Miss Gay Cleveland

I have a distinct memory of reading and rereading an article in a newspaper about this competition. I cannot remember exactly when this occurred, but it was either pre-internet or if it was when the internet existed, it would have been during the days of dial-up. As many can relate (again before the internet), we hung on anything circulating in the general public that showed someone dressing, CD or TG. I remember almost every aspect of that story, detailing one participant and what she did to prepare for the pageant. I lived vicariously though this person.

One day it just came back into my memory, so I Googled it and saw that there would be a pageant near me, on Pride weekend. So I made plans to attend. I read the rules and was looking forward to a pageant. Now as a friend of mine reminded me, I generally dislike drag. I simply am not a fan.

June 5, 2022 I got dressed and went on my way to enjoy this pageant! I was pleased with my presentation and even more pleased when my wife told me I looked cute!

On the way, I stopped at Panera Bread and enjoyed my dinner, a salad and then headed across town. I arrived there about an hour early and enjoyed a cocktail.

I waited and waited and waited for the 8:00 show to start, near 9:00. Now, remember what I was there for, a gay/Pride event. The entire time I felt so out of place. I did not fit in at all. No one even smiled at me or said hello as I sat alone at my table. I can and have walked into countless establishments and almost always get some type of human interaction, generally having a nice conversation with someone. Here, nothing.

In a side note, the place was freezing! Thank goodness I wore a sweater and even then, I was shivering for much of the time I was there.

Once they got started, it was by no means a pageant and the rules of how the competition was to be run (it is a part of the Miss Gay America competition) did not seem to apply. It was simply a drag lip syncing show. There were the competitors and then a bunch of other performers. I continued to feel like the odd (wo)man out. After 45 minutes of lip syncing, I left, very disappointed.

I texted my friend to reaffirm my great dislike of drag performances (not the performers, the performances). She was right.

Not one to waste a cute outfit, I stopped at a bar/restaurant on the way home. I sat at the bar, watched the NBA Finals game and felt right at home. I had a lovely conversation with the bartender and enjoyed this portion of the evening.

I felt like the square peg also at the Pride event the day before. There was all the over-the-top flamboyance at both events, and I completely understand why. But that is so not me. I have somehow found a niche to be a woman in mainstream society with little blowback or issues. We’ll discuss this in a future post.

A disappointing evening overall, based upon my expectations and the costs of having a few cocktails. Live and learn.