Monroe was crowned Miss Gay United States in 2012, making her the first national titles in the drag from Fietville. Miss Gay America 2025, Ivy Dip, was sitting next to her in the dressing room. “This is the best proud experience I have got,” Dry said. “And I just came back from the world pride, which was really good.”
Through a drip parade, a red ’89 Mercedes rolled behind the convertible that afternoon. She made a black and gold sequin dress, a red curly wig, large black sunglasses and of course, crown from her national title. He said that Miss Gay America was a special moment to hear her name declared during the parade as 2025: “This is crazy. This is the best, most beautiful gift that I think I have ever received.”
NWA’s Pride Celebration included six programs in the weekend, including glitterwella and parade. It began with a trans march and rally, followed by a two -day festival, a drag show brunch and a teddy beer competition. There was also a high tea and pool party on Sunday.
History of gay visibility in the region is immersed in opposition. In 1977, the Arkansas Legislature proposed a bill to sentence all gay acts to one year in prison. The community reacted with a series of march led by students, residents and local businesses of Arkansas University – such as George, who is around the 60s since the 60s.
Drip, 35, which avoids cut off, Louisiana, is definitely familiar with the challenges of increasing queries in a southern state. “My roots are back home. My family is back home. I want to stay around my nephew and all of that,” Drip said. “So, to feel that I have to leave myself to be there and there was not an option to remember that whole aspect of my life.”
On the other side of the dressing room, Munro said that she remembered when Fietville Pride attracted only a few hundred people. (At the age of 41, he is the oldest to perform the drag queen in Arkansas.) “We propagate tolerance and acceptance and love for our community,” said Munro. “And now we got.”
Fayetteville Pride did not almost happened this year. After glitterville, Porter mentioned that NWA Equality fought in December with a significant funding interval in December, between the rollback for DEI efforts across the country under the Trump administration.
“Our budget could be erased like a third of our budget,” said Porter. Therefore, NWA Equity participated in a local funding weekend called NWA. Over the years, he did not raise more than $ 10,000. This year, he raised $ 36,000.
“We explained to the community, this is what happened, and we need to take you steps,” said Porter. “They did, and it was surprising. A lot of people stepped into steps to ensure that we are still able to do so.”
Before the drag Queens made his way on the stage for the glitterville opener (a prestigious Riff on Wicked), Blue Lights and Smoke were poured over the crowd as Billy Ilish’s “Bad Gai” came over the speakers. The crowd fell silent in the expectation. Then, when the beet fell and the quacks appeared, the room burst into the room with cheers, whistles, fan clases and screaming.
“We are nurtured here. We love here,” Munro told me before step out. “This is actually special about this region.”
