Dreams of Being a Queen
By Natasha Boord, 12/3/19 (Header image by AustinMini 1275 on Flickr Commons)
When it comes to being comfortable in your own skin, the ICC Drag Show was a concerted community effort towards empowering our community. However, for those who may still be discouraged, Natasha Boord recently interviewed a queen from the event, Miss Flo, to address where to start with drag-racing, even when you’re low on funds.
What does being a drag queen mean to you?
Being a drag queen is a way for me to express myself in a more flamboyant way than my everyday life. Through drag, I am able to create a character that puts smiles on people’s faces while using the celebrity side to give back to the community through fundraising, helping non-for-profits, and others in need of a professional emcee.
How many hours go into it? like not just makeup but performance as well.
A normal night of drag can take up to 8 hours from the start of makeup to socializing and networking after a two-hour show.
How do you get your name out there? I understand it’s a little easier now with social media.
When I started drag 6 years ago I took being a comedy queen to heart and started as an old lady only wearing grey wigs and moo-moos. So the name Miss Flo NoMo is in reference to “Aunt Flow” and not having one.
For college students who want to start but money is an issue do you have any advice on that?
When first starting off it is great to talk with your girlfriends about makeup and clothing items they might let you borrow because drag can be expensive while you are searching for your “drag.” But once you find YOU then you can focus on shopping for you.
I literally borrowed makeup from friends then went to Goodwill and started searching.
Also reach out to other queens in the area because we always have things we are getting rid of. Old costumes, wigs, pads, and [we] can lead you towards inexpensive places. I just added two new daughters into my drag family and so far each has only spent money on tights because I and their friends have helped supply them with a starter kit.
As you mentioned before you had changed your stage name before. How does one choose their name and style? You are not stuck with the first name you choose?
Queens start with a name but when they join a family or a house. They normally take on the name of their drag family or you might start with a name that doesn’t really work and isn’t marketable.
I started as Flo NoMo’ but through the years it evolved into Miss Flo means the same thing but flows better off the tongue. So on posters you will see my name as Miss Flo, Flo NoMo, or Miss Flo NoMo, it’s all the same person.
Flo’s cheery persona shines through with a laugh.
What is the difference between drag queens and transgender?
Drag is a type of entertainment where people dress up and perform, often in highly stylized ways. This does not mean they are transgender.
Just as actors do not keep being referred to by their characters’ names after stepping offstage, drag performers do not necessarily keep the names or pronouns they use while performing. Transgender people have a gender identity that differs from their sex assigned at birth.
Something else is just any advice you have for young queens or kings? I think one thing is people get discouraged seeing professionals with makeup well done or worried to mess up a performance.
My advice for the younger queens and kings it to look up to your favorite entertainer but remember we all started in our bedrooms learning from our mess-ups.
Miss Flo
We just didn’t have social media and trolls to bring us down. So as you learn critic yourself and talk with people you trust before going to social media. Trolls attack me still and I just look at it as a compliment because at least they are noticing me.