Gottmik and Violet Chachki are bringing drag excellence across the country with ‘The Knockout Tour’

Since President Trump took over the Kennedy Center, several shows have been canceled as a result of the current administration’s anti-LGBTQ policies. The storied venue is currently undergoing a major overhaul since the president appointed himself its director, whether the theater company will leave as a sign of unity or Trump himself will ban drag performances and other events.

With WorldPride approaching in June and one of the country’s highly revered stages being cut off from queer entertainment, The Washington Blade spoke with some of D.C.’s drag performers about the current situation.

Tatianna Voce, Miss Gay America 2023 and headliner of several shows inside the DMV, spoke to the Blade about the current state of drag in D.C.

Blade: Since the new Trump administration took office, have you ever thought that your job as a drag queen might be in jeopardy?

VOCHE’: Oh, sure! We realized this during his first administration. If you don’t fit a certain mold, whether it’s the color of your skin, your religious beliefs, how you identify, or your sexual preferences or hobbies, your freedoms and hobbies are definitely under attack.

Blade: With Trump now chairman of the Kennedy Center and indefinitely banning shows there, what do you think about the future of drag over the next four years?

VOCHE’: Sadly, we’ve been down this road before. Being gay, or drag itself, used to not be so mainstream or cool. So we can say that as a community we are very strong. I think most of us are tired of fighting the good fight, but in order to be able to do what we do, we have to continue the same way we fought generations ago. I think the drag world is going to be in crisis over the next four years, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Blade: What are your plans for future performance given the current political climate?

VOCHE’: Personally, I want to continue to spread love throughout the country wherever I go and uplift as many community members and allies as possible. When in a new venue, ask questions to protect yourself (i.e., where the emergency exits are, always have a plan) and to be aware of your surroundings. Do not join or engage with groups of people where you feel unsafe. We know what kind of people are on the other side of this situation and that they have real hate in their hearts, but we don’t and we can’t, for lack of a better word, poke the bear. In the end we will win.

Every Pleasure also spoke to Blade.

She is an award-winning performer known for her shows filled with energy, laughter, and charm. Every Pleasure was named DC’s Best Drag Queen by the 2023 DC Drag Awards and Blade.

blade: How can we bring joy to ourselves and our communities during times like these?

EVRY PLEASURE: I am focused on my purpose. I do drag because it’s a way for me to tell stories, express my creativity, connect with my community, and provide a good time to everyone who sees me. I find joy when I focus on the purpose and the platform to drive change and disseminate information. There is always an exit. These are difficult times, but there have been difficult times in the past, and we have come out strong from them.

Blade: What do you think is the best way to combat the current backlash against queerness?

EVRY PLEASURE: The first thing we have to do is continue to be unapologetically queer and show them that we’ve been here and we’ll always be here, even when they’re constantly attacking us. The other thing is to find and build a community. Being organized helps you do your job better. We saw it at the March for Drugs here in Washington, D.C., in early March, and we’ve seen it all over the country. We are stronger when we are together. We can organize and fight back stronger. By following organizations like @Qommitte, you can find more information on how to join and support several actions and protests in the DMV region and around the country.

The last queen The Blade spoke to was Tara Foote, a highly vocal and highly regarded performer in the region’s queer scene. Blade named her one of DC’s top 5 drag queens in 2022

blade: How do you think World Pride will be affected by this DC acquisition?

Tara Foote: So I think the world will probably be affected by the Trump administration. You know, people from all over the world want to come to the United States. That means travel from Canada to the U.S. has already plummeted. Will LGBTQ people from around the world feel safe coming to Washington, DC? That’s a big open question, so there’s no doubt that Washington DC and LGBTQ people in the United States need to come and show their support for World Pride and Capital Pride 50th Anniversary.

Blade: With opposition to queerness being a major goal of the Trump administration, do you think protests are the biggest way to push back?

Tara Foote: I think protests are big, just like marching and things like that, but I also think you need friends who live in states that have representation. I think it’s really important to plan small acts of civil disobedience to make a point and show our presence. If you look at ACT UP, the AIDS crisis organization, they were doing things like putting giant condoms in the house of Republican Sen. Jesse Helms, who lived in Arlington. So it’s like they had our ancestors before us, people who thought before us in the LGBTQ community, who gave us a roadmap for different things at work, things that were successful, ways we could leverage civil disobedience. I think what fascism and the Republican Party want to take away from us is our love, joy, and vitality, and we have to keep showing those things.

BLADE: How are you finding joy for yourself and your community during this administration?

Tara Foote: So my character didn’t exist before the pandemic. This was announced during the final stages of the Trump administration during the pandemic, and is the first of its kind to exist. When I came out into the workforce, everyone just felt bad and I didn’t want to be that drag queen that made people feel bad and dragged them down. I wanted to uplift people and bring joy, so that’s how I operated. I describe my type of drag characters like Mr. Rogers in speeches, and you know I do story time events where I play bingo. I’ll play trivia. But in my readings, people may think, “That’s just for little kids,” but it’s the adults who make the most of it. They are the ones who tear up a little and cry as I tell them how brave and strong and how amazing they are. I get that people need to hear that and I’m happy just getting into drugs and I see that it makes other people happy. That’s how we will continue to spread the joy.