Page 146 of The Black Flamingo

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to someone else’s voice,

or even your own voice,

but it must be prerecorded.

It could be a pop song;

a famous speech from a film,

a soap opera, a politician—

something familiar—

but your performance

should feel original.

You’re not trying to be

that person, you’re using

their words to say

something new.

David says he can lend me a black

tutu and leotard to wear for my drag.

Outside Drag Soc, David is Katy.

As we walk to her room on campus

to pick up these items of clothing, I ask,

“So, why do you have a tutu if you’re

a drag king?”

“I just have a tutu,” she tells me.

“I just wear it sometimes for fun.”

Katy’s drag king act is David Peckham.

Modeled after the soccer player David Beckham?

“You do know who David Beckham is,”

says Katy. “Victoria Beckham’s husband.

I wear the uniforms for the different teams

he’s played for but I do Spice Girls lip syncs.

I add a bit of facial hair.” She pauses.

“Are you gonna shave off your beard?”

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