Sissyboy

Documentary Feature, Emerging Visions
D: Katie Turinski

Beyond fodder for exploration, gender is a juggernaut, an RV packed with mascara-dripping, lipstick-tracing art fags careening down the West Coast hellbent on bringing sissy back. This is the mission of Portland, Ore., drag troupe Sissyboy. In Turinski’s hands, Sissyboy is not a subculture infiltrated but family, in the most exhilaratingly queer sense of the word. Cut from the same gutter-soaked chenille as San Francisco’s legendary Cockettes (Divine’s birthplace) and Trannyshack (a stop on tour), the Rose City rebels for which the film is named don’t do what traditionally passes for drag. “Passing” isn’t even on the menu; they don’t shave or tuck or give two shits if you know they are male. What is on the menu is sacred cows: everything untouchable from teen abortions, burqua-draped jihadists, and even Matthew Shepard. The torch they snatched from John Waters is an arsonist’s match – yet somehow more flaming.

Friday, March 20, 2pm, Alamo South Lamar

This article appears in March 20 • 2009.

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