The queens are back
CMU hosts its annual Pride Month drag show
Vivienne Vice introduces herself and shares stories of her life with the audience, Tuesday, April 16, in the Bovee UC Auditorium. (CM-Life | Auset Pope)
Drag queens from across the state of Michigan will be performing at 6:30 p.m. on April 24 in the Opperman Auditorium in Park Library in celebration of Pride Month on Central Michigan University’s campus.
Hosted annually by the Office of LGBTQ+ Services and Gender Equity Programming, this year’s event will feature names such as Sapphire Shade, Deedee Chaunte, Dahlia Rivers and many others, including some student performers.
Characterized by colorful, intricate costumes and upbeat music, the show will carry on a years-long Pride Month tradition for CMU’s campus.
Ellie Johnson, student office assistant for the Office of LGBTQ+ Services and Gender Equity Programming, said that the show is open to the public and will be a much-needed reprieve for college students, especially.
“It's finals time of the year, so it'll be a nice little break and distraction while also celebrating something that can be really difficult, something that many people may still feel ashamed of and creating a space that just makes everyone feel celebrated,” she said.
Wrapping up Pride Month, Johnson said that this event should provide a fun and welcoming space for the public to express themselves freely.
“Even though it is 2025, there's still so many people that feel ashamed or that they can't be themselves, and events like this where we're creating a space to say ‘hey, you are loved and we want to celebrate who you are’, I just feel like that's really important and CMU still has some growth to do with that,” she said.
