On Friday, Iowa City Pride and Lesbians of Iowa are holding the first Mister Iowa City Pageant and Showcase. It will feature new and veteran local drag kings competing for a variety of titles.
By Elly Woods
Six new and veteran drag kings from around the area will come together for the first Mister Iowa City Pageant and Showcase on Friday at 7 p.m. The event will take place in Trumpet Blossom Café, 310 E. Prentiss St., and is being put on by Iowa City Pride in conjunction with Lesbians of Iowa.
Cassie Ellis, the secretary of Iowa City Pride and Lesbians of Iowa leader, said the group members were excited to be able to have an event that would include everyone.
“We hope to draw in and serve a wider portion of the community — our LGBTQIA+ — community, as well as our allies,” Ellis said in an email to The Daily Iowan. “Trumpet Blossom allowing us to use its space for this event, along with the show time of 7 p.m., allows for a broader audience, including the greatest underserved community: LGBTQIA+ youth.”
Franky D. Lover, local drag king and founder of I.C. Kings, Iowa City’s local drag-king troupe, will be one of the judges at the showcase.
“It’s an exciting new type of pageant, with a representational judging panel and a focus on inclusion and encouragement of diversity in drag,” Lover said in an email to The Daily Iowan.
Most popular drag has traditionally included presentation of femininity by those who identify as male, non-binary, or trans. The Mister Iowa City pageant will serve an underrepresented group, and portray masculinity by those who may identify as non-binary, trans, or female. The goal of the show is to give a stage to those who have previously received little recognition.
“This is so much more than a pageant,” Ashlee Coffman, a Lesbians of Iowa leader said in a press release. “It’s an opportunity for those who haven’t felt represented fully by Pride to stand up and say, ‘Hey, here I am.’ We are elated to present that to our community.”
Franky D. Lover, local drag king and founder of I.C. Kings, Iowa City’s local drag king troupe, will be one of the judges at the showcase. Franky will give a guest performance, along with the current Mister Studio 13, Ronnie Bell, and the current Miss Gay Iowa City, Hollywood Hope.
“It’s an exciting new type of pageant, with a representational judging panel and a focus on inclusion and encouragement of diversity in drag,” Lover said in an email to The Daily Iowan.
Awards will be given out in the following categories: most endearing, most entertaining, most enthusiastic, most brave, crowd favorite, and overall winner. The winner will get the opportunity to perform at Studio 13, as well as the 48th-Annual Pride Parade will occur June 16 in downtown Iowa City. The parade will include performances from both national and local performers.
Admission is a donation that will go to benefit Iowa City Pride, an organization whose mission is to increase positive visibility of LGBTQIA+ individuals in the community. They host many events that allow LGBTQIA+ members to network and communicate. Lesbians of Iowa is a group that acts as a safe space online for those who are queer.