Drag As Therapy

OK,

So I was listening to NPR,

my favorite driving companion,

this morning,

and I heard an interview with RuPaul.

(For the actual interview, see link at the end of this entry.)

Now, I have to admit,

I've always been intrigued by Drag Queens,

even though I never quite understood;

I lived in the West Village

of NYC, 

and happily went to the parades,

but this morning I made the connection

between going in drag

and finding the diva

in you.

And that's really not all that bad of a thing.

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I've written before about

how we all

have the potential to be divas,

and I must admit,

I was taken by my friend Debra's comment

that a diva is a designation 

for a special talent,

and to give yourself that title

is a bit pretentious.

And I understand that;

I really do.

If you met me on the street,

you would meet

a very humble woman

who often does not go out of her way to look good

most of the time.

A woman (like many women) who

when using her talents, uses them with restraint,

because she was always taught

not to call too much attention to myself.

Humility is a good

and important

thing;

and I think we all need

to maintain it, to a certain extent,

but not to the extent

that we bottle ourselves,

throttle ourselves,

and refuse ourselves the opportunity

to express ourselves.

To be a diva

is to find the most beautiful thing inside of you,

and to not be afraid to flaunt it.

The world would be,

perhaps,

a much happier place

if we were all comfortable enough 

with ourselves to do that.

This doesn't always mean

dressing like a drag queen,

but if your inner beauty means

physical self expression,

so be it;

it may mean

being smart,

being a good cook,

being a deep lover,

being a gardener:

whatever brings out

the beauty in you.

But since we're so repressed,

so beaten down,

so painfully squelched,

drag is the outcome of self expression.

And drag is frightening,

and brave,

all at the same time.

Drag is therapy.

This blog is the place where I

am in drag,

unashamedly

and proudly--

and I bless RuPaul for this sentiment (paraphrased -

I hope RuPaul wouldn't be too offended

by my added interpretation):

I will make my special talent (be it my body, my mind, or my voice) as beautiful and true as I can possibly be,

as long as I live in it

on this beautiful planet.