04x05 - Oklahoma, Part 2

[bunniefuu]

[TV static drones]

[bright tone]

- Bartlesville, everyone.

- This is it.
- Ooh!

- We were scouting this town
called Bartlesville

outside of Tulsa.

- Last year's drag performance
caused quite a stir.

- A family-friendly
g*y Pride event

in Bartlesville got heated.

- You're exposing adult
subjects to little children.

- The organizers of the event,
Oklahomans for Equality,

felt really blindsided
when the outrage started.

- This reporter suggested
one q*eer person.

- You might wanna
give Randy White a call.

- My life is just like
anybody else's life.

Drag, for me,
could be a great platform.

- I think we can do
something real special

and wake these people up.

- "I'm writing on behalf of

"Oklahomans for Equality
Bartlesville.

"We wish to express
our concerns

"regarding the
potential filming

"of one or more episodes
of HBO's 'We're Here'

in our community."

- "We kindly request
that you reconsider

your decision to film in
Bartlesville at this time."

- Our own community decided
that we were disposable.

- It pissed me off.

You are supposed
to be the torch

that ignites the fire
in this community,

and you are saying...

[pssh]
We need some water.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

This is breaking my heart.

- It's breaking my heart too.

- Because this is the people
who are supposed to be fighting

and helping visibility

and a safe place
for the community,

and you're scared.

I feel like they've been
beaten up so much

that they can't
take any more right now.

- And they're bowing
to the pressure.

- In the time of adversity,

that's when you have to speak
up and speak out the most.

I know that there are more
people out there like Randy

who wants the q*eer community
to be visible.

The real goal here
is to galvanize this community

because there's strength
in numbers.

And you need your allies.

You need people to show up
and not be fearful.

This is the time to, like,
not diminish and shrink.

- Yeah.

- 'Cause that's exactly what
these people want you to do.

- Yeah.

There are a lot
of forces in Oklahoma

that want to silence
q*eer people--

that wanna make us disappear.

But we're not going to.

We're going to continue
existing, being ourselves,

being visible in Oklahoma.

- Change is coming, so you
might as well get ready, baby.

[soft determined music]

♪ ♪

- After 300 feet, turn left,
North Osage Avenue.

- And we got our Tulsa show
all set up, ready to go.

But the struggle
is in Bartlesville.

Drag is not accepted,
so that's where

we need to stand up the most.

[line trills]

But finding a venue

for the drag show here
in Bartlesville,

it's been an uphill battle

and a lot of noes
and rejection.

- Good afternoon.

- Hi, this is Latrice Royale.
- Who?

- They don't want us to come
into their establishment

because they're scared
I'm gonna be seen as support

for this g*y show,
and then people

stop coming to your business.

Well, thank you very much
for your time.

You have a great day.

♪ ♪

b*tch!

Okay.

Oh, wow.

This is kind of fabulous.

But I come upon this church.

I was like, hmm.

The canvas is there.

This is a lot of space.

This is what we need
for the show.

[sighs]

- Hi, how are you?
- Hello!

What's your name?
- Maria.

I'm the tourism director.

- Maria, I'm Latrice.
Nice to meet you.

- It's nice
to meet you, Latrice.

- I wanted to try to
find out some information

about this church because
we were kind of scouting

and looking around for venues.

Do you think they
would rent it out or--

- I don't think
they'll rent it out.

The congregation from
First Christian Church

still owns the property.
- Uh-huh.

- Um, do you wanna
go someplace else?

'cause we're kind of outside.
- Yeah, if you want to.

Yeah, sure.

We had some pushback when
it comes to our camera crew

coming around
to certain businesses.

They didn't wanna--

- I understand why
business owners

are fearful because
there was so much backlash

that happened
after Pride last year.

It seems that religion
and morality

takes a huge step
in all of that.

It's heartbreaking.

I mean, my job is
to make people feel welcome,

and I want to make
all people feel welcome.

I am an ally, and I am
proud to be an ally.

And I'm proud that
I'm able to do what I do

when maybe sometimes
there are people

that are not as welcoming.

- Can I hug you?
- Yes, I would love to hug you.

- In Bartlesville,
there are real allies,

but I don't think it's enough
to drown out all of the hate.

And I guarantee you that 90%
of the people who are fearful

of drag have never
been to a drag show

or met a drag queen in person.

It's gonna take the community
to come together

to make that change happen.

[gentle music]

♪ ♪

Hello!

How are you, darling?
Good to see you!

We've been trying
to look for a venue.

We would love to have a show
here in Bartlesville,

but when I tell you that it's
a resounding "No, thank you."

- I know that 'cause we've been
trying to find some venues,

and nobody's calling me back,

even though so many people
know us.

It breaks my heart the way
that everybody's been treated

in Bartlesville because that's
not the welcoming community

that I know.

- Now, we've had our, like,
run-in, so to speak,

with the equality center here--

the people who are supposed
to be the voice of the people.

- Right.
- And they're not standing up.

- I was very upset when

Oklahomans for Equality
Bartlesville

just shut their doors
and didn't wanna participate.

They could have, you know,
talked about

what they can do
to make things better.

And they didn't even
wanna do that.

The fact is,
they had a great opportunity

to do something good
for Bartlesville,

and they chose to--
- I mean, they did.

I was over 50 years old
before we had our first

Pride event in Bartlesville.



I mean, we'd have to go
to Tulsa for Pride.

For my hometown to have Pride,
that felt amazing.

Growing up, you know--

it wasn't talked about.

And there it was in the park.
We had Pride.

And it felt amazing.

And now it's kind of like,
okay, be quiet.

