Returning performer Universe owned the floor with stunning makeup and an even more stunning performance. Photo by Natalie Goo.  

MADDY BRODERICK | ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR | mbroderick@butler.edu 

On Nov. 7, groups of students and faculty drag fans filled the tables for the Butler LGBTQIA+ Alliance’s highly anticipated drag show. The drag show is an event where performers, students and audience members can celebrate self-expression, inclusivity and joy. 

Drag is a form of performance art where individuals, often known as “drag queens” or “drag kings”, express gender and identity through vibrant costumes, makeup and performances. Drag has deep roots in LGBTQIA+ culture, fostering individuality and community in Indianapolis. This is especially vital as LGBTQIA+ rights face challenges in Indiana, including debates over transgender rights and access to inclusive healthcare. Events such as Butler’s annual drag show give students and allies a space to celebrate without fear of judgment. 

Throughout the night, returning host Virginia Slimm and new performer and host Vanity Rex brought this energy to the stage, touching on many topics from celebrating individuality to acknowledging the recent presidential election. 

The 2024 election results have sparked concerns within the LGBTQIA+ community, intensifying fears that hard-won rights and protections could be at risk. Many worry about potential rollbacks on issues such as marriage equality, anti-discrimination protections, access to affirming healthcare and the broader impact on future opportunities and inclusion.

However, with a humorous take on these issues, Slimm provided the crowd with a shared sense of unity and resilience during these difficult times. 

“We’re kind of like cockroaches,” Slimm said. “They can’t get rid of us, no matter how hard they try.”

The night featured performances from Vanity Rex, Oliver Closeoff, Starletta, Universe, Virginia Slimm and student performer Stacy Sparkletitts. Each performer brought their unique energy to the show, making for an unforgettable evening. 

Rex set the bar high, opening the night with a three-song performance in a corn dress with a pineapple-inspired mermaid costume underneath. As a seasoned performer with 10 years of experience, Rex is well-known for this corn-inspired number in Muncie. 

They delved into the origins of their drag persona and how it became an evolving expression of identity. 

“It’s been different things over time,” Rex said. “I developed this monstrous kind of identity, mostly out of a gender journey where I was like, ‘I don’t like male, I don’t like female; there’s not a real option for me.’ I started doing female impersonators and thought that was all I could do. Then I saw other people and was like, ‘Oh, never mind. I can just do whatever I want.’”

As the performances unfolded, it became clear that drag is not just an art but a powerful means of personal expression. The theme of inclusivity and celebration was reflected in the show’s larger purpose — to create a space where everyone, regardless of background or identity, could find joy and belonging.

Nikki Foster, a senior English and race, gender and sexuality studies double major, is the vice president of programming and events for Alliance. She emphasized just how vital events like these are for the LGBTQIA+ community on campus.

“College is a time where you can find community,” Foster said. “I think for all the queer people who are here, it’s so nice to bring them in and give them a space to be authentically themselves, and also to bring in allies who can learn more about the community and then become advocates for it as well.”

The drag show offered exactly this kind of welcoming space by filling the room with laughter and cheers as the queens took the floor. The night was alive with performances ranging from lip-sync ballads to energetic dance routines, with each act followed by an overflowing amount of crowd support and thunderous applause. 

Foster also highlighted how the community must do their best to find joy in the face of adversity. For Foster, the drag show represents more than just an evening of entertainment.

“I think that even in times when people may feel like their rights are under attack or maybe seeing that their rights are under attack, we can still band together and be a community,” Foster said. 

For attendees such as sophomore environmental studies major Eloise Ayotte, who attended the drag show for the second time, the event provided an opportunity to learn, grow and connect with the community in a lighthearted yet powerful way. 

“You may not feel like you’re learning a lot from going to a silly drag show,” Ayotte said. “But, it is really important — especially in this political culture — to have settings where you can be around different communities, queer people especially, and learn about the LGBTQIA+ community in some way or another.”

Ayotte noted how the show brought people together in a way that felt both fun and meaningful. For her, seeing friends and peers cheer on each performer created a powerful sense of belonging and mutual support. 

Ayotte also emphasized how timely this event was and decided to focus on looking forward to it rather than getting sucked into the negativity of the current state of the world.

“I’m taking away that even though things aren’t the best right now, there are still really positive opportunities, especially as a queer person in America, to be involved with my community, find supportive people and have places that celebrate my community,” Ayotte said. “Having something like the drag show to look forward to and be able to point to and say, ‘This is somewhere I feel safe; this is somewhere I belong and I’m accepted,’ was just so great.”

Despite the uncertainty many LGBTQIA+ individuals may feel in these challenging times, events like these serve as a reminder that the community will continue to support each other no matter the obstacles that lie ahead.