Articles tagged with: April Rains
April’s Trash Drag Spectacle in the Valley
Aprils Follies, the Mat-Su Valley spring drag extravaganza, is back by popular demand, this time with two shows: 6 and 9 pm on Saturday, April 2.
“A jammed-packed night of singing, dancing, and live entertainment from performers around Alaska and beyond, including mini fashion shows sponsored by Mila’s Gowns and Alterations and The Younique Boutique. The line up for the night is EPIC, with MC’s April Rains, Daphne DoAll LaChores, and Kristara!”
This is a fundraiser for the West Lakes Fire Fighters, and other charities that will be chosen by the audience.
“A MUST SEE VALLEY TRASH ALASKAN EVENT!!”
Aprils Follies: “A Valley Trash Drag Spectacle”
Time: Saturday, April 2 · 6-8pm and 9-11pm (doors open at 5:30pm and 8:30pm)
Location: The Rock Cafe (the old Mile 49 Cafe)
Parks and Pittman, mile 49 at the BJ Center
Meadow Lakes, AK
Tickets: $15 at the door
The first Aprils Follies in the Valley was in 2009. Read April’s adventures On The Way to the Follies.
Sex is between the legs, Gender is between the ears
[Editor’s Note: April wrote this “modest proposal” essay in response to Ivan Moore’s suggestion that we take protections for transgender people out of the ordinance. See In Support of a Transgender-inclusive Ordinance.]
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You don’t wake up one morning and out of the blue decide that this is the day that your life has ended as the gender you were born as, and you now want to be known from here forward as the opposite sex, whether it be a male to female or a female to male. To begin to comprehend the concepts and defintions of “cross dresser”, “transvestite”, “transexual” and “transgender” is to push the contemporary limits and understanding of a host of social sciences, theories, definitions, and medical studies. Even among the minute collection of specialists in gender based areas, there is very little cohesion as to the cause and effect of who these groups of people come to be, and are, let alone how to “label” them within the common societal classifications we have come to know. While heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, androgynous, and transsexual are commonly refered too, where and how do we fit those who cross all over these aspects of sex and gender?
For eons and throughout cultures world wide, those who spanned the boundaries of gender were seen as ones who were granted special powers and status by the powers, gods, or beliefs held by those groups. They were seen as encompassing in some ways both genders, rather then one or the other, giving them the ability to comprehend life beyond the clearly defined boundaries of being either a male or female. The foundation of almost all creation myths, including the bible, refer back to an undefinable time when man and woman were one single entity and through some act, were seperated into two. Both Occidental and Oriental societies, symbolisms, and beliefs consistently refer back to this concept of one being, eventually divided into two. So why is it then so difficult and perverse for modern society to accept that what was held as something special then should be any different now? Do we not all come into this world as the result of a joining of a male and female, and is it so far reaching to believe that there are those who contain not one or the other, but both within the very core of who they may be genetically, physically, spiritually, socially and culturally?
Is it fear bred from ignorance, hatred, bigotry, or just a lack of coming to accept that a unique group of people does exist in society. That by recognizing that they not only exist now, and have always existed, that it will throw the entire dualistic nature of our society and beliefs into chaos? Or is it the sex, advertising, and porno industries who have saturated us so much with imagery of “chicks with dicks”, large hairy men in stretched out lacey women’s underwear, or male prostitutes dressed up as woman, that we can only conclude that anyone who dresses or acts as the opposite sex is strictly doing it for money, sexual deviance and/or perversion? Or as in Anchorage with the Ordinance, is it the voices of a handfull of fanatics, and their need for fame, spotlight and acknowledgement by opposing the nature of reality as it really is in order to fill their coffers, congregations, and advance their hidden political agendas?
Or does it come down to the most simple yet complex issue of our understanding of “normal” and what it is? That those fanatics who see their own worlds and perspectives as “normal” are in fact the “abnormal” ones. Should we accept their own twisted views of what their “normal” is rather than truly celebrating and protecting the stunningly incredible beauty and endless diversity of the people we all share this planet with? How long shall we allow or acknowledge anyone who fights to limit, define, and destroy anyone or anything that alludes to the truth? That we are all born as equals and will all die as equals, and that what we should be striving for is to treat and protect each other as equals during our lifetime regardless of our own individual uniqueness.
To the same degree, the issue of whether anyone should remove the “T” from “LGBTA” in order to make the Ordinance pass easier is another disturbing aspect of being transgendered. To someone who is openly transgendered and a noted supporter and advocate of the entire acroynm of “LGBTA” and more, those who support such a move show as much ignorance and bigotry as those who oppose the ordinance. It comes across as “cleansing” to get rid of the “freaks” rather then an effort to understand those of us who are the “T”, as much as the “GL” ask those who are opposed to homosexuality to understand them.
