False eyelashes, high heels and lipstick filled the Brower Student Center on Thursday, April 5, for the annual charity Drag Show, held by Prism and Travers Hall Staff.
In addition to individual acts from Prism’s general membership, multiple Greek organizations such as Phi Sigma Sigma, Delta Lambda Phi, Delta Phi Epsilon and Sigma Sigma Sigma also participated in the event, along with others like the Residence Hall Association.
After each performance, donations were collected from the audience, with all proceeds benefitting The Triad House, a residential program for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning) teens who are the victims of homelessness, abuse and neglect. The total amount came to be around 750 dollars.
“(The Triad House) is the only group home of its kind in N.J., and one of only three in the nation,” said host Rosetta Stone, performed by Taylor Enoch, junior cognitive science major.
In addition to providing a safe haven, The Triad House offers group, family and individual therapy, as well as tutoring and community service opportunities for its residents, said the two co-directors of the Drag Show, sophomore communication studies major Alison Ball and junior biology major Billy Cavallo.
“Some studies show that up to 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ,” said Stone, explaining to the audience why donations were imperative.
However, the night was more than just a charity event. Each performance received great enthusiasm from the crowd as well.
“‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ absolutely rocked it,” said freshman english major Neepam Shah, referring to three female students who performed as My Chemical Romance. “I feel like their song really related to the message. It was awesome.”
Other performances included dances to songs by Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and more.
Stone described the night as “full of fierce, fun, fabulousness.”
Beyond raising funds for The Triad House and acting as a form of obvious entertainment, Prism and Travers Staff also used this event as an opportunity to educate the audience, Ball and Cavallo said.
In between each performance, Stone gave information on Drag culture and the LGTBQ community, including information about The Triad House as well as information on the multiple types of Drag.
“It was definitely a success,” Shah said. “I saw people at this event who don’t usually come out to LGBTQ-related events, and it was great to see the support from the campus.”
The event ended with dancing both on and off the stage.
“It’s amazing to see people taking pride in who they are,” said freshman history and secondary education major Danny Kaplan. “You can’t help but smile.”
