Category Archives: Gay history

Fake Mustache, Canada’s longest-running drag king (and burlesque) troupe, turns twenty on Monday, June 23rd. Come celebrate Fake Mustache’s birthday at the Central Library with founder Kait Hatch and a panel of local drag icons for an evening of diving into drag’s history, present, and future.

Kait told the Calgary Gay History Project:

“When I put on the first Fake Mustache show on June 23rd, 2005, I didn’t yet know much about drag at all, or the lineage I was stepping into. It didn’t take long for me to learn more about the history of drag, globally and locally, which all came through word-of-mouth and my own tenacity to learn about queer history, which tends to be ignored by far too many historians.

Thankfully, because of a growing number of queer historians, we are getting a fuller picture of just how many queer and trans folks, particularly QTBIPoC folks, have influenced our current culture. William Dorsey Swann, a formerly enslaved Black man, coined the term ‘drag queen’ and effectively created what is our modern idea of drag. Crystal LaBeija, a Black trans woman, founded the first House in the Ballroom scene. José Sarria, of Colombian and Spanish ancestry, started the Royal Court system. These are just three individuals who found themselves excluded from a white dominated, upper-class, cis-het society—which they didn’t want to be part of anyway. They made their own spaces for their communities, and that’s important. That’s the historical context that matters.

As queer folks, it so important we learn the fullest version of our history. This is so we can honour the ancestors who came before, and that we understand the legacy we are building on and contributing to. My hope with this panel is that it sparks curiosity, but that it also invokes a lot of pride. The history of drag is a history of class struggle, of mutual aid, and of fighting for queer and trans liberation. And I hope that the future of drag is more of the same, especially right now when trans people in particular are the targets of hateful and bigoted government policy and eugenics against disabled folks is gaining popularity once again.”

Come learn about the amazing ancestors of the art and the incredible things these panellists are doing to carry on the legacy of drag!

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Kaitlyn Hatch AKA Roy RBP (any pronoun used respectfully) is the founder of the Fake Mustache Drag King troupe and general polymath about town. In the twenty years since getting Fake Mustache off the ground, she has worn many hats, from fundraiser to designer to brand development manager to Buddhist Chaplain. A mixed-media artist and multi-genre writer, she creatively explores joy and liberation through visual art and the written word.

Michelle Cortines (she/her) is a Mexican Drag King performer that aims to bridge the gap between her Latin roots and queer identity. In 2022, she gave life to her drag persona: El Rey del Sol. As a Latinx Drag King performer, El Rey loves stepping on stage and sharing a story through lyrics, dance moves, and some occasional campy humour. His charm, suavé look, and soft lover boy vibes are sure to engage a crowd. Through this art form, Michelle has unpacked and redefined what masculinity and femininity mean to her. Her greatest hope is to see the Latinx 2SLGBTQIA+ community grow within the city of Calgary and the Province of Alberta.

Born Dave Richards, DevaDave immigrated to Canada in July 1991 and has since called Calgary his home. A friend of the local ISCCA Court, DevaDave has been a member of the ICS international Court System for over 15 years. He was also a mentor to Kait Hatch when she was first developing and producing Fake Mustache shows in 2005. No longer a Drag performer with regular performances, DevaDave is the owner of DevaDave Salon Boutique, where he creates a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.

Drag monarch Oliver Twirl was born on Treaty 6 and is currently planted in Moh’kinstsus on Treaty 7 territory. Small in stature and with a publicly funded Flat Chest, this performer twirls around the spectrum in search of the best parts of all genders. Raised on the stage, they have performed and worked with various companies including Gwaandak Theatre, Incendiary Festival, Theatre Calgary, Arts Commons, Play Between Your Thighs, Fake Mustache Drag Troupe, Rosebud Theatre, and MCS Theatre. They have been writing since they were young and have begun dreaming about disabled happiness and queer love being freely represented in art.

{KA}