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    • San Francisco announces inaugural Drag Laureate, the first position of its kind in the country

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    D鈥橝rcy Drollinger, a veteran of San Francisco鈥檚 vibrant drag scene, has been named the city鈥檚 first-ever Drag Laureate and will become an ambassador for San Francisco鈥檚 drag and LGBTQ2S+ community for an 18-month term, Mayor London Breed鈥檚 office announced Thursday.

    The position is the first of its kind in the country.

    鈥淲hile drag culture is under attack in other parts of the country, in San Francisco we embrace and elevate the amazing drag performers who through their art and advocacy have contributed to our City鈥檚 history around civil rights and equality,鈥 Breed said in a news release.

    Drollinger says she鈥檚 鈥減roud to live in a city that is pioneering this position while other parts of the US and the world might not be supportive of Drag. This role will build bridges and create partnerships, while elevating and celebrating the Art of Drag.鈥

    Drag, according to Drollinger, is a way for many people who 鈥渁ren鈥檛 allowed to sparkle in their real lives and as their true selves鈥 to find refuge, she told CNN.

    SAN FRANCISCO HAS A RICH HISTORY OF DRAG

    Breed officially announced the creation of the Drag Laureate program in her June 2022 city budget, but the concept was first introduced in August 2020 in a report from San Francisco鈥檚 LGBTQ2S+ Cultural Heritage Task Force, a city-supported task force which reviewed community feedback on LGBTQ2S+ needs and concerns.

    Among other strategies, the task force recommended improving partnerships between city agencies and community organizations to expand creative programs for LGBTQ2S+ artists, including the 鈥渃reation and funding of LGBTQ2S+ artist residency opportunities.鈥

    Finding spaces for queer creatives is an issue Drollinger understands intimately, as she opened the popular Oasis cabaret and nightclub in 2015 to provide a mid-size venue space for both local and touring drag performers. The survival and success of Oasis, through the pandemic, was vital for San Francisco鈥檚 drag community.

    鈥淚t鈥檚 important to have a space that鈥檚 for everyone, and Oasis has become a bit of a hub,鈥 Drollinger said.

    Drag has a rich history in San Francisco, both as an appreciated art form and protest medium. Dating back to the 1950s, nightclubs such as the Black Cat and Finocchio鈥檚 drew both queer and straight audiences. The Compton Cafeteria riots in the city鈥檚 Tenderloin district became one of the first notable acts of queer protest in 1966 鈥 three years before New York City鈥檚 famed Stonewall riots.

    Drollinger, a San Francisco native, has always been drawn to the city鈥檚 vibrant creative queer scene.

    鈥淭here鈥檚 something in the water. What I find exciting about San Francisco, it still remains that there is a willingness to experiment here that I haven鈥檛 found in many other places. People are willing to workshop things and play around with stuff purely for the joy of making art,鈥 Drollinger said.

    She commends the city for spearheading efforts to promote drag, especially at a time when drag performance is under attack. By making the Drag Laureate an official city position, provided with a US$55,000 stipend, Drollinger says San Francisco sends a message of the 鈥渓egitimacy鈥 of drag.

    鈥(San Francisco) is not asking for a volunteer. They鈥檙e asking us to be a diplomat and show up and be a part of the city.鈥

    THE IMPORTANCE OF DRAG TO THE APPLICANTS

    Before Per Sia, one of the Drag Laureate applicants, began dressing in drag, they fell in love with the art form as a photographer, capturing images of drag queens in South Central Los Angeles and San Francisco. They loved the extravagance and celebrity-like personas drag queens embodied but felt too shy and nervous to do drag themselves.

    The first time Per Sia dressed in drag was 16 years ago on a dare, to perform in San Francisco鈥檚 Castro District. The experience was revelatory and they haven鈥檛 looked back.

    鈥淎fter I [performed], there was this sense of joy, this empowerment that I have never felt before, and I just fell in love with it,鈥 Per Sia said.

    They balance drag performance with their second career as an arts educator. Per Sia, who jokes that they get to 鈥渢each the little kids鈥 during the day and 鈥減erform in front of the big kids鈥 at night, sees drag as a tool to educate people, on top of entertaining them.

    They combine these two careers as a regular for Drag Story Hour, a program where drag queens read stories to children to promote self-expression. They鈥檝e read for San Francisco Public Library events and Oakland Pride, and Per Sia enjoys teaching children about 鈥渢hinking outside of the box鈥 through these story hours.

    鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a little kid, it鈥檚 all about using your imagination, glittering everything and using all the colors, but at some point all of that gets taken away,鈥 Per Sia said. 鈥淭he benefit of drag is that you teach kids that there鈥檚 other ways of living.鈥

    Drag has always been a part of Drollinger鈥檚 life, but it was a slow process for her to embrace drag as her 鈥渨ork clothes鈥 until she was in her 40s. She credits drag for helping her find her community and identity.

    鈥淪o many people that find drag, they find it when they aren鈥檛 allowed to sparkle in their real life, and their fabulousness is squashed,鈥 Drollinger said. 鈥淒rag is a way to let so much of that out.鈥

    While San Francisco elevates drag, conservative lawmakers around the country are cracking down on it

    The appointment of the Drag Laureate comes at a time when public drag performances and transgender expression are being threatened by conservative lawmakers across the country.

    鈥淪an Francisco鈥檚 commitment to inclusivity and the arts are the foundation for who we are as a city,鈥 Breed wrote in a November statement. 鈥淒rag artists have helped pave the way for LGBTQ2S+ rights and representation across our city, and they are a part of what makes our city so special.鈥 

    Legislation banning or restricting drag has been gaining momentum in many Republican-led states. GOP lawmakers have claimed that drag performances expose children to sexual themes and imagery that are inappropriate, though many drag performances take place in age-restricted locations or require parental consent to attend.

    In March 2023, Tennessee became the first state to pass a law banning drag performances on public property and in locations where children can view the performances.

    Drollinger feels the effects of the national pushback against her work, even in a city known for progressive values. She鈥檚 spent more money on security at Oasis to ensure the audience and performers feel safe, she told CNN.

    鈥淐reating these kinds of laws, demonizing trans people and the LGBTQ2S+ community, what they鈥檙e doing is inciting violence,鈥 Drollinger said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 terrifying. They want to erase my community and erase us.鈥

    Both Per Sia and Drollinger hope that by pioneering the Drag Laureate position, San Francisco will establish a model of tolerance for others to follow.

    鈥淚mportant things happen here in San Francisco, and the world takes notice. Having this position for someone like me or anyone who applied is so special, but also, it鈥檚 showing the world that drag is powerful, and it deserves a place,鈥 Per Sia said.

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