5 Days of Dragmas!

It's an act of gender-bending self expression. It's an act of shared language and experience. It's an act of deconstructing stereotypes through the sheer embracing of them. It's an act of rebellion, of queer revolution. And at its heart, it's all still an act.

We wish for your holidays to be Divine!

While also at its heart, it basks in the underground, drag, nonetheless has enjoyed plenty of mainstream limelight – from Uncle Milty's other face to the queen of the drag race – personas that range from the Divine to the ridiculous.

Here at home, Austin's drag scene is vital. Any night of the week, local stages may feature traditional female impersonators lip-syncing to popular divas raising funds for great causes, swoon-inducing drag kings passing for dudes, or performance artists, challenging notions of performance and art, while totally having a blast, messing with culture, taste, and expectation.

As our li'l holiday gift to you, dear Gay Place readers, we’re celebrating the art of genderfuckery all week long with features galore.

Today, we begin with two reviews: A recap of this fall's Bobcat Ball held in San Marcos and this weekend's annual holiday tradition starring Rebecca Havemeyer and Stanley Roy. The rest of the week features the tale of a newcomer eager to break into the Austin scene, a gallery of local performers presented by some of our favorite photographers, and some reflections on some of the challenges and cultural questions faced by some in the drag community.

Happy holidays, y'all! Stay tuned to Gay Place and check back with us each day. We promise total drag to guarantee your holidays are not a total drag – like they are for some Davenports:

Read more Drag stories at austinchronicle.com/gay. The Gay Place’s 5 Days of Dragmas! runs online Monday-Friday, December 23-27.