<\/a>Juneau Drag’s Lamia Monroe takes the main stage of the Southeast Alaska State Fair with a doll-like performance in Haines on Friday evening for the performance group’s debut show at the fair. (Clarise Larson \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
The queen’s set was one of many put on by the six Juneau Drag performers who traveled from the capital city to Haines for a debut performance in front of hundreds of attendees of all ages cheering and jumping during the two-hour headliner event.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
It’s hard to think that despite the hundreds of people who attended the event, just months prior, there was talk of the show being called off before the queens even hit the stage.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
When it announced Juneau Drag would be one of the many performances at the 54th annual fair, the Southeast Alaska State Fair board and the group faced an onslaught of local scrutiny in Haines via comments posted online and shared at Haines Borough Assembly meetings expressing opposition to the performance, citing it as inappropriate and “adult only.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
<\/a>A young audience member hands a Juneau Drag performer a cash tip mid performance at the main stage of the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines on Friday evening for the performance group’s debut show at the fair. (Clarise Larson \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Those comments did not sway the board or the group to call off the performance, but a decision was made to push back the start time of the performance to later in the evening “in consideration of the concerns we heard from some parents.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“We’ve received hundreds of letters, visits, and calls from the community; some opposed to Juneau Drag performing at the Fair, and the majority in favor,” the board stated in early May. “We took a close look at the substantive issues people raised with hosting drag performance here, and have found those concerns do not warrant us removing Juneau Drag from our line up.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
The board took a stance to further defend drag as the same as any other art form hosted at the fair and called it as something that can be performed to be appropriate for all ages.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“Indeed, Drag as an all-ages performance is long established worldwide,” it stated. “Further, there is no evidence to support the idea that Drag performers are predators of children, we find the allegation of such offensive towards the performers we happily partner with and support, and we do not give such an argument any credence.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
<\/a>Lituya Hart Monroe shows off her fit with a spin during a performance at the main stage of the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines on Friday evening for the performance group’s debut show at the fair. (Clarise Larson \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
According to Gigi Monroe, the emcee and a performer, the number of people and support the show garnered Friday night took her off guard.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“I definitely didn’t expect this — it’s really just incredible, it’s very emotional and very heartwarming,” she said. “I knew that the Haines community was fantastic and really supportive, but this is just above and beyond, and I feel like everyone is so here with us and connected.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t