King by Day, Queen by Night
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See page 5 for a look at the running backs fighting for positions behind Saquon Barkley. Vol. 117, No. 138 Wednesday, April 12, 2017 King by day, queen by night By Kat Procyk THE DAILY COLLEGIAN For More Students and alumni are break- Coverage ing gender norms in the wake of social experimentation and Visit collegian.psu.edu to view free expression on Penn State’s campus — all while death drop- a behind-the-scenes video from ping in five-inch stilettos and lip the student drag show. syncing for their lives. “We’re playing with social as a canvas with the ability to norms,” Luke Nosal said. “We transform into an extension of want to show everybody that themselves — an alter ego even. these aren’t that serious. You can However, the definition of drag break out of them.” and its threshold can vary by per- The State College drag scene son. has been growing, allowing a “It doesn’t feel to me [that] I generation of young men and am putting on a different gender,” women to experience a life of lip Kreider, a class of 2016 gradu- stick, lace front wigs, companion- ate, said. “It’s just the artistic ship and inclusion in a world still expansion of my already existing constrained with oppression, ig- gender identity.” norance and a fight for universal Kreider also said he doesn’t civil rights. agree with “most of society” that Jamil Summaq/Collegian “I’m not sure if now’s the drag is female impersonation. Drag queens Absinthe (left) and Sequoia Dendron (right) perform during the student drag show at the time for [drag] to become “I believe that drag is the HUB-Robeson Center on Friday, April 7. mainstream,” Tyler Sanchez said. personification of effeminacy,” “I don’t think people are ready for Kreider said. “I think that any like Lucille Bluth from “Arrested that yet.” kind of gender bending and artis- Development.” The name itself is Aaron Kreider said drag tic expression can be considered based off his biological mother’s queens are the pi- drag if that’s how actual name. oneers of the gay “It doesn’t feel to you present it.” “She inspires me every day,” civil rights move- The State Col- Nosal (junior-French Horn ment. me [that] I am lege kings and performance) said of his mother. The queens putting on a queens have “She’s a bitch.” referenced the united over a se- Colin Miller said his parents Stonewall Riots different gender. ries of parallels. always wanted him to be “nor- in 1969, which It’s just the artistic All either said mal,” which was an expectation was heavily in- they felt excluded he declined to reach. His drag fluenced by drag expansion of my from their fam- persona, “Absinthe,” reflects the queens. The riots already existing ily or peers, were “emo,” darker portion of Miller’s are considered to unsure of how to personality, which his parents be the single most gender identity.” express them- were against. important event selves or strug- In person, Miller is shy and leading to the Aaron Kreider gled to find self- reserved, but being “Absinthe” gay liberation confidence in allows him to go to the extremes. movement and their early teens. Miller’s electricity and energy the contemporary fight for LG- A majority of these feelings fol- on stage is what caused him to BTQA rights in the United States. lowed some of them into college. take home the crown at Friday’s “And then I found drag,” The drag community supports student drag show in Alumni Hall. Jamil Summaq/Collegian each other both in and out of the Sanchez (sophomore-communi- “Always being an art kid, dressing room. Need a bobby pin? cation sciences and disorders) always pushing the grain, I’ve Drag queen Absinthe opens an umbrella filled with confetti to end the Someone has a spare. Need help said about becoming comfortable always been like that,” Miller student drag show at the HUB-Robeson Center on Friday, April 7. in his own skin. blending eyeshadows? Someone (sophomore-new media) said it’s okay to be who you are,” drawn to “witch couture.” View- will be right over. Need a laugh? Sanchez said the first time he on why he had the confidence to Kreider said. “When you’re ing himself as more masculine At least one queen has a one-liner had ever gotten in drag it was pursue drag. surrounded by a group of people, ready. for a drag-themed party and it Kreider felt his personality and relaxed out of drag, he likes a group of drag queens like your- Every individual is bonded on was a “mess.” However, Sanchez should match his “one stoplight to project heightened sex appeal self, who are very unafraid to be a much deeper psychological said he now loves the ritual