LGBTQ History Month event highlights diversity.
By Sarah Centeno
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Forty-four students participated in Drag King “Loteria” Oct. 10, winning shirts, bags, and necklaces as part of LGBTQ History Month.
The office of student life hosted the event in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center. Loteria is a Spanish version of bingo.
“Usually we have drag queens host the bingo, but we’re all about diversity,” said Joseph Liedecke, coordinator for civic engagement. “Drag kings don’t get as much publicity so we decided to go with drag kings this year.”
Two drag king performers from the troupe Los Mentirosos, Barbie Hurtado and Giomara Bazaldua, hosted the game.
“Los Mentirosos is the first drag king collective in San Antonio,” Hurtado said. “We do this to create awareness for the art of drag king.”
Pancho Panza is Hurtado’s stage name, and SirGio is Bazaldua’s stage name.
Drag performers have stage names instead of using their real names.
The audience whistled and cheered on the two performers as they performed a duet.
Psychology sophomore Nicholas Delaunay participated in playing loteria.
“I hope people can see the different cultural perspectives of drag kings, queens and the LGBT community, but mostly to have a good time,” Delaunay said.
The stage in the middle of the room was decorated with lights and battery-operated candles.
The audience whistled and cheered on the two drag kings, as they performed songs in Spanish.
“We’re always implementing programs for social justice and equality,” Liediecke said.
The two performers spoke more about the drag king troupe and some of the other events where they perform.
“Recently, we started hosting a quarterly event called the Drag King Revolt. It’s an all drag king review and performance Nov. 10 at La Botanica,” Bazaldua said.
La Botanica is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant at 2911 N. St. Mary’ s St.
A college committee and a student organization, Gay Ally Lesbian Alliance, are sponsoring events to observe LGBTQ History Month.
For more information on GALA, call 210-201-4252.