day stuff, not to mention, we are specifically going on a stage to specifically celebrate trans art. 00:43:10.778 --> 00:43:15.512 this might not go wrong at all, and I'm nothing ever happens. 00:43:15.512 --> 00:43:29.834 um But my main concern is the safety and emotional and mental well-being of my artists and my artists in my house of yes to make sure, hey. 00:43:29.834 --> 00:43:32.775 and I do those check-ins, are you okay? 00:43:32.775

--> 00:43:35.235 Do you need anything? 00:43:35.235 --> 00:43:40.137 What can I do to support you as your show director and producer? 00:43:40.137 --> 00:43:44.928 And I think one of the pleas I'll make to our general audience are twofold. 00:43:44.928 --> 00:43:49.399 One is of course to speak up and defend. 00:43:49.399 --> 00:43:58.322 And the other is to just come to our shows because resistance means you're telling us we shouldn't support. 00:43:58.322 --> 00:44:07.755 trans people, while we're going to double down and say, no, you know, we're going to go to the shows with trans artists. 00:44:07.755 --> 00:44:24.345 We're going to like buy tickets and tip money and sponsor shows or be, uh as I like to say, the patron of the arts, you know, we're going to, we're going to do that because that, that's really, that's really important. 00:44:24.345 --> 00:44:26.858 You know, it's not transactional. 00:44:26.858 --> 00:44:27.488 like that. 00:44:27.488 --> 00:44:29.140 You know, we don't do it like that. 00:44:29.140 --> 00:44:32.082 We're always grateful and humbled when we get that support. 00:44:32.082 --> 00:44:35.984 But safety is important. 00:44:35.984 --> 00:44:37.546 I worry before each show. 00:44:37.546 --> 00:44:41.609 Now, I worry about our safety. 00:44:41.609 --> 00:44:47.213 When we perform at, the Black Heart, they have security ah in other places. 00:44:47.213 --> 00:44:55.118 ah We don't necessarily have something set in place at our monthly shows. 00:44:55.118 --> 00:44:57.865 and I've had discussions with Phoenix Theater. 00:44:57.865 --> 00:44:59.048 And I think... 00:44:59.048 --> 00:45:27.834 if, and I don't want to say when, but if violent acts occur and take up here in the Twin Cities targeted acts against my trans non-binary Two-Spirit communities, we might have to take a second look and go, what is the safest thing for us as artists and for our audience too? 00:45:27.834 --> 00:45:31.776 You know, it's not just us who might be targeted and harmed. 00:45:31.776 --> 00:45:37.201 It could be anyone, you know, coming to enjoy our art. 00:45:37.201 --> 00:45:41.524 And that would just, that would devastate me. 00:45:41.524 --> 00:45:44.827 Everything, all this is devastating to think about. 00:45:44.827 --> 00:45:50.711 So that's very much on my mind is to continue to do the art. 00:45:50.711 --> 00:46:15.611 But if this encouragement of violence towards our marginalized trans communities, especially Black and Brown people, especially them, especially our Two-Spirit siblings um are encouraged and supposed to level up, so to speak. 00:46:15.611 --> 00:46:17.451 I worry a lot. 00:46:17.451 --> 00:46:18.541 I worry about this. 00:46:18.541 --> 00:46:20.512 mean, and I don't want to like grab worried. 00:46:20.512 --> 00:46:26.294 I don't want to spread anxiety because that's awful either to live in fear because that's what they want, right? 00:46:26.294 --> 00:46:27.907 They want us to hop around. 00:46:27.907 --> 00:46:28.758

yeah. 00:46:28.758 --> 00:46:32.375 So Alex, it's really multifaceted. 00:46:32.375 --> 00:46:37.696 It's not only we should have to, but we also need to be mindful of. 00:46:37.696 --> 00:46:45.318 We should be able to be artists and we also get to take good care of ourselves. 00:46:45.318 --> 00:46:50.450 We also want to have a great audience and we want to be careful for their safety. 00:46:50.450 --> 00:47:08.912 So it's all these multifaceted moving, small moving parts that make up this big picture that I that I think about before our shows and I keep an eye on what is going on in the greater community in Minneapolis. 00:47:08.912 --> 00:47:12.173 What acts of violence have been perpetrated? 00:47:12.173 --> 00:47:14.014 What is the pulse? 