So, last week was a busy week. Taffy's RuPaul's Drag Race Viewing Party was Monday. Wednesday, was the Blackstones' Valentine's Day show, Thursday was Taffy's show at Geno's, and Friday night was Andrew Christian Models and Kenya Michaels at Machine in Boston.
Needless to say, by the end of the weekend, I was a bit exhausted. And, with a bit of personal drama that stemmed from the night at Geno's, my mind was in a place of complete and utter chaos. And, I needed a distraction, stat. So, Monday, I asked Dan to tell me about Shaunna Rai. When and why she made her first appearance, and how she was "born".
I was surprised to learn that Shaunna Rai's birth came at about the same time as Dan's coming out. She was born to a former roommate. She only went out for an hour, the first time she went out. And, originally, she was a way of getting into bars without being ID'ed.
As time went on, Shaunna Rai started being asked to participate in shows around the state, and eventually, even out of state.
Back when Shaunna Rai first hit the scene, drag was bigger than it is now. The "cities" in Maine all had their own queens. Or, the queens claimed their city. Shaunna Rai saw every show as a way to get her name out, so, she didn't claim one city over another.
Over time, Shaunna Rai got involved in events. She was one of the first performers at the Portland Pride Pier Dance. She has been involved with the Frannie Peabody Center, and was named Miss AIDS Awareness. She has been a part of the Screaming Queens show, in Waterville, which is another fundraiser for the Eastern Maine AIDS Network. She promotes the First Friday Art walks, here in Portland, along with some friends. And, I know there is a ton of stuff I've forgotten.
Anyway, as he told me Shaunna Rai's story, I got lost in it. Though she's applied multiple times for RuPaul's Drag Race, and made it quite far in the process, she has yet to make it to the show. In my eyes though, the glitz and glamour of that life is already there. And, I look forward to being there for the next chapter in both Dan and Shaunna Rai's life.
Needless to say, by the end of the weekend, I was a bit exhausted. And, with a bit of personal drama that stemmed from the night at Geno's, my mind was in a place of complete and utter chaos. And, I needed a distraction, stat. So, Monday, I asked Dan to tell me about Shaunna Rai. When and why she made her first appearance, and how she was "born".
I was surprised to learn that Shaunna Rai's birth came at about the same time as Dan's coming out. She was born to a former roommate. She only went out for an hour, the first time she went out. And, originally, she was a way of getting into bars without being ID'ed.
As time went on, Shaunna Rai started being asked to participate in shows around the state, and eventually, even out of state.
Back when Shaunna Rai first hit the scene, drag was bigger than it is now. The "cities" in Maine all had their own queens. Or, the queens claimed their city. Shaunna Rai saw every show as a way to get her name out, so, she didn't claim one city over another.
Over time, Shaunna Rai got involved in events. She was one of the first performers at the Portland Pride Pier Dance. She has been involved with the Frannie Peabody Center, and was named Miss AIDS Awareness. She has been a part of the Screaming Queens show, in Waterville, which is another fundraiser for the Eastern Maine AIDS Network. She promotes the First Friday Art walks, here in Portland, along with some friends. And, I know there is a ton of stuff I've forgotten.
Anyway, as he told me Shaunna Rai's story, I got lost in it. Though she's applied multiple times for RuPaul's Drag Race, and made it quite far in the process, she has yet to make it to the show. In my eyes though, the glitz and glamour of that life is already there. And, I look forward to being there for the next chapter in both Dan and Shaunna Rai's life.
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