If some are set on allowing the ordinance to protect just the “LGB”, then they need to cleanse the Bisexuals from it as well, because they already have protection when they are with the opposite sex, or can pretend to be. Also get rid of the drag queens because most gay men prefer men, not men dressed or acting as women, and they can allude to money, sex, and perversion. Get rid of the Bears and Leather crowd because that can be seen as another act of perversion as well and will not make the ordinance “pure.” As for the gays and lesbians, in order to truly help this ordinace pass as purely as possible, you need to start verifying that every single person who uses “G” or “L” is such and has never had a relationship with the opposite sex. Get notarized statements from everyone in their lives all the way back to the day of birth to fully confirm that those who are “G” and “L” have never had a thought of being sexual with, or in a relationship with, the opposite sex or gender. If it’s purity you want from the ordinance, then start cleansing everyone who is not of pure homosexual blood from day one. In fact, require they have a “pride flag” tatoo on their body so you can identify them as pure “G & L” blood. Perhaps then, the Ordinance will pass with little fight, and you can finally live totally free of discrimination in Anchorage, while the rest of the unpure “LBGTA” family is led away, me and the transgendered people, where we are eventually denied our rights to housing, jobs and a happy life, and in turn, loaded onto buses, trains or driven off to other places so we don’t disrupt the new-found “equality” under the Ordinance. Sound far-fetched? Maybe so …
New ICP’s focus on Families, Fundraising and Scholarships
Congratulations to Cory and Natasha, the new 17th reigining Imperial Crown Prince and Princess of the Imperial Court of All Alaska!
“I am really looking forward to this year,” wrote Natasha. “I already have a ton of ideas.”
“Congrats to one of my best friends,” wrote April Rains, the 16th ICP, about Natasha. “May her reign as Imperial Crown Princess 17 of All Alaska be spectacular! And thanks to everyone who attended the 2009 ICP Ball at Mad Myrna’s.”
I asked Natasha and Cory about their goals as Prince and Princess:
- We really want to stress the importance of family within our community, and involve the youth of our community. We call ourselves a family, therefore the families of the court and community should be involved. These children are our future voices and I want them to see the greatness we as adults see.
- We also are looking forward to working and raising money for the 4 A’s, Equality and Identity.
- Lastly we would like to emphasize the ICOAA scholarship program. Approximately $60,000 is given each year (Cory was a recipient of the scholarship previously) and we really want people to be aware of these scholarships.
Here’s to a fabulously fun and successful reign!
– photo of Natasha ICP 17, and April ICP 16
The ICP Ball: End of a Reign
Princess April Rains and Regent-Prince Joseph Williams will step down on Saturday night at the annual Imperial Crown Prince and Princess Ball, at Mad Myrna’s in Anchorage. They were elected to the ICP positions at last year’s Ball.
“The ball is ‘Crowns and Gowns’ and was planned by Mimi of Seattle as a traditional formal ball,” writes April. “We’re also doing a Valley Trash masquarade theme, so I’ll bring my Iditarod gear, construction tools, hay and saddle to represent the Valley and myself.”
The 2009 ICP Ball will include performances by Mary Bess Bohall, Yeager Bill, Cookie Cannon, Ms. Alaska Teen, and the drag queens from Fairbanks as a group, plus the Emperors and Empresses. Jake and Kristara will emcee. Four candidates are running, two for prince and two for princess. Imperial Court members will vote for the new titleholders, and crown them at the end of the ball.