00:47:14.014 --> 00:47:15.584 Are we still safe? 00:47:15.584 --> 00:47:18.805 And then, you know, I don't want to say we'd stop. 00:47:18.805 --> 00:47:21.746 Would we move to hybrid only, an online platform? 00:47:21.746 --> 00:47:22.396 We might. 00:47:22.396 --> 00:47:28.832 We might have to do that, but I don't think we want to stop doing the art. 00:47:28.832 --> 00:47:33.148 I think if we stop doing the art, um they win. 00:47:33.148 --> 00:47:36.724 And I'm not ever going to let a fascist regime win. 00:47:36.724 --> 00:47:39.417 And I agree. 00:47:39.417 --> 00:47:49.017 know, as somebody is like, like, I mean, we're same generation, but like I remember there have been times when we've had to be more underground. 00:47:49.017 --> 00:47:55.597 Like there'd be, you know, even as brought up in Italy, I remember going to my first queer places in Italy. 00:47:55.597 --> 00:47:56.957 They were much more underground. 00:47:56.957 --> 00:47:59.197 was like no signage outside. 00:47:59.197 --> 00:48:04.917 You know, there'd be like this garage door would open up at like 10 o'clock at night and the club is in there. 00:48:04.917 --> 00:48:07.181 And they checked like who you are. 00:48:07.181 --> 00:48:12.916 and your name and they have a record because that's how we keep ourselves safe too sometimes. 00:48:12.916 --> 00:48:14.978 And so I know we will not stop. 00:48:14.978 --> 00:48:34.455 We will find ways to keep coming together as a community, you know, and I love that you and I have, of course, it's, I'm zero surprised that you prioritize and center the safety of the community because that's what drag also is, is community, is family, is belonging. 00:48:34.455 --> 00:48:39.082 And it's safety within community, safety in numbers. 00:48:39.082 --> 00:48:45.295 We come together, we know we're not alone, even when the regime would rather have us isolated. 00:48:45.295 --> 00:49:02.725 oh Well, we're coming towards the end of our time together, but one of the questions I've been asking all my interviewees at the moment is like, yes, the world is bleak and somehow we resist, we find ways to like nourish ourselves. 00:49:02.725 --> 00:49:08.947 give ourselves some like nourishment, pleasure, joy, comfort. 00:49:08.947 --> 00:49:14.916 What's nourishing you, giving you pleasure and comfort nowadays, even no matter how small it is. 00:49:14.916 --> 00:49:17.767 uh good, what's nourishing? 00:49:17.767 --> 00:49:22.580 um Spending time with my sons is always nourishing. 00:49:22.580 --> 00:49:28.975 In fact, my oldest and I just went and saw Demon Slayer, Infinity Castle last night in the movie theater that was grand. 00:49:28.975 --> 00:49:31.567 That was really cool. 00:49:31.567 --> 00:49:32.917 That made me very happy. 00:49:32.917 --> 00:49:38.346 um I think it goes back to community though. 00:49:38.346 --> 00:49:41.826 I love getting together with my house of yes, we do that. 00:49:41.826 --> 00:49:43.426 I love seeing my troupe. 00:49:43.426 --> 00:49:46.786 We've got three shows upcoming here in October. 00:49:46.786 --> 00:49:47.946 I'm so excited. 00:49:47.946 --> 00:49:51.706 got, yep, October 3rd, good Lord, it's the end of September. 00:49:51.706 --> 00:49:58.006 Oy vey, So October, I'm very excited to see everybody. 00:49:58.006 --> 00:50:01.806 just, one of my troupe members just got married. 00:50:01.806 --> 00:50:04.246 That was a big celebration. 00:50:04.246 --> 00:50:12.714 She got married and I officiated the wedding and I remember asking her kind of jokingly at the beginning, am I to you? 00:50:12.714 --> 00:50:23.274 And she just looked at me and she said, you know, you're a producer, you're my family, you're the patriarch. 00:50:23.274 --> 00:50:28.494 And it's like, I can't, don't know if I can continue fishing at this wedding. 00:50:28.494 --> 00:50:30.014 I'm gonna start balling, you know? 00:50:30.014 --> 00:50:32.202 It was so much joy. 00:50:32.202 --> 00:50:33.503 It's so much happiness. 00:50:33.503 --> 00:50:40.188 And as we're doing that and as we're celebrating, again, that's resistance. 00:50:40.188 --> 00:50:51.557 And I think it's those things that nurture me that make me happy, that give me self-care is, I mean, honestly, just the fact that I'm breathing and doing my thing, I know really makes people mad. 00:50:51.557 --> 00:50:52.838 It's like too bad. 00:50:52.838 --> 00:50:58.502 If we do it out of spite, sometimes spite is more than enough. 