Go back to--
- It's like, hush.

- Yeah.
- Don't--yeah.

- And I understand
some of them have

personal threats and stuff, but
if you do that, then they won.

- You know, we've come so far
to let people

push us back in the closet.

- What if we just showed up
to the park in drag?

Whoever wanted information
or wanted to meet us,

to say hello, could.

And no show or nothing like
that, but just kind of like...

We're here,
and do a little meet-and-greet.

What do you think the people--
how they would react?

What do you think
the vibe would be

if they just saw us
in the park?

- Probably not thrilled.

- But--
- Pick up a brick.

- Yeah.

- It's not gonna change
the way it is now.

- We're not--
we're not standing down.

It's time to stand up.

Drag queens are at the
forefront of this fight.

This is why we're here right
now doing what we're doing.

Things in Bartlesville
are so intense.

That's why it's important
that we keep pushing.

Maybe if they meet
the queens and see

that we are coming in peace,

we can get some kind
of traction and some support.

- You don't really wanna mess
with drag queens

'cause they don't
put up with sh*t.

- I keep trying to tell them.
- I know.

- You picked a fight
with the right ones.

These b*tches--these b*tches
don't back down.

- Yeah.

[laughter]

Yeah.
- Is that good?

- Yeah.

[soft music]

- I'm Jess.

I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

I work as a district manager
for a large franchisee.

Luke, sit.

I have two daughters,
amazing girls.

We go to movies.

A lot of trails and a lot
of nature around here,

so we get to do that.

Other than that,
I'm pretty much a homebody.

I was born Troy,

and all my life
I lived as Troy.

At a young age,
I would cross-dress,

but I didn't know what it was.

At the time I was like, oh, all
teenage boys do this, right?

I didn't know I was
transgender back then.

I just knew
I didn't like myself.

All the way till
I was probably 43,

I didn't know this part of me.

Me and my wife,
Shelly, are separated

but we're still
living together.

I am transitioning
with hormones.

I've been on that
for a year and a half.

But every day I just
still live as Troy.

I won't let myself
put myself out there.

I have to put on
the Troy costume.

♪ ♪

[doorbell rings]

- Hello, gorgeous!

Hello!
- Sasha!

- Hi!
- Hi!

- Nice to meet you.

What's your name?
- Flora.

- Flora.

Oh, my gosh,
that was me outside.

I was excited to come in.
- My wife, Shelly.

- Oh, my God,
you are beautiful.

- You're beautiful.

So nice to meet you.

Thank you for having me.
- Hi, I'm Emily.

- Hello. Hi, Emily.

- So you're adopting her?

- I'm adopting her
into my family.

- Can you adopt me too?
- Absolutely.

You're a full package.

That's what family's all about.

- Well, my original drag name
was Mickey Blossom,

but I guess
it's now Mickey Velour.

- Mickey Velour, exactly--
Mickey Blossom Velour.

We can have middle names too.

I love that you're a house
that watches drag together.

I can't imagine
what it would have been like

growing up knowing
about drag queens.

Like, I had "Some Like It Hot"
and "To Wong Foo," that was it.

Do you know those movies?

- Uh, no.

- One of them is
black and white--

very, very outdated.

- There was a time where I
wouldn't even let them watch.

So it's just--watching you guys
in the Werk Room,

how much drag has saved
a lot of your guys' life,

I felt like maybe
I could be beautiful too.

- I love that.

You see it as
being so positive.

'Cause we're dealing with
lots of people that are afraid.

- Yeah.

- I'm gonna take Jess
to the other room if I can

so I can just talk to her
one-on-one.

But I've really
enjoyed meeting you.

And I can feel, like,
the fierce energy

in this house and this family.

You're Velours now too.

- Yeah, I'm just
really excited, though.

- I'm so excited.

Here. Oh, thank you.

Well, thank you so much
for having me in your house.

- No, thank you.
This is amazing.

- Have you put a plan
for your transition?

- I dream of being able to roll
out of bed, look in the mirror,

and think,
you're beautiful, Jess.

You are who you are.

'Cause when I was a kid,

I would cover all my mirrors
with towels

so I wouldn't see myself.

And I always thought
it was just my acne, you know,

'cause I was not really
obviously popular.

I wouldn't have any friends.

I wasn't close with my family.

- So you were just alone.

- I was lonely, yes.

I would come home, eat dinner,
then I'd just hide in my room.

- Oh, that's so--
that's so lonely.

- And then when I was 19
to about 43,

people I don't like now,
I was that person.

- Wow.

- I was--I mean, I didn't
go out and picket, you know,

or anything like that, but--

- Oh, my gosh.

- I realize how much hate
have I put in the world

towards that community.

- Wow.

- So I carry that pain
with me daily

just because I know the pain
I feel, I gave to people

for 23 years of my life.
- My gosh, take my hands.

You're so sweet to worry
about the kind of person

that maybe you were.

But I want you
to release that guilt

because you're making
your daughters,

you're making the world, like,
so much more accepting now.

- I'm trying my best.
- Don't look back with guilt.

- That person holds
on to me a lot.

- I can see that.

- That's why I wanna do
the show, because I just--

I've played that role so long,

I don't know
how not to play that role.

I don't know how to be a mom.

I don't know how
not to be a husband.

I don't know how
not to be a bro.

- I think, like,
that self-doubt--

I don't know how to be a mom,

I don't know
how to look as a woman--

all women go through that.

All people
go through those doubts.

- Yeah, I hear that a lot
from my friends--

well, welcome to womanhood.

You don't like your body,
you don't like your face.

But part of me is really mad
that I just can't be Troy.

It's like,
why are you trying this?