of town.” Intending on becoming on stage. level than just quotes from their becoming “Patent Pending,” his a lawyer, Kreider asked him- themselves, we’re each other’s “I get to step away from mutually favorite show “RuPaul’s drag persona. When he puts on self what a drag queen would be role models — we all find strength being Chris for a bit,” Costa said. “I Drag Race.” This chain-link bond lipstick, his final step, he becomes doing in the field of law, to which in each other.” really like that.” Chris Costa still hasn’t told his stemmed from rejection created her. he answered the “gay agenda.” Andrew Heddleson struggled mother about his lilac hair sport- by a conventional, black and white “She’s there, and I’m just so Kreider said this epiphany to find people he identified with ing counterpart, “Hexxa,” but as- world, which is so concerned happy,” Sanchez said. helped him realize his drag name: in his first couple semesters of with taking itself too seriously, Nosal, on the other hand, had “Gayla Genda.” Kreider said he sumes she may already know. He college. according to the queens. a more complicated relationship is a comedy queen, which allows said he will address it when the Five current students and one with one family member he lived him to say certain jokes as “Gayla conversation comes. Becoming involved in the drag graduate defined drag as an art with prior to college. Genda” that he can’t in everyday Costa (sophomore-kinesiology) community, he found a place form, noting that it is incorrect He said his drag persona, life. hopes to put the audience in a where he belongs. to think it is the same as being “Laurel Charleston,” is based off “I think the number one thing “daze” during his performances To read full story, visit transgender. All see their body of television’s terrible mothers that drag has taught me is that as “Hexxa,” and was always collegian.psu.edu. Drug dealer charged with death of client By Frank Esposito of apprehending Graham. THE DAILY COLLEGIAN Graham will face arraignment on Tuesday night, Parks Miller Ferguson Township Police said. arrested Sabine Graham today The grand jury recommends on charges of allegedly selling Graham face 11 felony charges, the Fentanyl that killed Corinne one of which for her delivery of Pena. drugs to Pena that resulted in The charges come from a Pena’s death and another two grand jury report that alleges a charges for possession with the connection between Graham and intent to deliver and delivery to Pena’s death by overdose. Pena. Graham sold Pena 14 bags of The other eight charges relate Max Petrosky/Collegian the Fentanyl, according to court Jerry Sandusky enters the Centre County Courthouse for his hearing related to ‘Victim 2’ on Friday, to possession and delivery to documents. unnamed recipients. Nov. 4, 2016. Fentanyl is a synthetic form of The grand jury also heroin with similar properties to recommend another woman face the drug. Dealers will use a small felony charges for connecting amount of Fentanyl with other Pena to Graham. Maria Gilligan Sandusky’s attorney requests fillers — like baby powder or faces three felony charges for aspirin — to simulate the same volume of heroin, according to her alleged role as an accom- another look at grand jury leaks court documents. plice to Graham’s alleged crimes, Pena allegedly took eight according to court documents. By Frank Esposito to why he denied it, according to the journalist who broke the doses of what she believed to Graham also allegedly confessed to a witness to the THE DAILY COLLEGIAN court documents. the story, testify whether law be heroin and overdosed on the grand jury to selling drugs to Lindsay also used the enforcement members leaked Fentanyl, killing her, the grand another woman who overdosed Jerry Sandusky’s attorney recent testimony of former grand jury information to her. jury reported. filed two motions on Tuesday In a separate filing, Lindsay Stacy Parks Miller, Centre in a bathroom, according to a assistant football coach, Michael press release. requesting that matters left McQueary, as a reason to grant asked that other unfinished County district attorney, spoke on Tuesday night about the arrest of Parks Miller at a press unanswered by the previous the request. business get revisited. Lindsay judge in the case, be considered. requested the therapy notes Graham. conference emphasized the McQueary testified in the trial Al Lindsay, Sandusky’s for some of the witnesses be “We can rest easy that a drug danger of the drug dealers in of former Penn State President attorney, previously argued that reviewed by a judge. dealer in our area is no longer in Centre County.