April Rains reflected on how this one year journey as Imperial Crown Princess was the culmination of a several year process of self-discovery:
In a week, I will step down as the Imperial Crown Princess of All Alaska, and someone else will step up and begin anew. For a while now I have been regretting this event. It will signify an end to what has been evolving for me in this role, and has exploded into an incredible experience I don’t want to end. A lot of what has unfolded had something, but not everything, to do with being Princess.For the past several weeks, I’ve been working like a dog Monday morning through about noon on Friday, then slipping into a skirt and lipstick until the new work week begins. In some ways, it’s an escape from my reality as a male, while in other ways it’s just a pure expression of myself as a multifaceted and talented person. As the years have evolved, what was once a rare Friday night outing in a skirt by myself, has become a fully intergrated part of who I am. The days of changing last minute in some out of the way bathroom are over. Now I’ll leave the house mid-day for the whole world to see and I won’t care. Where I was once paranoid that someone would find out where I lived or who I was ‘out of face’, now it seems the whole world knows. Where I was just another confused cross-dresser, now The Diva April Rains is becoming as prominent as her male counterpart.I’ve walked through stores and people have complimented me, stood in front of several hundred neighbors, associates and friends as they cheered at the end of “April’s Follies”, spoke with folks who say awesome things about performing in the Friday Night Diva’s show, and stood there humbly as Sherry Vine and Joey Arias acknowledged me during their show. These are all circumstances I never knew I’d get to experience.For months now, emails have come in from men in circumstances similar to mine years before, where fear, disgust, self-hatred and confusion rule their lives. They want to get out of their bedrooms and experience the real world. How do they do that? How do they talk with their wives, kids, and friends about their “secret”. They are relieved to know they are not alone, but realize that it’s a journey of self discovery to find who they are at the core of their being. This has little to do with being gay, straight, bi or any need to have sexual re-assignment surgery or take hormones. They have simpler questions, like what bathroom to use at a club, how to cover a beard, where to find shoes and hair, and so much more.If anything, being the ICP presented a unique route for me to be more open and visible about who I am as a person. It took a role I thought was a “fantasy” and interjected it into dead center of reality. A role where I attended meetings for the corporation of the Court recognized as a female, but blended it with my male experiences to help make real world business decisions. A role where my male community recognition as a builder, fire fighter, dog musher, dad, and partner allowed me to meet with other local business owners and associates as a female, to garner support for a first-ever Valley fundraiser.As the big weekend draws closer, what I felt was an end is in fact a new beginning. The end of the 16th ICP Reign will occur, as the 17th reign steps up and another very unqiuely talented and creative person hopes to make some positive changes during her reign. While my title as Her Most “Not So Sweet, 16th, Valley Trash, Imperial Crown Princess of All Alaska” will be entered into the lineage of the Court, my title as “The Valley Trash Baroness of Big Lake” will remain … and that’s a title I have yet to develop.
"Double drag" with Mad Myrna’s Divas
by April Rains
My friend Larry didn’t know what to expect at April’s Follies. He, like so many others, was under the impression that it was some type of adult sex-based show and was really hesitant to go. But after it was all said and done, he was totally surprised that it was just another form of comedy. That’s what drag shows are – a unique and bizzarre blend of comedy that challenges the norms of sex, gender, and how we perceive our world and others in it.
At the Mad Myrna’s Divas Show on Friday, I tried, for the very first time, what is referred to as a “double drag.” Basically it’s a guy, dressed as a girl, dressed as a guy… or vice versa. I painted my face, did my hair, jewelry, perky 38 B’s, and still had my manicure from last weekend, but wore my typical guy t-shirt, jeans, cowboy boots and a dirty baseballl hat. The song I used was Toby Keith’s “I luv this bar,” with his deep male voice similar to mine.
At first the mic was ‘hot’ so I could talk with the audience. As the song began, I shut it off, sync’d it, then turned it on afterwards. The mix of live voice and sync creates the illusion that I can actually “sing” like Toby, with a voice identical to his, when in fact it’s just my lips moving. The attire gives a strongly mixed visual signal of gender identity, by enhancing my muscular male build with my female accessories, and heightens the words behind the song by reinforcing the theme that “anyone is welcome in this bar.” That’s what makes Mad Myrna’s such an incredible place: anyone is welcome at anytime without any judgement or prejuidice about who they are.
It was a huge stretch for me to try this, and the idea came basically at the last minute as I trounced around WalMart in drag looking for the CD, and of course, twisting people’s views of the world once again. I wanted to do something completely different, on the edge of what I’ve done in the past, and push the boundaries out a little further, as with everything I do. Diva’s is a really great show, and variety is a must if you expect folks to keep coming back. Now we have all types of folks showing up, and if for some reason I only do one song vs two, that is a good thing. We have more for folks to see. Not that doing one song is all I want to do every night…
My friend Felisha does double female drag a lot by dressing as a queen but she is actually a real female. She gives an illusion that makes one think about who and what she is. Loren [not her real name], who I thought for weeks was a real girl like Felisha, is actually an incredibly gorgeous guy, although few people could tell based on her size, hair, and other very feminine features, including her typical day attire which is very “fishy” (close to or what one would expect for the typical gender role).