Because I've known
three years, and I've still

never done my nails--
done my eyebrows once.

I won't let myself go through
that awkward phase

to become beautiful.

And that's why I'm trying to do

all this stuff this year,
doing this show,

because I need to grow.

So, I mean, it'll probably be

one of the hardest things
I've ever done.

- And you can do it.
- Yeah, I know.

- You're gonna succeed.

Okay, I wanna
find out more about

your current beauty regimen.

Like, what do you use?

- Hand-me-down stuff.
It's just like--

- Can you show me
what you have?

- I just have a hodgepodge
of everything.

Foundation--I just do
eyelashes, eyebrows.

Just something simple.

Just a little bit of lipstick
just so I can

feel like I have makeup on.

I glance at myself
just really briefly.

'Cause I feel like,
why is Troy wearing makeup?

- What would you think about

referring to your past name

a little less?

- Okay.

- I feel like there's a reason
people call that a deadname.

Like, it's not healthy
to think about

who that person was
all the time.

- Okay.

- I'm so excited...
- I'm excited too.

- For you to just
stay on this journey.

We're looking into the mirror,

and your mantra
for this week is...

- And I am Jess,
and I won't say his name.

And I will do something for
myself, like get my nails done.

- You're gorgeous.
You got this.

- You're gorgeous
and you got this.

- That's it.
Just that simple.

It doesn't hurt.

- Hurts a little.

- It won't
by the end of the week.

[soft dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- The word religion is very
triggering to a lot of people.

- Every person I know
who grew up

with a strong
Christian background

was lectured at
that g*y was evil.

- People have become extreme

because it does have
a following.

- I happen to struggle with
same-sex attraction, but--

but it doesn't matter
because I have Jesus.

- Religion doesn't
have to be bad.

There are g*y people,
q*eer people,

trans people who deserve
to believe in God

and feel safe about it.

- Perhaps if we could
help bridge this gap

between the q*eer community
and faith,

there could be more of a
conversation, more acceptance.

People might actually wanna go
back to the church.

- ♪ Didn't it rain, children ♪

♪ Oh, Lord ♪

♪ Rain, oh, my Lord ♪

- I can't wait to
walk into church

and be like, yass, queen!

- ♪ Oh, Lord ♪

♪ Rain, oh, my Lord ♪

- I haven't been to church
in a very long time.

- Years, honey.

- Parish Church of St. Jerome.

- Here we go.

- It's my understanding
that people

get dressed up for church,

so I'm just gonna be
wearing my best.

- Welcome to church.

Have so much fun today.
- After you, darling.

I think I'm gonna
blend right in, actually.

[organ music playing]

- [whispering] It's so quiet.

I thought church was gonna
be like a party like when--

- Ooh!

- [whispering] Here, over here.

- Or this one?
- This one, this one.

- This one, yeah.

Hello.

- Good morning, everyone.

congregation:
Good morning.

- Welcome to the Parish Church
of Saint Jerome...

- [whispering] Hey!
- And this Feast of Title.

Thank you for joining us
for worship today...

- [whispering]
Taking my shoes off.

- And for sharing your time
and your treasures with us.

This parish could not survive
without your generosity.

[organ music playing]

Now let us prepare
for worship with our prayer.

- Good morning.

The word gospel translates
literally as good news.

And I have good news
for you today, church.

For 28 years, we have been
a place that welcomes

all people into fellowship.

It doesn't matter
if they're g*y or straight.

It doesn't matter
if they are cisgendered

or transgendered or non-binary.

It doesn't matter if they're
conservative or liberal,

if they're faithful
or believing,

rich or poor, Black or white.

Everyone is welcome here.

Amen?

congregation:
Amen.

- And we take a little bit of
flak sometimes in this parish,

don't we, for standing so
fervently with this community?

I've had my ministry colleagues
and even members of this parish

come up and ask me,
how do you do that?

How can you go
and frequent those places?

And I always tell them
two things.

Number one, it's fun as hell.

[laughter]

It's the most fun
you can possibly have

without sinning, actually.

[laughter]

The second thing
I always tell them

is that if Jesus
were to walk this Earth today,

he'd be out there with them.

We've got to follow Jesus
to the margins of our society

to embrace those
who have been oppressed,

to welcome those who have been
abandoned by their families,

and that proclamation,
that commitment,

that it is not
the judgments of men

that open or shut
the gates of heaven.

In the name of the Father
and the Son

and the Holy Spirit, amen.

- Amen.

[gentle music]

Hearing the priest
speak love and acceptance

took me to a place
that I wasn't prepared for.

- The Kingdom of God
includes all people

and their great diversity.

- It was very moving
and healing

to know that
you can have your faith

and still be openly q*eer.

congregation:
And with your spirit.

- Let us offer each other
the sign of peace.

- Oh, I love this.

♪ ♪

- Thank you for having us.

- Oh, it's so good
to have you guys here.

- I didn't know I needed
church today like this--

- Right.
- But I needed this.

We've been to Bartlesville,

and they were not so eager

to have us there,
let's just say.

People who don't believe
that drag queens

or g*y people should exist--

- Even the q*eer people
there are nervous.

- Even the q*eer people there--

- They're scared,
they're frightened.

- They're hiding.
- Invisibility.

- It's a very scary time
for them.

- And it's unfortunate.

It's sad because I feel like
no matter

where you are in this world,
wherever you live,

you should be able
to be free to be you...

- Yes.
- Without judgment.

- I feel a lot of hope.

Father Joshua, he's had
to kind of be at odds

with some of the institutions
that he's a part of.

If there could be more people
like Father Joshua,

then there would be spaces for
people like us in the church.

