The latest Guardian piece featured a somewhat controversial interview with Rupaul. Whilst this led to a tonne of negativity, social media decided to focus on the positives starting #mydragisvalid. We loved this hasthag as we got to see a range of incredibly talented bio femme queens.
We want to further not just our own learning on various aspects of drag, ie local queens, kings and of course female queens! So we are aiming to bring more talented, fabulous, fierce and strong women to the site! We start with the incredible Luna Moon!
Dragadventures: How did you get started in drag?
Luna Moon: Just over a year ago, a friend of mine suggested I watched Drag Race, watching the first episode I instantly felt a pull and a resonance. It felt familiar, like it should have always been there in my life. Immediately after watching I did everything I could to find my local community and get involved. I felt like drag was calling out to me and I just had to be a part of such an artistic and beautiful community. At the time, my disability had taken me to a very dark place, I was unable to work, unable to leave the house most of the time and the darkness was taking over me. I felt I had no reason to live if it meant spending every day in agony – but suddenly, there was drag – it gave me something to enjoy and aspire to, something to work toward.
One night, I saw my local drag queen and promoter advertising and needing a queen for an upcoming show – having never performed in my life and being crippled with chronic pain, I don’t know what ever possesed me to apply, but I did, and I got my first ever drag job, supporting Farrah Moan.
I couldn’t quite believe what I’d gotten myself into but hey, I wasn’t going to turn down an opportunity like that. The second I arrived at the venue that day, my adrenaline kicked in and I didn’t even notice my pain. Performing became the only time in years that I had felt no pain – I was out of my body and free. Since then I have taken any and every opportunity handed me to perform and feel that freedom again. Drag truly saved me, both mentally and physically and I count myself so lucky to have found it when I did, because without it, I most certainly wouldn’t be here today.
DA: Who are your inspirations for your character and drag name?
LM: I pull a lot of my inspiration from 70’s, 80’s and 90’s fashion, glam rock, and old school emo anthems! At the time when I started, I was inspired by queens like Adore who broke the mold a little bit, and now queens like Sasha Velour, Bitqch Puddin, Hungry all inspire me with their unique, artistic, slightly out of the box styles of drag and their passion for equality amongst any and all types of drag performers, be they male, female, cis, trans, gender non conforming, ect.
DA: What’s the worst thing about being a female drag queen?
LM: The worst thing by far is the lack of acceptance that still exists within the drag world. Despite the fact that drag was founded by trans women and that women have been doing drag since it’s inception, there is still a HUGE amount of people out there that don’t consider what we do to be valid. Recent comments made by some very influential people within the community however, started a much needed dialogue between those of us that are not cis men doing drag, and those who are. It was a dialogue that was WAY overdue and the amount of support that is out there for queens who are not your typical cis male queen was overwhelming and beautiful and FAR outwieghed the negativity.
DA: Has anyone tried to tell you not to do drag and tried to put you down?
LM: Not to my face, thankfully, but yes I have overheard many a comment in crowds at shows where I’ve been performing, or the recent drag competition I made it to the final of, but mostly online. Other peoples opinions on what I can or can’t do makes no difference to me, I will continue to do it and be free from my pain for as long as I physically can. If they don’t like it, that is completely their problem and will never be mine.
DA: What are your top 5 female drag queens for people to follow?
LM: I could never choose just 5! Tayla Mac, Lacey McFayden, Venus Envy, Bijoux Sirene, Creme Fatale, TheElusiveFreya, Courtney Conquer, and literally EVERY SINGLE other queen in the #MyDragIsValid tag on Twitter!
Be sure to check out the wonderful variety of queens mentioned by Luna! If you want to follow Lunas drag then be sure to on twitter: LunaMoonNotts
DragAdventures 