Being a drag queen

IDS reporter Jake Wright talked to Chanel Cartier, the reigning Miss Gay IU, about the ins and outs of being a drag queen.

IDS: Why do you enjoy doing drag?
Cartier: It all stems from wanting to give back to the community and breaking stereotypes. A lot of people are entertained by drag and drawn in by drag, so it’s really important to me that people see this is something IU has. And I do enjoy the illusion aspect of how you can completely change yourself.

IDS: What stereotypes are there?
Cartier: A lot of people think if you do female impersonation you want to be a woman. That’s not true at all. I don’t want to be a female. That’s something people need to understand, it’s entertainment and an art form.

IDS: What do you do in as your day job?
Cartier: I am a store manager in retail. I love retail, that is where my passion is, but drag lets me be involved in the community.

IDS: What are some of the bad aspects of drag?
Cartier: When you get into pageants, like with any beauty pageant, there are always very competitive people. It’s really sad to see people so competitive because it really gets the best of them.

IDS: What goes into being in a pageant?
Cartier: It’s as time consuming as you let it be. It takes me about two to three hours to complete my entire look. Cost is also as much as you want it to be. Gowns can range from $1,000 up to $20,000 or even more. Spending that kind of money is not me, even though I do have huge costumes. I am very much about the overall appearance and stage presence. It’s not about how big your costumes are, it’s about what you bring to the stage.

IDS: How do you create your look?
Cartier: You can’t just run to wal-mart, grab some makeup and say ‘I want to be a girl today.’ You have to use heavier makeup, like stage makeup, to pull it off.