- This is the future
of the church.

- Oh.

- A community that looks as
diverse as the Kingdom of God.

So I say, get in line
and follow us.

- Mm-hmm.

- Thank you so much.

- You're so beautiful.
- Thank you so much.

- Thank you guys
for being here.

[rock music]

♪ ♪

- So are you the son?
- Yes.

- I'm Lane.
- So nice to finally meet you.

I've heard a thousand things
about you.

[chuckling]
- I bet.

- Yeah, he loves you a lot.
It's so beautiful to see.

What do you think
of your dad's TikTok?

- Uh--
- I had to ask.

- Yeah, definitely.

I really like
that he does that.

- Told you.

[chuckling]

Voices like his are needed,

especially with everything
that's going on right now.

I'm actually very proud.

- Yeah, it is a very
interesting-slash-cool idea--

someone's dad who's straight

being so supportive
to their q*eer son.

Like, my dad still hasn't
even seen me do drag yet.

So I'm like, seeing your dad
do all that is incredible.

- My dad's messaging on TikTok.

It definitely does
feel affirming to me.

And my dad's reaction
to me coming out

definitely did help my
confidence in my sexuality.

It really showed me
how much he does love me

and how much I do mean to him.

- Was it still hard
for you to come out?

- Um, yeah.

It wasn't as hard for me
to come out to my dad,

but to the rest
of my family it was.

A lot of my family
is very religious.

So it's kind of like,
you're here, and I love you,

but we don't talk about it.

- I don't get why they care.

It's like, if you were my boy,
I'll be your wingman.

Let's go.
- You're g*y. Let's go.

A lot of guys have used
that line at me

at the bar, actually.

And I always go, so.

- Does anybody want
anything to drink?

I'll go grab something.
- Yes, whatever you have.

I'll take it.
- I got waters--water?

- Mm-hmm.
- Okay.

- It's just us girls now.
- Yeah.

- 'Cause we have a drag show
coming up here in Tulsa,

how do you feel about the idea
of your dad maybe doing drag?

- It seems like it's par
for the course for him.

Honestly, he is kind and always
compassionate for others.

[soft music]

- Pick your color.
- Pink.

- Green.

- Okay, so we're
talking about drag.

- Yeah.

- And it would be like
a corset and heels

and boobs and all that stuff.

You're okay with that?
- I need them.

- You need them.
- I need all that stuff.

I like boobs.

Give me some boobs,
I'll be happy.

[chuckling]

- Yeah, the straight guy
is like, I like boobs.

Yeah, of course you like boobs.

- Mm-hmm.

- Kris's performance
in Tulsa, it's so important.

As the straight man in drag,

he can make everybody feel the
ultimate feeling of acceptance.

I love it so much!

[rustic music]

♪ ♪

- Why, thank you.

How ladylike.

♪ ♪

- Have you ever been
in a saloon before?

- No.

I feel like we should slide
a glass down the entire bar.

- But as you can see,
we've got our--you know,

our kills mounted on the wall
that we're very...

- Uh-huh, as you do.

- Very proud of.

- So this is where
you come to pick up guys?

- I--no.
[chuckling]

I come here because
the bartenders

are just good friends of mine.

They're so sweet.

Donald, this is Sasha Velour.
- Hi.

Nice to meet you, Donald.
- Nice to meet you.

- Are you an Oklahoman
as well, Donald?

- I am an Oklahoman.

I grew up an hour and a half
south in Lawton

in a very conservative
household--

originally Southern Baptist.

- Did they preach
anti-g*y things?

- For sure, for sure.

So, I mean, once I got older,
once I started realizing

why I was different,
I would sit there and cry

and beg God to make me
like girls and like--

over and over.

And it just got
to the point where--

- Oh.
- You did the same things?

- I would cry and beg God,
please let me wake up tomorrow

and like girls.

- And then I was out
at the g*y bars one night.

All my friends had left,
so I was standing outside

waiting on an Uber.

And that's the last thing
I remember.

The next day, I woke up in a
puddle of blood on my couch,

and I had no idea
what happened.

I was freaked out.

One of my friends,
they said that there was,

like, two straight guys
talking to me right before.

I don't know.
I can't--I don't remember.

So I can't, like,
put a face to it.

- Oh, my God.

- Went to the hospital.

- God.

- You can see them
operating on me.

- Oh, my God, Donald.

- And then my ear
was all messed up.

- Hearing what happened
to these guys,

it's definitely making me
put my guard up a little bit

here in Oklahoma.

Drinking, going out with your
friends, talking to strangers,

that's normal behavior.

We should feel safe
doing that.

And then it turns out
you're not safe at all.

Even outside of a g*y bar,
you could be beaten

within an inch of your life.

It's like the reality
for a lot of people.

- The sad truth is that even
if Donald had wanted

to press charges,
the DA legally

could not have prosecuted it
as a hate crime...

- Right.

- Because we are not
a protected class

under hate crime laws, period.

- I thought everyone
in the country

was protected by this
Matthew Shepard Act.

But if a crime doesn't fall
under federal jurisdiction,

then it all comes down
to whether the state

recognizes anti-LGBTQ violence
as a hate crime.

And in this case,
Oklahoma does not.

When the law
gives people permission

to discriminate against you
through violence,

how can you feel safe
ever living in a place

that has those laws?

He said he didn't even
know these stories

for years about you.
- Yeah.

- Not until after
I was hospitalized

because someone beat me up.

Then Donald was like, yeah,
that happened to me one time.

I'm like, what?

We've been friends for years.

- I never wanted to be made
to feel like a victim as well.

