A plasticky, click-clacking high-heeled strut bounces off the walls of Strickland Hall on the University of Missouri’s campus, as boisterous laughter and charming welcomes like “Good to see you, baby girl!” drown out the swishing of a feathery boa, and a small classroom transforms into a stage, a safe place and a celebration.
On Wednesday night, student organization Sexual Education and Advocacy at Mizzou hosted “Questions with Queens,” featuring Columbia-based drag artist and Mizzou student Alexxa Pro.
While not an identity-based organization on the surface, SEAM seeks to raise awareness and advocate for under-discussed topics and groups in sexual education and health. President Katie Schnelle, senior, said that the majority of the organization’s membership identifies within the queer umbrella and that intersectionality and inclusivity are the organization’s core ideas.
“SEAM for myself, and for some of our members, is a sort of chosen family on campus,” Schnelle said. “And so I hope that people can walk away feeling happy that they were able to just, like, participate in that joy during this time.”
Schnelle explained that SEAM has experienced a steady increase in membership throughout the school year, with up to 10 new faces at each meeting, in addition to around 15 regulars. She said it “felt natural” to invite Pro to a meeting, inspired by the organization’s role as a community advocate and safe space for queer and transgender communities.
“I thought that it would be not only celebratory of a community that’s so special to a lot of our members, but also something that a lot of our members would find joy in during a hard time in the semester and a hard time in politics right now,” Schnelle said.
Pro, all dolled up in a neon orange jumpsuit, a pink tiger print bodycon dress and a brunette bouffant, gave a presentation on the history of drag, her personal journey with performance art and information on Missouri legislative measures regarding transgender rights.
Pro recognized that exaggerated performances of gender have existed multiculturally for centuries, and went on to explain one reason why drag is facing drastic levels of politicization in America: the conflation of gender identity and drag.
“Drag is what you do, trans is who you are,” Pro explained to the group.
Pro touched on the broader misconception that often surrounds drag and gender identity, reflecting on where those misunderstandings can come from.
“A lot of times it (apprehension) comes out of fear. And a lot of times it comes out of anxiety and these preconceived notions that we’ve held onto for so, so, so, so long,” Pro said. “And they’ve kind of kept our moral compass aligned. And so whenever we see organizations or groups of people that are offering valid information, that are kind of critiquing those belief systems that have kept us routine and sane for so long, I think for a lot of people, it makes them scared.”
Pro and Schnelle both acknowledged that this social division can be exacerbated on college campuses, especially as Mizzou faces statewide legislative pressures regarding funding for identity-based student organizations.
“While SEAM is diverse in multiple ways, it kind of fills in a need for people who don’t get to explore things related to sex education and advocacy,” Schnelle said. “And I think that at Mizzou right now, it’s important to support students who want to find community in marginalized groups or diverse groups, as well as seek education in areas that are sometimes silenced by institutions or societal norms.”
Pro has attempted to establish a student outlet for drag at Mizzou but was shut down several times.
“I just found that those doors weren’t opening, and a lot of times I felt like it was the same reasons that were closing them,” Pro said. “I was like ‘I’m tired of, like, having to, you know, wait for someone to tell me that I can do this.’”
For many people, drag represents an artful, extravagant diversion from deeply ingrained heteronormative constructs, but for those who may be unfamiliar, drag can appear jarring. Pro said that her overarching goal in her education efforts is to humanize the art of drag, which aligns with SEAM’s mission as a forum for diverse experiences.
“I feel like (that’s) going to kind of get rid of the illusion of drag being dangerous,” Pro said. “Once you realize that there’s a person in the Mickey Mouse costume, it’s not so scary.”
There was power and relatability in Pro’s vulnerability and honesty during the Q&A session, and a reminder that underneath the layers of makeup, fake hair and colorful fabric is a human being with a lived experience.
