Dearest Reader
A lot of people have asked about what I do in drag. Why do I look so non-traditional? What is “genderfuck” drag and why is that even a thing? Why is it such a big deal that you’re a transgender person who does drag?
Well the fast answers are as follows: I can so I do, I made it a thing and Because I used to be the only one of my kind.
Way back when, the LGB sections of LGBT had a real hate on for trans folk doing anything unforeseen. Being trans and liking folks of the same sex as your transitioned to gender was a terrible no no (I know that wording is awkward but I’m trying to be PC here alright?) Being trans and trying to go to a men’s only or women’s only event was a disaster no matter which way you went and GOD HELP YOU if you even thought about being non-binary.
Back then good little trans boys were expected to transition, happily obtain their new bits and run off to get with some woman (Don’t ask me why the gays were pushing heterosexuality on the trans folk – to this day I haven’t a clue why that was a thing) Openly saying you were gay AND trans was a fast way to get excluded from both communities. Stick to the party line and you could hang out with the gays at open invite parties sure. You could still get invited to a cocktail soiree as the token T of the group. But you were never viewed as gay.
For me this presented a problem because well, I’m gay, and a man (the whole non-binary thing came much later for me – back then I was a man) and I did drag. Before my transition I performed as a drag king but that didn’t work for me after things started to change – I wanted to wear the shiny things! So I started working as a drag queen at out of town private parties where no one knew me and I could just forget to mention the whole trans thing. But true to myself, I got annoyed with the hiding and the worrying about getting my ass kicked if anyone found out, so I decided to stick the closet door where the sun don’t shine.
Thus Leada Stray was born and my journey began
Needless to say this all didn’t go over very well and there was a LOT of backlash from the community. Thanks to some amazing supporters and my own idiot brand of stubbornness, I persevered and built up quite a history of crazy along the way. After all, if you’re already hated for being the thing no one wanted, why not DO the things no one thought you should? For me that meant everything to do with gender normativity and how completely can I break it. Apparently pretty damn good.
Many years have passed since this story began and I am pleased now to look around the drag bars of the world and see many wonderful performers of all identities and all presentations honing their craft and sending a little more fabulousness into the world. I am proud to be a part of this great profession and to have mentored many of these young artists on their journeys to ferocity
Now I embark on a new chapter as I step out into the world of drag as not only trans, but profoundly deaf. To my knowledge I am the only deaf FTM trans* drag queen in existence, but if I’m not I say only “Thank God” and “Please tell me who the other one is!” I perform in not only lip sync now but in ASL as well (and at the same time no less) and I promise the performances are just as high-flying, gender-fucking and mid-blowing as ever they were before!
Lots of love,
Mama Leada
The Celebration Of Silence 