Lauren Stogner, stage name Ren Rum, is interviewed by Sarah Steiner as a part of the Gender and Sexuality Oral History project. Stogner is a pansexual female who does horror and cosplay drag as a king and has been dressing up, wearing wigs and…
Sara Rivera is a graduate student at Western Carolina University studying biology, specifically fireflies. Rivera talks about growing up in the Bible Belt and how that affected the way she viewed the world. She shares how she came to the realization…
Drag queen Scarlet Margo Rita (1996-) is interviewed by Sarah Steiner as a part of the Gender and Sexuality Oral History project. Rita is a cisgender, gay male who does comedic drag. Rita came out to some people during high school, but didn’t start…
Tyler Melvin, stage name Skylar Shay, is interviewed by Sarah Steiner as a part of the Gender and Sexuality Oral History project. Melvin identifies as gender fluid and performs emotional drag with a fluid persona. Growing up in a rural Southern…
Stacy Plumb discusses her coming out story while in high school and her relationship with the church. She also describes her experience as a freshman at WCU in the LGBTQ+ community
Travis Rountree was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. Rountree discusses his time in western North Carolina, his coming out journey, and academic work. Rountree is heavily involved in the local Jackson County community as he planned Sylva’s…
Drag queen Ivanna Cookie is wearing a large white robe during a performance on the Bridge Park stage in downtown Sylva, North Carolina. She is participating in the drag show that took place during the day long Sylva Pride Festival. Sylva Pride was…
Drag queen Ivanna Cookie is performing on the Bridge Park stage in downtown Sylva, North Carolina. She is participating in the drag show that took place during the day long Sylva Pride Festival. Sylva Pride was founded in 2021 and hosted its second…
Drag queen Ivanna Cookie is shooting out colorful streamers from her hands during a performance on the Bridge Park stage in downtown Sylva, North Carolina. She is participating in the drag show that took place during the day long Sylva Pride…
Drag queen Ivanna Cookie is shooting out colorful streamers from her hands during a performance on the Bridge Park stage in downtown Sylva, North Carolina. She is participating in the drag show that took place during the day long Sylva Pride…