- And that's not--that--
- I know.

- These things
don't define you.

- Right.

- Violence has been
very normalized

and we laugh about it
and joke about how, like,

I carry these nails
with me as a weapon.

But it'd be pretty
groundbreaking

to imagine a future where--

where people didn't have
to be afraid like that.

[singers chanting]

[gentle music]

♪ ♪

- Oh, darling, I'm sorry.

Are you getting your seedlings?

You can go.
I'm gonna turn off the water.

[chuckling]

Yippee!

♪ ♪

I took a break from my Two
Spirited group that I started.

I don't go to their meetings.

The h*m*,
transphobia I got from my job

at Creek Nation,
it hurt me deeply.

I'm g*n-shy because
I'm constantly worried

that somebody
is gonna be watching me

and following me around
and saying,

you heard what John said.

He shouldn't be
saying those things.

Those are h*m*.

And that's why I've taken
a step back from the group.

So I'm a little apprehensive
about going.

But they're precious souls,

and they're trying
to keep us out there.

- John and I are going
to the Two Spirit meeting.

I could feel the anxiety
coming off of John

when we walked in.

Hello.

But I'm hoping that the group
will help them feel welcome

and know that there is hope.

- Priyanka, welcome to the
Tulsa Two Spirited group.

- Hello,
Tulsa Two Spirited group.

[cheering]

Thank you.

Oh, my God.

I'm actually
a little bit shocked

that this is new, which is--

- It's not new, it's returned.

Tulsa is kind of
at the convergence

of three major nations,
and we didn't have a presence,

although we all knew that there
were plenty of us out there.

So we're really just now
beginning to find our voice.

You know, you actually
led the very first group out

to the Gathering of Nations
in Albuquerque on behalf of--

- And we were the first Two
Spirited group to have a booth

at Gathering of the Nations.
- It was a big deal.

- And you know what?
They loved us.

Two Spirits was revered,
and we were

essential life of the tribe
because we taught sexuality.

We taught you
how to be a good partner.

We taught you how
to take care of yourself.

We were in charge.

They embraced us.

- You have to look at it
from this perspective that,

like, being two-spirit
is pre-colonial.

It's been a part of our people
since time immemorial.

But the thing is, is like,
with colonialism coming in,

they took away the value
of two-spirit people

in Indigenous communities
through boarding schools,

other different methods.

And even though it's easy
to find another q*eer

Indigenous person,
but being able to find

a two-spirit person
who understands

the cultural knowledge
behind that is a rare thing.

- Very rare, very rare.

- We don't ever really
get to have these spaces.

- Do you feel accepted
by the community?

- It's not the place
it needs to be.

But I think we're the ones
to help be able to expand that.

We need to remind
our own tribes

there was a lifestyle
that was lost.

And there's a problem
with our own leadership

in being able to even recognize
the unique space

that we used to have.
- Right.

- See you all on the 10th.
Let's go eat.

[speaks native language]
- [repeats phrase]

- That means come and eat.

And I'm very honest
with them--I'm still healing.

I'll show up
a little bit maybe,

but I can't give you
a lot of energy right now.

- So I was talking
to Randy and Kevin.

This drag show here
in Bartlesville

ain't gonna happen.

So I was trying to riff
with the idea with them.

I was like, well,
if they're not gonna, like,

allow that,
if that's gonna be too much,

why don't we just do,
like, a meet-and-greet?

- So we'll just be
in a public space,

and people can come
talk to us and see us...

- Or not.
- And take a photo?

- Exactly.

- Do you think people will
come ask us questions?

- I hope people who aren't sure
if they like drag

or are into it will come
and ask us whatever they have.

We should do it in the square
where they had Pride

but didn't allow drag queens.

- Ah!
- Ohh!

- I think, although it kind
of goes against what, like,

OKEQ was saying,
it's more just--

we're here for this purpose.

And if we don't show presence,

then we're letting
Oklahoma win.

- This meet-and-greet is an
opportunity for everyone.

We want our supporters there.

We want our oppressors there.

We should take out a full-page
ad inviting everybody.

We do it on a Sunday afternoon
after everybody

get out of church.

And the goal and mission is to
show we're just full of love,

diversity, and acceptance.

- Just because you bully us,
we're not gonna not show up.

- Even just one afternoon
of feeling

like they're not the
only person who's cool

with drag queens could--

- Change, right?

- Could give them
enough confidence

to go about their lives
a little differently.

- Yeah.

- Doing a meet-and-greet
in Bartlesville makes sense

because drag
is a perfect antidote

to fear and shame.

In the meantime,
we're gonna put on a classic

bar drag show in Tulsa.

[rock guitar riff]

- Hello.
- Hey!

I was just talking
to my friend, Alice Starr.

- Hello.
- Hi!

- This is Priyanka.

- Because we have a drag show
coming up in Tulsa,

the work that needs
to be done for Kris--

I don't know if he's
ready for, like,

corsets and heels and makeup.

We got a lot of challenges.

Okay, so I think it'd be fun
in terms of TikToking--

you're gonna do my makeup.

[laughter]

Okay, you start
and then I'll jump in.

- Here we go.

You know, I always talk
about being an ally.

I talk the talk.

Let's see
if I can walk the walk

and maybe put some makeup
on superstar Priyanka.

- Hello.

Your goal is to recreate this.

- Oh, my goodness.
- On me.

- No problem.

- If it's gonna be a mess,
it's gonna be

a hot mess in a good way.

Okay?

See the eye is black?
- I'm colorblind.

- You're colorblind too?
- Mm-hmm.

- Oh, my goodness.

Help. Help me.

