STONEWALL YOUTH DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA

Friday, February 8, 2002 * The Olympian

Find entertainment, enlightenment at drag show
By Ross Raihala/ The Olympian

OLYMPIA - Jen Galang giggles when she describes the part she’ll play in the Stonewall Youth Drag Show on Saturday night at the Capitol Theatre.

“Well, I’m going to play the safe-sex nurse and I’m going to pass out condoms and safe-sex materials” Galang explains. “But, the thing is, I’m really nervous, especially with the outfit I’m wearing. I’m supposed to be the naughty safe-sex nurse. I’m supposed to be all sexy, and I’m not exactly used to that”

The 18 year old Olympia resident is one of the youth volunteers who is helping to organize the second annual drag show event, a benefit for the Olympia based Stonewall Youth, a non profit outreach and advocacy group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning people 21 and under. The cabaret-style evening of entertainment will feature drag performances by regional gay and lesbian youths as well as live music from Olympia bands such as Tracy + The plastics and Madame Morte. The theatre’s mezzanine will contain tables with information on GLBT advocacy groups and safer-sex issues. “It’s definitely not just for the queer community, it’s for everybody,” says Emily Stern. “But it will also be a wonderful opportunity for queer kids to find a common ground and have a really fun night.” Stern, 29, was the production manager for Olympia’s 2000 punk-rock opera “The Transfused.” She’s also a longtime AIDS educator and activist. As a former education and outreach coordinator for Stonewall Youth, Stern organized last year’s inaugural event and is leading a team of teen volunteers again this year. “I didn’t know what to expect, I just wanted these kids to have the opportunity to feel inspired and validated,” says Stern, who is also known as Spider. “I was blown away when 500 people showed up. It was a really great, supportive crowd.” Liina Koivula, 18, was one of the volunteers for 2001’s drag show, an experience she says was quite enlightening. “It’s this chance to see a world you’re not exposed to in high school,” says the Olympia resident. “you don’t have to look like what people expect, you don’t have to be any gender.” To that end, Koivula will be perform on Saturday dressed as Mark Twain. “I’m going to be doing a Mark Twain essay about masturbation,” Koivula says. “You can really expect to see anything and everything at this show.”