Back in the days BDS (Before Dan and Shaunna) I ran a little webcomic, called Got Pride? It was an homage to everything queer that I could come up with. And, a story about my family life...more or less. I did very little research into some of the stuff that I tackled. One of the unfinished, unresolved stories that I started was the transitioning of a transgendered character. Why was it unfinished? Well, for the most part, I don't know what it's like to be transgendered. Nor did I know anyone who identified as transgendered, who I could ask, in order to do some research, and actually get the story right.
I may take that story back up someday. I just need to find some people who I can collaborate with, to get it right. Because, I'm pretty sure that there's a lot more to the story than just deciding one day as a woman that you're going to go to CVS, buy hair clippers, hair dye, and men's clothes, and boom, you're a man. I've heard that it's an easier transition than the transition from male to female, but, still. I handled it ignorantly, and then wrote the character off, because I knew I didn't know, what I didn't know.
That being said, with the successful interest in the drawings that I have been doing on commissions, it got me back in the mindset of, I want to tell a story. But, I don't want it to be my story. I want it to be the story of a drag queen. Or a group of queens. It'll tell about what it's like to be a boy, and a girl, without having to deal with all the stresses of telling the transition story...at least at first. Because as I've noticed throughout my year living with Dan, the transgender community is intertwined with that of the drag community. (And, yes, I'm still quite ignorant about the trans community, so I'm going to get things wrong, and apologize in advance.)
What I decided this time though, is that I need to do my research first. I want to know the experience of being a drag queen, through a drag queen's eyes. (And, if any transgendered people want to help me research their side of things, I'd love to hear that as well.) So, I've come up with a list of questions that I'm hoping will help me get some answers that will help me decide if I really can go through with the comic/graphic novel about drag life. As of now, it's all still in planning. No set characters, no storyline (as such), just an idea in my head that I need help figuring out how to best get it on paper.
So, the list of questions, in no particular order:
How did you get your start in drag?
How did you get your drag name?
What is your favorite part of doing drag?
Queens tend to get categorized (ie. Comedy, Club Kid, Pageant Queen) What category do you consider yourself to be?
Have you ever experienced stage fright while performing? How did you overcome it?
Have you ever won any titles/awards?
Tell me about some of your (good or bad) backstage experiences with other queens.
Do you do your own hair, makeup, costuming? Or do you have help with some or all of the above?
Tell me about a memorable adventure that you've had that you would not have had if not for drag.
When you're out of drag, what do you do? (ie. Work, fun,etc.)
Tell me anything else that you think might be important for me to know to get inside the head of a drag queen.
If you feel like answering these questions, I greatly appreciate your answers. You can leave comments below, or email me, Steve at swd8880@yahoo.com. I will also be posting this on Facebook, so answers can be shot to me through my like page, or through my inbox.
I may take that story back up someday. I just need to find some people who I can collaborate with, to get it right. Because, I'm pretty sure that there's a lot more to the story than just deciding one day as a woman that you're going to go to CVS, buy hair clippers, hair dye, and men's clothes, and boom, you're a man. I've heard that it's an easier transition than the transition from male to female, but, still. I handled it ignorantly, and then wrote the character off, because I knew I didn't know, what I didn't know.
That being said, with the successful interest in the drawings that I have been doing on commissions, it got me back in the mindset of, I want to tell a story. But, I don't want it to be my story. I want it to be the story of a drag queen. Or a group of queens. It'll tell about what it's like to be a boy, and a girl, without having to deal with all the stresses of telling the transition story...at least at first. Because as I've noticed throughout my year living with Dan, the transgender community is intertwined with that of the drag community. (And, yes, I'm still quite ignorant about the trans community, so I'm going to get things wrong, and apologize in advance.)
What I decided this time though, is that I need to do my research first. I want to know the experience of being a drag queen, through a drag queen's eyes. (And, if any transgendered people want to help me research their side of things, I'd love to hear that as well.) So, I've come up with a list of questions that I'm hoping will help me get some answers that will help me decide if I really can go through with the comic/graphic novel about drag life. As of now, it's all still in planning. No set characters, no storyline (as such), just an idea in my head that I need help figuring out how to best get it on paper.
So, the list of questions, in no particular order:
How did you get your start in drag?
How did you get your drag name?
What is your favorite part of doing drag?
Queens tend to get categorized (ie. Comedy, Club Kid, Pageant Queen) What category do you consider yourself to be?
Have you ever experienced stage fright while performing? How did you overcome it?
Have you ever won any titles/awards?
Tell me about some of your (good or bad) backstage experiences with other queens.
Do you do your own hair, makeup, costuming? Or do you have help with some or all of the above?
Tell me about a memorable adventure that you've had that you would not have had if not for drag.
When you're out of drag, what do you do? (ie. Work, fun,etc.)
Tell me anything else that you think might be important for me to know to get inside the head of a drag queen.
If you feel like answering these questions, I greatly appreciate your answers. You can leave comments below, or email me, Steve at swd8880@yahoo.com. I will also be posting this on Facebook, so answers can be shot to me through my like page, or through my inbox.
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