One of the shows emcee’s, Daphne Do All, is very obvious when she dresses. She is very “campy” (exaggerated) in that she presents as your great aunt going to church or your Sunday School teacher in her big blonde hair, tailored business suits and mega-dollar heels. She and her counterpart Paige (a real girl or GG “genetic girl”) could rival Amelda Marcos with shoes. Ashley, Jovy, Maraquita, Raina, Sasha and others are what one would expect for drag queens: male performers accenting their female strengths like energetic dancing, killer legs, and really skimpy costumes that leave one wondering where they put it. When Kristara performs, she is in a class by herself. A vixen-ous mix of sexual energy, beauty, and an extensive wardrobe that encompasses all the great designers and more. Whether you’re male or female, straight, gay or bi, she can weave a spell around you that would leave even the most conservative leader of the Christian right following her home, despite the surpise he might get later.
Each of us is unique in our own views on life, gender, sex, and how we blend and present in the Friday night show, but yet are united in that we don’t see the world as many in the “mainstream” do. That’s the incredible thing about a drag show – it twists reality and leaves one thinking that “life” is not what we have been taught it “should be” but way more. Luckily we have that venue here in Alaska and can share it with anyone who cares to watch and listen.
On the Way to the Follies
April Rains hosted “April’s Follies” this weekend, the first Imperial Court drag show in Wasilla. She describes her adventures on the way to the Follies in her first contribution to Bent Alaska.
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All Right
by April Rains
He stood there silently looking at me as his wife purchased material in Joanne’s, his large “NRA”, “IBEW” and “Marine” patches clearly visible. He was in his lates 60’s and was obviously only there because she was. His look said any place would be better now that I was standing there.
A smile crossed my lips, but he gave no response, and several other people joined the checkout line. Keith said it was the clothes I wore that were drawing attention, not “typical” for Alaskan women. “Alaskan lesbian chic” I call it, a look completed with a fringed leather motorcycle jacket and draping green plaid scarf. The two of us made our way as an odd couple through a myriad of stores and shops, picking up last minute items for tonight’s show.
I used to wear high riding mini-skirts and killer heels for very brief, and nervous, stops to get cigarettes or coffee. Home, to the club, and back again. Now it’s colorful layered t-shirts, sweaters, designer jeans, flowing skirts and dresses, and dress boots or heels, and what once was a rare occurance to enter a store or do errands in femme, has become the norm in many ways. The styles now reflect the ease, comfort, and fun with which it is done. Enough to say that whatever I am to onlookers, I am not just some guy faking it in women’s clothes. There is self confidence, style and taste, life experience, and even serious sex appeal at times, behind the red hair and french manicured nails.
***
At Mila’s Alterations I stood in front of the full length hallway mirror wrapped in a $1000 torqoiuse blue evening gown as she adjusted this strap and that. Mila insisted that I model gowns and dresses with her professionals at tonight’s show, and I agreed if she would find something for my daughter to wear as well, as a surprise. Dad and daughter hitting the catwalk together as female fashion models. A first, I am sure, for Alaska.
It’s prom season and three teenage girls stood there in amazement and shock as I turned side to side to check the fit. The gown is gorgeous and, like the cocktail dress I bought, cut as if I were the mannequin the designer built it around. “Even I didn’t look that good in that dress,” one girl replied, and a sound of discontent crossed her lips. They were there as Mila and I discussed shoes and makeup pallettes to match. All just part of life as it moves ahead in odd and bizzarre twists and turns.
***
“We need to drop Jesse off at her house,” Keith said as we headed out of town. She lives on Fort Richardson, the army base just north of Anchorage. This is not the place one plays games, as armed guards, attack dogs, metal/bomb detectors and heavy armor guard the gates. It’s a major deployment point for Striker Brigades, equipment and infantry into the Middle East. The names and units of those killed in combat sit freshly on the minds of everyone, as do those still there, or soon to be going. Anyone or anything in question is not taken lightly there.
Pulling up, a line of cars and trucks waited as teams of soilders stripped and searched each car one by one due to a high security alert. Too late to turn around, the three of us sat there: a goth military wife with a partial mohawk and green braided hair, a photographer covered in tattoos, wearing dark glasses and purple hair, and a drag queen. The minivan was crammed with boxes of potato chips, makeup, dresses, a spot light, camera equipment, and a bright pink guiter. If there was about to be a massive incident, everything pointed at us, even though we had done nothing.
As we watched, all the traffic was directed to the right and crews descended on the vehicles. We moved up, and we were the only ones told to go left. We approached the guards, and I sat there nervously as Keith handed them our ID’s. “Fundraiser,” Keith said. The guard stared at the pictures, then at me, and then grinned. “Go ahead,” was all he replied, and we were the only vehicle to enter the base without incident. The guards knew I was male by my ID. They didn’t care. Go figure. Guess I am all right.
