We are so excited for Christy's return to Hillsboro Pride in the Park this year! In preparation, we sat down with Christy to ask a few questions and learn a bit more about this fabulous performer!
Why is drag so important?
Drag is so important because it has and continues to be an inherent means of protest. Every time someone gets into drag, they are making a political statement and resisting against a system of strict patriarchal binaries. Drag says that we don’t have to conform, that our embodiment is valid all on its own. On top of that, there is a sacredness to drag. This is because drag gives you a window to the souls of queer people. So often, we are unable to explore ways of navigating this world outside of the gender roles of the sex we are assigned at birth. Drag takes our longing for toying with presentation and expression and makes it art. It can be goofy and silly, or scary and thrilling or simply stunning and euphoric but no matter what, it’s art that comes from our souls and experiences.
Why are small town Prides like Hillsboro's so important to you?
Small town pride is important to me because of how much I always wish I could’ve had it growing up. I grew up in a town of 700 in Preble County, Ohio and it always felt so isolating. It felt like I was the only person whose wrist went limp or whose voice was effeminate, and it felt like I was the only person with these very queer feelings. Small town pride shows kids like me, that even in their own community they aren’t alone. They have fellow LGBTQIA+ and allied neighbors who want to help them build a world that they feel safe in. That’s why small-town pride means the world to me.
Who is your FAVORITE drag inspiration?
My drag inspiration is a little chaotic. The first is and will always be my mom. My first name in drag, “Christy”, comes from her name, “crista”. She was the first person to model femininity for me. She was always so elegant, yet campy in the way she carried herself through the world. I always wanted to be just like her. Outside of that, my drag inspirations of pop culture are threefold. First were the bratz and Barbie dolls that I loved playing with growing up. My sisters and I would always play with their dolls and I treat myself kinda like my ultimate doll. Secondly, I have always been inspired by Miss Piggy from the muppets. She’s so ostentatious and self obsessed and rightly so. She knows she is the moment cause she is the moment. That’s always how I want to feel in drag. Finally, I’ve been heavily influenced by the drag culture of Connecticut where I cut my teeth as a drag queen during grad school. The ridiculous, goofy, camp glamour style of Connecticut queens who make the best comedy mixes you’ve ever seen has shaped me into the kind of drag I want to do.
To learn more about Christy N Church, visit 2023 TALENT and join us for Hillsboro Pride in the Park on June 3rd @ 3:00pm