Rain
Comic 1111 - Drag
Author Notes:
Two points I want to make. The first and simpler one: don't worry about Heather's other friend who canceled on her. I imagine it's just a classmate and casual friend. He's not named or seen. He's not going to be a major player or anything.
The second point refers to Jessica's history with the drag scene. A lot of it echoes my earlier pre-transition days from over a decade ago. I never performed myself, but I used to go to shows regularly. It was - at that time - one of the few outlets where I felt comfortable and safe dressing and presenting as myself in a semi-public setting. And that was very empowering for me, and a really fun time too. I also got to know several queens who were among some of the most wonderful, supportive people I've ever known. A few even offered valuable advice I still carry to this day.
I wanted to bring this up because as I said through Jess: "I have a soft spot for the whole thing." It was an extremely valuable experience for me to be involved in this scene at the time that I was; something near and dear to me, and I wanted to be able to share this positivity. But I know it's not for everyone. And I'm also well aware that there's a lot of very bad, very problematic drag out there. I find that big media representation of drag is usually the offensive stuff. But at least in my personal experience, the smaller scale stuff like this - events at local colleges and venues like that (especially for charitable causes) - is usually a much more positive scene.
I'm not going to suggest everyone check it out because I don't expect everyone to like it or agree with me. But I do want to stress that at it's best, the drag scene DOES have the potential to be very valuable to questioning, scared, or otherwise pre-transition trans folks. It was for me. I might never have accepted myself without it; I probably wouldn't even be writing Rain without it.
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Yeah, this's kinda what I mean about there being good and bad kinds. What I saw was clearly a more positive version, and actually helped me come out. But you're not wrong either; the bad stuff is really toxic, and I can absolutely see how that would be damaging. It makes it hard when something was so positive and valuable for me that I want to share it, but I know it can be an upsetting or triggering topic for some to even acknowledge.
So I'm trying to play it as safe as I can with this. If it's any consolation, I don't plan on making it a big thing we're gonna see in the comic. Mostly, it's just going to be talked about in the way we're currently seeing.
I am happy that drag is such a positive influence on others' lives though. My girlfriend is also trans and drag was good for her. I'm happy that you two had access to it :)
I get that the expression before validation is important. As at least one guy there wanted to be the trans-guy doing "full drag" with make-up and dresses; but the outlet didn't allow that. Detransitioning, fear, something. It saddened me.
Then there is the whole "drag is culturally appropriated from black ball culture" can of worms.