Make it dramatic.

I'm a drag queen, God damn it.

- We need to load this
son of a b*tch up then.

[muffled giggles]

I think I'm gonna
make it sharper.

- Oh, my goodness.

- Okay, keep on going.
Keep going. Just keep going.

- Okay, I get it.

I don't know how to fix it.

- There's no fixing,
you guys just keep adding.

That's drag.

You just gotta
keep adding to it.

Do you feel confident?
- Mm-hmm.

- In this photo,
my cheeks are carved.

Do you see how there's
a contour there?

- Mm-hmm, I can do that.

- You can do that?
So in the browns.

[upbeat music]

Um--

- Wanted to blend it
a little bit.

- Oh, you're blending.
Okay, good.

Okay, what else
do you think we need?

- We need a professional
makeup artist.

[chuckling]

- This is the final reveal,
everybody.

Let's see if I look
like this photo.

One, two, three.

[laughter]

- Exactly like the picture.

- I've never felt
this beautiful.

[laughter]

- Yeah, that's redneck glam
right there.

- You have a dramatic garage.

[dance music]

- Hello.
- Hi!

I'm just practicing.
- What you doing?

- How are you, gorgeous?

- I saw your moves at the club.

- Had a few drinks
in me that night, though.

- Yeah, you did!

- ♪ Girl, don't try it ♪

♪ You break it
then you buy it ♪

- We gonna turn
this mother out.

- What kind of music
do you listen to?

- '80s rock and roll
and country.

- Like who? Like--

- Like hair bands,
like g*ns N' Roses.

- Oh!
- Aerosmith, Bon Jovi.

- Okay, so you're doing
Avril Lavigne today.

- ♪ If you're not
wearing nails ♪

♪ You're not doing jack ♪

♪ Long nails, short nails... ♪

- This is just a folder
that I put together,

and there's a list of songs.

And there are stars
next to my favorites.

- Wow.

- There's a bit of acting
involved with your number.

I'm sad, like,
kind of like, aww, whatever.

Head up.

And then we're gonna make out.
- Okay.

[chuckling]

- Thank you for your input.

- ♪ Nails, nails, nails ♪

- My folder!

- ♪ Where the f*ck
are your nails ♪

- It's Coach Priyanka time,
okay?

Won't you--
- You.

- You're angsty!

You've been through some sh*t.

- ♪ Super glue
some b*tch claws ♪

♪ Or look like
f*cking Santa Claus ♪

♪ Scratch and sniff,
take a whiff ♪

♪ Or put some
f*cking gloves on ♪

- I'm trying.

- Oh, God, I brought heels.
I have to do this in heels.

- You look like a cowboy.

Loosen it up a little.
- Yeah?

- Four--and arms.

Hey!

- Moving your hips--
I'm about to fall.

- Oh, my God, really good.

Look at that butt.

- I got an a*s.

- ♪ Long nails, short nails ♪

- Okay, walk slow.

Yes!

- ♪ Right nails, wrong nails ♪

- That's what
I'm talking about.

That's a reveal.

That is drag!

- Just imagine
this line continuing.

Beautiful.

Now you just have
to have fun doing it.

- Yeah.

- Slay, all long,
wait to open the door.

Honestly, I'm a miracle worker.

- I'm that hard to work with?

[chuckling]

[soft dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Walk me around and tell me
what you respond to.

- It's tough.

I never really let myself
explore because, you know,

I'm always a window shopper.

- Do you go shopping in person?

- I do not.

I don't feel comfortable, like,
going into a dressing room.

I do wanna be able to wear the
outfits that I want to wear,

but I'm afraid of what
that person at the gas station

or the person at the stoplight
will think of me.

So it's just boy pants,
boy shirt.

Don't look in the mirror.

Get dressed real quick
and head out the door.

- What do you think about,
like, a fun dress like this?

Would you try it?
- I like it.

I would try it.

I just feel like my
midsection would--

- This dress would
be so pretty.

- My midsection
would be--boop!

- How about these jeans?
You're a traditional denim.

- Mm, I don't think
that's my style, no.

- How about
a motorcycle jacket?

- Well, I won't know my style
till I try it, right?

- Exactly!
- This definitely screams me.

That looks like
a Jess A Velour dress.

- I think so.

Oh, I love it.

Let's start trying these on.
- Okay.

All right.

- I can tell she is
a little uncomfortable

with how she currently looks.

There's so much self-hatred
to overcome.

Baby!

Oh, my gosh!

How do you feel?

- I mean, I love it,
but I don't know

if I'd be comfortable enough
to go out in it yet

until I can
lose a little weight.

- That's okay.

A little shapewear
or something,

would that make you feel...
- Probably.

- More confident?

- Yeah.
- Okay, we'll try the next one.

- All right.

Every step forward,
that part of me

that was there for 23 years
whispers in my ear,

you're doing it wrong.

You'll never make it.

Sometimes I feel
like Jess is a curse.

You know, why would
God do this to me?

Why couldn't I be me
from the beginning?

- Come on out.

[soft music]

- I can't get over this one.

- I'm so glad to hear it.

I'm gonna grab you
a pair of shoes

that I brought for you to try

so we can get
this full fantasy.

- Holy mother.

- Okay, we got
pink stripper boots

just like your mother wears

and a more dainty,
ladylike heel.

Why don't we start with this?

Okay, Miss Thing, come on out.

Give us the walk.

That's not the walk.
- No, that's not the walk.

[chuckling]

- Stop here.

Look in the mirror.

- You always do that to me.

- Is there anywhere
that you're not seeing Jess?

Just there.

- That's what
I'm always looking at.