00:50:58.502 --> 00:51:00.217 absolutely. 00:51:00.217 --> 00:51:03.650 I have a little powered by spite sticker. 00:51:03.650 --> 00:51:07.782 So like my family knows, I'm very powered by spite personally. 00:51:07.782 --> 00:51:10.524 So I so relate to what you just said. 00:51:10.524 --> 00:51:26.263 And then the last thing I always ask everybody on Gender Stories is, is there anything that we haven't talked about that you are hoping to talk about or anything that you would like to leave the Gender Stories listeners or watchers, if you're watching this on YouTube, with at the end of the episode. 00:51:26.263 --> 00:51:28.427 That's a good one. 00:51:28.427 --> 00:51:38.227 um You know, I think I just want to reiterate that um it's a hard time living in. 00:51:38.227

--> 00:51:43.884 It is a fascist government. 00:51:43.884 --> 00:51:52.971 know people might disagree, but from what I'm seeing and what they're doing, if it's not fascist, it's fascist light, that's for sure. 00:51:52.971 --> 00:51:55.332 It's the run up to it real fast. 00:51:55.332 --> 00:52:00.656 And I want people to remember they're not alone. 00:52:00.656 --> 00:52:07.941 They want us to divide, conquerors what they want, and they want us to despair. 00:52:07.941 --> 00:52:28.734 and the darkest days of the AIDS crisis in the nineties, when I was losing my friends, my chosen family, when I was going to funerals, when I was seeing the government again turn its back on us, we took care of each other. 00:52:28.734 --> 00:52:32.934 Our community took care of each other. 00:52:32.934 --> 00:52:40.474 That's where my drag started in 1990, 91, 92 is to do drag. 00:52:40.474 --> 00:52:50.593 for fundraisers for our nonprofits who took care of our HIV and AIDS community, people who had HIV and AIDS in the community because no one else would. 00:52:50.593 --> 00:52:55.716 So that's why anything I have to say is don't lose hope. 00:52:55.716 --> 00:53:00.159 Falter, but don't Get back up. 00:53:00.159 --> 00:53:01.620 Don't despair. 00:53:01.620 --> 00:53:03.701 We are here. 00:53:03.701 --> 00:53:05.342 We're connected. 00:53:05.342 --> 00:53:07.034 They can't take away our joy. 00:53:07.034 --> 00:53:08.545 They can't take away our presence. 00:53:08.545 --> 00:53:10.516 They can't take away who we are. 00:53:10.516 --> 00:53:13.756 As we've said, trans people have always been here. 00:53:13.756 --> 00:53:16.378 We've been here from age millennium. 00:53:16.378 --> 00:53:21.501 We will always be here now and in the future. 00:53:21.501 --> 00:53:32.369 BIPOC trans, know, everybody, our Two-Spirit people have always been here, regardless of colonization and genocide. 00:53:32.369 --> 00:53:39.604 Maybe we should take a page from our Indigenous um compatriots and siblings and friends and. 00:53:39.604 --> 00:53:46.963 caretakers across the globe, resist, always resist. 00:53:46.963 --> 00:53:51.932 And if things get hard, it's okay to be afraid and it's okay to be sad. 00:53:51.932 --> 00:53:54.030 It's okay to have all those feelings. 00:53:54.030 --> 00:53:59.356 But every one of those governments have fallen, Alex. 00:53:59.356 --> 00:54:14.406 Everyone, look at the history, they've risen, they've fallen, and we've always been here to take care of each other, to pick up those pieces, and build something better. 00:54:14.406 --> 00:54:17.060 What a beautiful message. 00:54:17.060 --> 00:54:18.180 Thank you, Eun Bee Yes. 00:54:18.180 --> 00:54:33.307 What a beautiful message to leave the Gender Stories listeners and watchers with and dear Gender Stories listeners, if you're excited about watching a show of Transcendence Cabaret, don't worry because all of the links, of course, are going to be in the episode description. 00:54:33.307 --> 00:54:52.831 And so you can join those shows from anywhere and you can tip the performers through the uh gifts of electronic, you know, webs, so don't worry, like get those tickets, watch the show is wonderful, and maybe that's one of the ways that you get to practice cultivating hope. 00:54:52.831 --> 00:55:03.282 And so I hope you find ways to connect with playfulness, with joy, with creativity, with expansiveness, so that you can keep resisting, and until next time.