Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a drag queen? Have you ever wondered what the job entails? Being a drag queen isn’t all fun and games – it’s a passion and a commitment. Drag often gets confused with gender identity. This Odyssey writer had the fortunate experience to score an interview with Miss Gay Boston herself, Penny Tentiary (AKA Jamie Downs). Read the highlights of the interview below, and learn a little more about drag and about Penny.
Q: When did you start doing drag?
A: I started drag about three years ago. I had just moved to a small town in Indiana with my best friend at the time. He was a drag queen who was very much into the drag scene in Indiana. He consistently tried to get me into drag, but I had the mentality that drag wasn't for me -- that I wouldn't look good as a drag queen. Sooner or later, he helped me dress in drag for Halloween, and that was it. I first came out as Penny Annalise, and later changed my name to Penny Tentiary. It had more of a meaning to it, and I thought it was pretty catchy.
Q: How did you get into drag? What was your inspiration?
A: Like I said before, it was really my best friend Roel that kind of got me into it. I wouldn't say that he was my drag mother, but it was him that first got me really interested in drag. However, I learned everything from YouTube. I mostly watched makeup tutorials, because Roel was busy working. He could never really sit me down and work with me as often as I wanted to. Then I met Yune Neptune and Qya Crystal. Ever since, we have been painting together and learning from each other. We are always helping one another to improve.
Q: Gender can be confusing for some people when it comes to drag: with what gender do you identify? Do Penny and Jamie have different genders?
A: I am a drag queen. Therefore, I am a cisgender gay male who wears a lot of makeup and gets in drag solely for the art of entertainment. After a show, gig, benefit, or the like, the makeup comes off, and I return to being a gay man. Since I have been more involved in the Boston scene (currently hosting two of my own nights per week and being the reigning Miss Gay Boston), I have become a bit more popular. Even out of drag when my friends see me, they call me Penny (which I don't mind them doing). When I'm not in drag, I introduce myself as Jamie first - then say I am also Penny Tentiary. I don't go out to the clubs as often as a boy, though doing so is oftentimes a relief from the photos and all the attention. It's not that it's a bad to get all of the attention, but sometimes it's just good to get a break from it all. I am also very close to two Thai *trans (transgender) females (M to F). I love getting the chance to educate people on the difference between drag and *trans.
Q: Can you explain the difference between being a drag queen and being transgender, in your own words?
A: Being a drag queen means that you're an entertainer. You spend hours upon hours creating costumes, styling wigs, learning your words to whatever song/act you will perform, and painting your face with tons of makeup to become a exaggeration of the female image. Drag is only a small glimpse behind the curtain of what and how it feels to be *trans. Drag queens are usually (but not always) cisgender gay men. There are other forms of drag that all fall under the "drag umbrella." A few broad terms and explanations include:
- Bio queens are females who dress in drag
- Bearded drag queens do all of the typical drag activity, except they don’t shave their beards – the idea is usually to incorporate the beard into their look
- Club kids don’t exactly do drag – they just use makeup and a burst of creativity to create their look
- Fishy drag queens try their hardest to portray themselves as females
- Pageant queens are involved in pageants and usually wear expensive gowns, huge jewelry, huge hair, and so on
Now, there are obviously differences between all these queens as opposed to those that identify as being *trans. We, as drag queens, get to take all of the makeup, dresses, and jewelry off at the end of our show. We get to live our lives in the gender in which we identify, usually without facing any scrutiny. When one is *trans, it becomes part of who they are. Being *trans, is part of one's identity. It's who they are as a person. They cannot just wipe it all off with a rag and some dish soap -- it's a huge part of their lives. *Trans people are discriminated against, harassed, bullied, and murdered every day. While being in drag, I have unfortunately experienced some of these unfortunate situations. I've been called a tranny, had beer bottles thrown at my head, been called a faggot, and so on. It makes me respect *trans people even more, and admire the strength and courage that they have every day to just be who they are and freely live their lives (a few things that we as cisgender people often take for granted).
Q: How did you choose your name? It used to be Penny Annalise. Why did the last name change?
A: When I first started doing drag, I had no idea what to do with my name, but I've always liked the name Penny. I'm originally from North Carolina, so I chose a southern sounding last name (Annalise). After a few years, I decided it would be better to choose a name that sounded funny and was easy to remember. So, my drag sister Qya suggested that since I really liked Penny, it might be a smart idea to change my last name to Tentiary. I did, and I love it. Penny Tentiary is a word play off the word penitentiary (prison) and it actually fits my personality -- I can be a "bad girl."
Q: Are you part of a drag family? Can you explain what it means to be apart of one?
