By Denzel Nyathi
August 16 saw Nkoli-Fassie, USKAR’s own LGBTQI+ society, host a glamorous drag show at the The Vic Hotel. The show marked the end of a wonderful pride week hosted by Nkoli-Fassie which included poetry nights, educational talks and a pride march.
While the daytime march called for a comfortable pair of sneakers, by evening, many had undergone drastic transformations. From full on beards of glitter to formally dressed drag kings and queens- the night was a visual spectacle. Faces glimmered and shone with extravagant makeup looks.
Unfortunately, the event had a strict no photo or video policy (unless of course you were taking photos of yourself and your circle). While this may have been a shame, the reasoning was beautiful, Nkoli-Fassie wanted the event to be a safe space. This meant that people could perform or enjoy the show without the fear of anyone they may know personally drawing any conclusions on their identity from photos or videos. A number of performers, each gloating their own unique talents, graced the floor which resembled the traditional aesthetics of drag ball culture.
I joined in on the festivities by performing a voguing sequence on the evening. While I stand by the belief that voguing is truly one of the most fun and expressive dance forms to ever work the floor, it was the love and support of the crowd that made it an even more enthralling experience for me.
The fun of the evening was also enhanced by the free food, open bar and prizes up for grabs for best performance. While I could go on about the reasons as to why this year’s drag show was a success and why you should attend next year’s drag show, perhaps the best reason is simply for the pride. Pride in being authentically yourself and as a member or ally of such a beautiful, colourful and resilient community.