Drag Queens and Beauty Queens
Drag Queens and Beauty Queens
Contesting Femininity in the Worlds Playground
LAURIE A. GREENE
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY PRESS
NEW BRUNSWICK, CAMDEN, AND NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AND LONDON
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Greene, Laurie A., 1961 author.
Title: Drag queens and beauty queens: contesting femininity in the worlds playground / Laurie Greene.
Description: New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, [2021] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020012070 | ISBN 9781978813861 (paperback) | ISBN 9781978813878 (cloth) | ISBN 9781978813885 (epub) | ISBN 9781978813892 (mobi) | ISBN 9781978813908 (pdf)
Subjects: LCSH: Miss America Pageant. | Missd America Pageant. | Beauty contestsNew JerseyAtlantic City. | Gay communityNew JerseyAtlantic City.
Classification: LCC HQ1220.U5 G73 2021 | DDC 306.76/60974985dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020012070
A British Cataloging-in-Publication record for this book is available from the British Library.
Copyright 2021 by Laurie Greene
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Please contact Rutgers University Press, 106 Somerset Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. The only exception to this prohibition is fair use as defined by U.S. copyright law.
The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992.
www.rutgersuniversitypress.org
Manufactured in the United States of America
For Naomi, Nathan, and Noah
Everything is held together with stories. That is all that is holding us together, stories and compassion.
Barry Lopez
Contents
Map of Gay Atlantic City, 1970s1980s
Freedom trash can, 1968
Miss America 2.0 protests Gretchen Carlson, 2018
Life cycle of a community of practice
Practice for Missd America Pageant, The Originals, 2011
The Originals in drag, Missd America Pageant, 2012
Shelby Late, beating his face for Missd America, 2018
Shee-Queeta-Lee, in Talent, 2013
Flyer for Mortimers Caf / Studio Six, circa 1994
At the Rendezvous Bar, circa 1980
Membership cards, Gay Atlantic City, 1970s1980s
Gay Beach, Indiana Avenue in front of the Claridge Hotel, 1981
AIDS Quilt, Atlantic City
Missd America Pageant programs featuring skits, 19932004
Tina Burner, Missd America Pageant, in Talent, Resist, 2018
Studio Six, Missd America Pageant, 1999
Drag Kings and Queens, Show Us Your Pride, 2018
Erin OFlaherty, Miss Missouri, Show Us Your Shoes Parade
Calle Walker, Miss Alabama, Show Us Your Shoes Parade
Mimi Imfurst, Missd America Pageant, in Swimsuit, 2016
Sapphira Cristal, Missd America Pageant, in Swimsuit, 2018
New York Radical Women, Miss America Pageant protest, Atlantic City Boardwalk, 1968
Savannah Savonier, Missd America, in Evening Gown, 2016
Margeaux Haze (Powell), Missd America Pageant, in Talent, Labels, 2018
Adriana Trenta, crowning of Missd America, 2018
In many ways this book is for me a labor of love. As research progressed, I found myself more and more enamored with this much maligned tourist destination, Atlantic City, and in awe of its little-known, rich histories. Recounting of the history of marginalized communities is always important, even more so when the population in question is absent so many of its storytellers. Gay Atlantic City, having lost most of a generation to the plague of HIV/AIDS, is such a community. This book presents part of the history of gay Atlantic City, in lieu of intergenerational oral traditions usually tasked with passing down this lore.
So many people assisted in the research process. I would like to thank every individual member of the New York Avenue in the 1970s Facebook page, in particular those who shared their memories and photographs: David Lavoie, Jeanne Chiaradio, James Farber, Donna L. Visco, Ann Fox, and Robert Muir. To friends and neighbors who made community introductions, and corrections to my retelling of their lives; a special mention to Jean Antolini, always the essential critic, and a sometimes photographer. Thanks to my dear friend and talented artist and producer, Melanie Rice, who gave me initial access to the world of professional drag and drag pageantry. Much gratitude to director Mark Dahl for allowing access to contestants during the chaos of rehearsals and pre-performance dressing rooms. To every member of the ACGLBT Alliance, who volunteer tirelessly to make the Missd America Pageant a success. A special thanks to Sharon Garland, who, as always, took things off my plate at the last moment. To Georgette Watson, COO of the South Jersey AIDS Alliance (SJAA), who gave essential feedback about HIV/AIDS in Atlantic City. To Patti Smith, who opened the crated archives of New York Avenue nightlife, which somehow survived superstorm Sandy. To John Schultz and Gary Hill for sharing newsreels, videos, clippings, and memorabilia of gay Atlantic City and who took time to sit down for interviews. And finally, to the Stockton University student researchers who helped with interviewing and transcription: Kate OMalley, Katherine River Sage, Genesis Sandoval, Heather Gordon, Shoanne Seijas, and Aleyah Hassan.
The photographic images for this book are mostly the work of the talented photographer Paul Dempsey, who also re-photographed and sharpened old images and those taken from my smartphone. His contributions serve to enliven the text, and provide important visual examples of drag pageantry, the Missd America Pageant, and the gay community in Atlantic City.
I am indebted to all the former contestants of the Missd America Pageant who shared their dreams, aspirations, and assessments, and to the iconic Sherry Vine, Jackie Beat, Manilla Luzon, and other drag queens not part of the Missd America Pageant, who generously offered insights into this project. There are not enough words to express my gratitude to two very talented performing artists, editors, fact checkers, and honorary mayors of Atlantic City, HRH Mortimer (Mortimer Spreng) and Sandy Beach (Robert Hitchen). Their contributions to both Missd America and this book are invaluable, and integral to any telling of a more complete history of Atlantic City. This story is yours, and I hope I do it justice.
Finally, I would be remiss not to mention the important editing suggestions, friendship, and moral support offered by the following people, without whom this book would not have been possible: Kimberly Guinta, my patient and insightful editor at Rutgers University Press; Joe Rubenstein, who continues to be my editor in chief; and Edward Clark, dearest friend, confidant, and cheerleader. I am grateful for the often-critical theoretical feedback of my grown children, Naomi, Nathan, and Noah; know that I did listen! And finally, to Arlin Padilla and Valdenir Oliveira, who kept me sane by teaching me to salsa dance (and danced with me), and the Chain Gang and many others, who have given me support and friendship.
