![]() I want to live so that I don’t feel like I’m going crazy.” Jiggly Caliente, who came out as transgender in 2016, says she hates when people say kids aren't old enough to know their identity. I’m choosing this because I want to be happy. When she came out to her mother, her mom said, “The world is not going to be kind to you.” In response, Jiggly said, “I’m not choosing this because I want to be difficult. “It took time for them to learn and grow with me,” said Jiggly. A world where, according to NBC News, nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ bills have been filed in 2022 so far.īrendan stayed with our twins as I dashed off to interview Jiggly Caliente, a proud Filipina drag queen, who starred in season four of "RuPaul’s Drag Race." Jiggly publicly came out as a transgender woman in 2016, and says it wasn’t an overnight warm welcome from her family. It was so fun that for a moment I forgot about the world outside his convention. ![]() As Michael Jackson boomed, a man spun to the music and RuPaul called out, “Serve them Smooth Criminal!” A bearded person in a red sequined suit and thigh-high vinyl red boots blew kisses to the crowd while striking poses. The drag icon himself, RuPaul - in a long sleeve black-and-white shirt - deejayed in front of a giant screen that played images from the beginning of his supermodel career to now. I stumbled into an epic dance party at the main stage. At DragCon, I didn’t worry about skeevy comments from men or dirty looks from people who told me to “get away from them.” I was free and safe to wander as myself. And when Randy said visibility, this is what we can do to remain in the light and remain visible.”Īs a Taiwanese-American cisgender woman, I’ve spent a lot of time keeping an eye on who is around me, especially during the pandemic. Barbato added, “I think the most important way for us, for drag queens and our community to fight back, is to maintain visibility.” Fenton Bailey (left) and Randy Barbato, World of Wonder co-founders and executive producers of "RuPaul’s Drag Race." Stephanie Noritz for TODAYīailey nodded in agreement. “It’s important that there’s a space like this, and the message of expressing yourself and being creative about yourself is a really important message, and one that we will stand by, and fight for, to the end,” Bailey told TODAY Parents. Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, World of Wonder co-founders and executive producers of “RuPaul’s Drag Race," explained how they see kids fitting into this world. Make no mistake: RuPaul’s DragCon Los Angeles is family-friendly. I saw preteens smiling as they held their parents’ hands. There were rows of Marge Simpson-sized wigs. I stumbled on a re-creation of "The Golden Girls" kitchen. I saw someone in a Ruth Bader Ginsburg-inspired drag. The sugary scent of cotton candy perfumed the air. On the main stage, a rotating cast of fabulous drag queens performed. ![]() When I entered the convention, it was like I stepped into "Drag Race." I walked on a long pink carpet, surrounded by rows of booths selling glittery boas, rainbow fringe coats and long-lasting makeup. ![]() ![]() I spent my first day at DragCon sans kids to scope out the scene, and frankly, to see if there was anything I needed to steer them away from. The atmosphere inside the convention was so joyous, I almost forgot that the world outside can be so hostile for trans people. So I went to ask them at the Los Angeles Convention Center. As a mother, I wanted to know what helped these successful drag queens share their authentic selves in the face of adversity. As a die-hard fan of "RuPaul’s Drag Race," I knew all their histories and, for those who are trans, whether their parents supported or didn’t support their transition. While most drag queens are not transgender, some are. Usually, with sparkles.”Ĭlark, my nonbinary transgender kid, asked the most important question for a 6-year-old: “Will there be snacks?” “Someone who dresses up on the outside like how they feel on the inside. When I talked to my twins about going to RuPaul’s DragCon, Chloe asked, “What’s a drag queen?” I thought about it for a moment. ![]()
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