- I see Jess everywhere.

Oh, baby!

How about now?

- For the first time,
I actually see,

like, a female body.

- You have a female body.

If Jess is open
to the possibility

she might look amazing, I think

she's gonna surprise herself.

Maybe you should try
one of these looks out

when you come see our
drag show tomorrow night.

- Maybe I will.

- You wanna wear her out?

- I think it's cute.

- Thank you, Mari.

- Thank you, appreciate it.

I mean, I came
in today thinking

I'd have the same reaction
that I have been, you know.

I would cry, I would
throw up a little bit,

and I'd just wanna,
you know, go hide.

But I just wanted
to keep on trying,

and then all of a sudden--
that was--that was a good one.

- Okay.

I feel like we had
a big success then.

All right, on to the next one.
- On to the next--

- Eyebrows.
- Yep. And then earrings.

- Ooh!

[introspective music]

♪ ♪

- Did y'all see the newspaper?
- Oh, honey.

- Oh, wow!
- No!

- Oh, honey!

- It's so big!

- That's what he said.

- It's so--

[laughter]

- This meet-and-greet is
such a power move for us

because we're doing this
in the park

where they banned drag
and agreed not to do it.

Well, we didn't
sign that agreement.

- We put out a beautiful,
pink, full-page ad

in the local Bartlesville
newspaper to let people know

that we're gonna be gathering
in the park on Sunday.

And that advertisement

attracted a little bit
of attention.

- Did you see this?

So they--
the "Bartlesville Examiner"

posted the article, and it has


Let's see what people
are saying.

Okay.
- Positive stuff.

"How exciting, here for it.

Drag queens are some of the
nicest people out there."

- Yes, drag queens. I love it.

- Oh.
"Spray them with holy water."

- "Disgusting, feel sorry
for our young people,

getting exposed
to the sick entertainment."

- "I thought city council
passed an ordinance

to keep this perversion
inside."

- "Three properly
placed b*ll*ts

would put a quick stop
to this"...

- Oh, wow.
- "Pedo porn BS."

[tense music]

It's scary, but this whole
thing is important for us

to be like, we love you,
and we support you,

and we want equality
for you in this town.

- These comments--

that doesn't make us
too scared to go, does it?

We have to stand up for all
q*eer people in the area

and fight for what is right,

regardless of the danger
we are facing.

It's clear this town needs
a little queenly intervention.

♪ ♪

I don't know how it's gonna go
in Bartlesville,

but we're very excited
for the show

that we're gonna bring
to Tulsa.

- It is time for some drag.

And what does drag mean?

It means joy, darling.

- ♪ Pissed off on my beat,
pissed off on my beat ♪

♪ Pissed off on my beat,
pissed off on my beat ♪

♪ Pissed off on my beat ♪

♪ I'm about to break
all these b*tches ♪

♪ Yes, I'm c**t,
c**t, c**t, c**t ♪

♪ I know you're feeling love,
c**t, c**t, c**t, c**t ♪

♪ Y'all give me what I want,
give me what I want ♪

♪ I want p*ssy
for the breakfast ♪

♪ Yeah, I'm c**t,
c**t, c**t, c**t ♪

♪ I know you're feeling love,
c**t, c**t, c**t, c**t ♪

♪ Y'all give me what I want,
give me what I want ♪

- Hi.
- Let me see. Ah, my daughter!

You look amazing.

Shoes, this one has
very high standards.

But we're meeting up.

Is that right?
- Yes.

- Violence has no power here.

For Christian,
this is a moment where

the strength that he has
is celebrated.

- What color are
you putting on me?

- I'm doing red.

- You're gonna do
something flamboyant?

- Oh--we'll be there.

- Kris needs to be
celebrated for the work

that he does for our
community and the work

that he's done for his son.

- ♪ Everybody look at me
like damn ♪

- Five minute warning.

Five minutes,
we go to the back.

- Hello?

[cheering]

Y'all ready for a party?

[louder cheering]

I'm coming out soon, I just--

I'm shy.

[P!nk's "So What" playing]

- ♪ Na-na-na-na-na-na-na,
na-na-na-na-na-na ♪

♪ I guess I just
lost my husband ♪

♪ I don't know where he went ♪

♪ So I'm gonna
drink my money ♪

♪ I'm not gonna pay his rent ♪

♪ I got a brand new attitude ♪

♪ And I'm gonna
wear it tonight ♪

♪ I wanna get in trouble ♪

♪ I wanna start a fight ♪

♪ Na-na-na-na-na-na-na ♪

♪ I wanna start a fight ♪

♪ So, so what?
I'm still a rock star ♪

♪ I got my rock moves ♪

♪ And I don't need you ♪

♪ And guess what ♪

♪ I'm having more fun ♪

♪ Now that we're done ♪

♪ I'm gonna show you tonight ♪

♪ I'm all right ♪

♪ I'm just fine ♪

♪ And you're a tool ♪

♪ So, so what ♪

♪ I am a rock star ♪

♪ I got my rock moves ♪

♪ And I don't
want you tonight ♪

♪ ♪

♪ You weren't there ♪

♪ You never were ♪

♪ You want it all ♪

♪ But that's not fair ♪

♪ I gave you life ♪

♪ I gave my all ♪

♪ You weren't there ♪

♪ You let me fall ♪

♪ So, so what ♪

♪ I'm still a rock star ♪

♪ I got my rock moves ♪

♪ And I don't need you ♪

♪ And guess what?
I'm having more fun ♪

♪ And now that we're done ♪

♪ I'm gonna show you tonight ♪

♪ I'm all right ♪

♪ I'm just fine ♪

♪ And you're a tool ♪

♪ So, so what ♪

♪ I am a rock star ♪

♪ I got my rock moves ♪

♪ And I don't
want you tonight ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Ba-da-da da da-da ♪

[cheers and applause]

- Make some noise
for the superstars of Priyanka!

