Demarest Hall held their annual drag show and it was fabulous
‘I loved it, and I think it’s a great representation of the diversity that Rutgers is known for’
In light of the aftermath of this election, many LGBT members are frightened for their rights as citizens. Whether or not their fears will come true, uncertainty remains. However, as every cloud has a silver lining, College Avenue presents the LGBT community with its own light at the end of the tunnel: Demarest Hall’s Annual drag show. Right after Connor Michael’s opening performance in a black dress with thigh high shiny heels, he delivered a heart-warming speech to reassure the LGBT community that here in Demarest, they are protected, loved and supported.
Demarest Section leader, Joanna Malinowski, was proud to say the event was a success, “168 people were in attendance!” and went on to inform, “It happens twice yearly, and there will be another one in April.” When asked about the performances, she responded, “It was really exciting and the vibe was electric, I was very pleased.”
Demarest basement events operate in this fashion: they plan the event months in advance, advertise it and inform students that if they want to perform, they can sign up for a time slot. While watching performances, students also get to enjoy food, and this year Demarest seemed extra generous, because Tacoria nachos were served.
The night started off with two men in drag lip syncing, dancing around as the onlookers watched the performers in neon lights and cheered. Women joined the performance, too. While male drag consists of caricature-like makeup and purposefully promiscuous attire, female drag consisted of drawn facial hair, sneakers and lots of flannel. The first female performance, ladden in red flannel, danced to Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend,” as she pulled two female onlookers on stage and played the role of the stud. The second female performer dressed in a cop costume, as well as fake facial hair. She played the role of a stripper cop, leading a female audience member onto a chair and giving her a lapdance, grinding the ground and the participant with impressive rhythm. Soon after, a female member, not dressed in drag, pulled a male audience member wearing a sports bra into the center of the stage, dancing provocatively; going so far as to lay him on the ground and begin crawling on top of him.
Ed Weisgerber, a member of Demarest Hall for the first two years of his college career said, “I’m glad that it’s a staple of the Demarest event rotation, especially the safe space that it offers to many who anywhere else wouldn’t take a chance crossdressing, or putting themselves as the center of attention to perform. As far as the show goes, I guess I’m a little spoiled because when I ran it a few years ago, there was someone who lived in the dorm that had something like 2,000 dollars worth of stage and sound equipment that really pushed everything over the top. I didn’t stay for it all, but I wish I’d stayed long enough to see a few of the queens that were waiting to perform.”
The night, in perfect alignment with Demarest Hall’s eccentric culture, had the entire audience enjoying the unadulterated, fun, sexy and wild vibe. The night ended with a Mannequin Challenge, which, like the event itself, was also a success.
Multiple past residents, such as myself, came to Demarest the night of the drag show. We wanted to remember the creative, electric culture that the dorm had offered us in our first years of Rutgers, and even though most of us were situated there as freshmen in random housing assignments, there is no doubt that the unique hall created a home to us all. An ex-resident assistant, who wanted to stay anonymous, explained, “I loved it, and I think it’s a great representation of the diversity that Rutgers is known for. It’s a wild, crazy night where a bunch of different people get together to have a good time.”
Demarest Hall gets a bad reputation for being the dorm to “the freaks and the geeks,” and I’m not going to deny it, because it is a badge of honor for the dorm. It is what makes Demarest Hall a hidden gem in College Avenue culture, and if any resident of Demarest Hall is reading this now, the best advice I can offer you as an ex-resident, is to enjoy every moment of it. Don’t be afraid to talk to everybody and anybody there, and please remember that even if you’re afraid of America’s outcome, you have a home and family in Demarest.