"The bigger the hair, the closer to god"

This week’s class discussion revolved around Darrin Hagen’s book The Edmonton Queen, a collection of stories from Hagen’s involvement in the Edmonton Drag scene since the ‘80s. With our class focusing on reading the local, we were fortunate to have Darrin be able to come and speak to our class. 

Discussion focused dominantly on the many facets of drag portrayal in present society, how drag culture has changed and the history of the queer community. Nevertheless, the relation to our purpose of reading the local is the step back and thinking about minorities of any capacity and their interactions with each other and the spaces they inhabit. Drag culture exemplified how spaces can be “owned” by a minority, as they control the majority of their claimed space’s happenings. In The Edmonton Queen, this space was Flashback—a bar of both grand and gritty conditions.  Hagen, then known as Gloria, would “own” the bar with his ‘girls,’ putting on spectacular shows, and delving into debauchery (go read the book, It is hilarious, sad, and eye-opening).

The anecdotes of his book illustrate how the underground, or in a more general sense minorities create spaces to exist in, where they can maintain their values and find camaraderie through community. However, and this is a big however, I don’t think it is necessary for minorities within the city to “own” an area. Public spaces, like Flashback are frequented by groups who identify collectively, with common goals and interests to band together. This can be said for any group of people, and the location is not concretely significant. Another example is the University of Alberta itself, or even English 380, reading the local. People convene in a regular place to work together for some purpose, regardless if it is embracing your inner woman, or reading a book about those embracing their inner women. 

In a way, I believe minorities do not “own” spaces, but they “own” their groups. When Flashback was empty, or when HC 1-7 empties its contents of English 380 students, they both stop belonging to the groups who inhabited them. Although the spaces may have calming abilities of providing familiarity and comfort, minorities can identify with one another in any place. Hagen describes the drag scene across North America, illustrating how minorities can find familiarity and comfort amongst their peers beyond walls.