[cheering]

- Y'all having a
good time, though?

Baby, y'all didn't know it
was gonna be

a bit like this, did you?

Honey!

We show up and we show out,
honey, that's what we do.

And baby, if anybody tell you
that you are too much,

it just means
they're too little.

Don't ever dim your shine
for nobody, baby.

[cheering]

Are you ready for
your next enter-taint-er?

[soft music]

- If I can just push
one little domino over

to help change hate crime laws
in Oklahoma,

I would feel like I did
something truly worthwhile.

- Everybody,
please welcome to the stage

Vesper van de Kamp
and Sasha Velour!

[Britney Spears'
"Give Me More" playing]

- ♪ Every time
they turn the lights down ♪

♪ Just wanna go
that extra mile for you ♪

♪ Public display
of affection ♪

♪ Feels like no one else
in the room but you ♪

♪ We can get down
like there's no one around ♪

♪ We keep on rocking ♪

♪ Can't keep from rocking,
rocking ♪

♪ Cameras are flashing
while we're dirty dancing ♪

♪ They keep watching,
keep watching ♪

♪ Feels like the crowd
is saying ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more,
gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more,
gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more,
gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more,
gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more,
gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more,
gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more,
gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more,
gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more,
gimme more, more, yeah ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme more ♪

♪ ♪

[cheers and applause]

- Give it up
for Vesper van de Kamp!

- Thank you, everybody that
came out for this tonight.

[soft music]

A few years ago,
some very horrible things

happened to me because of my--

because of my sexuality.

Having this experience
with you--

keep fanning me with that.

Whoo!

Having this experience
has given me the--

the confidence and the courage
to finally climb this mountain.

[cheers and applause]

Thank you guys so much.

This has been
an absolute honor.

- This world is not always
as safe as we need it to be,

but together, we have
got each other's backs.

[cheering]

Violence is never the f*cking
answer, but drag just might be.

[cheering]

I'm proud of you all.

- Will there be any
opposition towards me?

Yes.

h*m* bigots--
they can hate me,

but I'll never stop
until the LGBTQ community--

till they're all accepted.

Which means
I'll never f*cking stop.

- Everybody,
please welcome to the stage

my drag daughter,
Krazy Kristina!

[cheers and applause]

[Avril Lavigne's
"I'm With You" playing]

♪ ♪

- ♪ I'm standing
on the bridge ♪

♪ I'm waiting in the dark ♪

♪ I thought that
you'd be here by now ♪

♪ There's nothing
but the rain ♪

♪ No footsteps on the ground ♪

♪ I'm listening
but there's no sound ♪

♪ Isn't anyone
trying to find me ♪

♪ Won't somebody
come take me home ♪

♪ It's a damn cold night ♪

♪ Trying to figure out
this life ♪

♪ Won't you take me
by the hand ♪

♪ Take me somewhere new ♪

♪ I don't know who you are ♪

♪ But I, I'm with you ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I'm with you, yeah ♪

♪ Oh, why is everything
so confusing ♪

♪ Maybe I'm just
out of my mind ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah ♪

♪ Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ It's a damn cold night ♪

♪ Trying to figure out
this life ♪

♪ Won't you take me
by the hand ♪

♪ Take me somewhere new ♪

♪ I don't know who you are ♪

♪ But I, I'm with you ♪

♪ I'm with you ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Take me by the hand ♪

♪ Take me somewhere new ♪

♪ I don't know who you are ♪

♪ But I, I'm with you ♪

♪ I'm with you ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I'm with you ♪

[cheering]

[soft music]

♪ ♪

[crowd chanting]

- I got a 22-year-old g*y son,
and I support him 1,000%.

- Is he here?
- He is here.

- Lane?

Lane, are you here?

Make way for Lane, everybody.

Whoo!

- I love you.
- I love you too.

- What did you think?

- It's really hard
for me to put into words.

I didn't think
that I was gonna cry.

It just kind of overtook me.

[cheering]

Yeah, I love it.

- Just like I do things
for my son,

I'll never stop doing it
for y'all.

[cheers and applause]

I keep this beard
just to show people

there's not a look at an ally.

Anybody can be an ally.

And thank you all for coming
out and watching me do this.

[cheering]

I feel pretty.

- Yeah, you look pretty.

crowd: [chanting]
Krazy Kris! Krazy Kris!

- Can I have a Dad hug?
- Yes.

- Aww.

Your son has no idea
how lucky he is

to have a father like you.

- Thank you.

- I will gladly tell him, you
have the best dad of the world.

- We're lucky
just to see a father.

- Thank you.

Damn, I didn't know
it was this powerful.

- The emotions come to you.
- Whoa.

- It really means the world
that you guys came.

- Wouldn't be anywhere else.

[gasps dramatically]

- The--you look so good.

I love that.

- Being in a place
like Oklahoma,

you have to remember
that if people see you

living your most
authentic life,

people will feel like
they can do the same thing.

At the end of the day,
there are still people

that don't want us here.

Like in Bartlesville,

we couldn't find a place
to perform,

but we still need to show
everyone that we're here.

- Tomorrow we go
to Bartlesville,

where we're gonna have
this meet-and-greet.

And we're bringing some drag,
and we have no idea

how this is gonna turn out.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Bartlesville PD has at least
two plainclothes in the crowd

watching for anything.

♪ ♪

[bright tone]