A: Unfortunately, I am not officially part of a drag family. I do have drag sisters -- Qya and Yune, who are also my best friends. As drag sisters and best friends we do almost everything together, in or out of drag. We get ready in drag together, teach each other along the way, and grow together. It's very cool. A lot of drag queens don't have best friends who are also drag queens, because a lot of us can be catty and very competitive -- but this is why Qya, Yune, and I are so effective and work well together. We perform together. When I host my shows, I ask them to perform. When they host shows, they have me perform. There is never any drama. Of course we fight and bicker sometimes, but we're sisters. We make up and move on. It's what sisters do. No one of us is better than the other, and that's why I think it's pretty cool that we can work together so well. A lot of people call us the "dynamic trio of Boston." Now if you have a drag mother, usually they are the ones that teach you everything that they know about drag, helping you learn and grow just like a real mother would do. They also help you get bookings. I have been asked by many queens to be their mother, but I always decline. Unfortunately, I feel as if I am too young in the art, and I don't really know enough to be anyone's drag mother. So, we just all remain drag sisters instead.
Q: Do you do drag as a full-time job or do you work elsewhere?
A: I do have a "real boy" job. I work for Virgin Atlantic at Logan Airport. When it comes to drag, I host two of my own shows on Wednesday and Thursday with my co-hostesses Yune and Qya. I also do benefits, pageants, and perform for fun. Now, everyone must realize that the amount of money you spend on drag is so much more than what you end up making. So, it's important to have a regular day job (at least until you're famous and can actually afford to do it full-time).
Q: What is your favorite part of being a drag queen?
A: I love all aspects of drag: the makeup, hair, clothes, performing, etc. My favorite part though, is actually when I am off the stage. I know that sounds crazy coming from a drag queen who is supposed to be in the spotlight and on a stage. However, performing (at least for me) doesn't end until I've taken off my lashes, nails, hair, pads, clothes, and wiped my makeup off. Some drag queens think performing is just those five minutes on stage -- but I consider it performing even after the show. I get to talk with the audience, crack jokes, and make people laugh. That's my favorite part. I love being able to make people genuinely laugh and have a good time while doing something I really enjoy.
Q: What is it like being a drag queen in Boston? Are people generally accepting?
A: Boston is more liberal on the liberal side, but you still run into those close-minded people who really have nothing better to do with their lives than to worry about someone else and call them names. People definitely stare, which can be uncomfortable. More so, it really sucks walking to a gig and being called a fag or having bottles thrown at you. That's something I'd expect to see in a movie from 1978 and not in 2016 -- but it really has only happened on a few rare occasions. However, you'll get the occasional "yass queen" or "werk it girl" and it makes you feel a lot better. All in all, Boston is a good place to do drag.
Q: Have you ever received scrutiny or discrimination based on being a drag queen? Could you share some experiences if you're comfortable?
A: Like I said before, it's usually rare that something drastic happens to drag queens here in Boston. I can't speak for everyone, but I can speak to my experiences. People staring is the most common example, and it's sometimes followed by the occasional hurtful and hateful slurs. But, part of being a drag queen means that you will stand out -- you need to develop thick skin in this industry.
Q: What are your future goals as a drag queen?
A: As of right now, I don't really have anything planned. I've been asked by a lot of people why I have never tried out for RuPaul's Drag Race. My answer is simple: I feel that I'm too new to the scene. I have a lot more growing to do before I even attempt to be on the show. Right now, I'm content with hosting my two nights and occasionally performing at other venues. I don't see myself living in Boston my whole life. I'm hoping to be doing drag in either New York City or California at some point. I love big cities -- the energy, the potential for opportunity, and the vibrations of life in a bustling city.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in doing drag but has reservations about it?
A: If you want to do drag, do it because you love the stage, people, creativity, and fun. It's going to be very expensive at first, but if you're in it for the right reasons, you'll flourish and thrive. It's not going to be easy. It's a lot of hard work, and it's very time consuming. However, the feeling you have when you're all dressed up and ready to hit the stage is worth it. The laughs and feeling of accomplishment you get from the audience are worth it. Remember to be a nice queen. It may seem cool to be catty or mean, but those are usually the first to be forgotten (plus no one will want to work with you or book you). Good luck! Just have fun!
There you have it! Some very interesting and intriguing questions and answers from one of Boston's finest drag queens, Penny (Annalise) Tentiary. Are you interested in seeing Penny perform? "Like" her Facebook page and catch her out in the city of Boston on the following nights:
Wednesday nights at Cure Lounge in Boston (21+ free before 11:00 p.m., showtime at 1:00 a.m.)
Thursday nights at Club Cafe in Boston (21+ no cover all night long, showtime at 12:30 a.m.)
Friday nights at Machine Nightclub in Boston (18+ $15, 21+ $10, showtime 12:00 a.m.)
Sunday nights at Candibar in Boston (21+, $10 showtime at 1:00 a.m.)
