- Title: Drag queens with pumped up heels race with grace
- Date: 26th October 2016
- Summary: WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 25, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** DRAG QUEEN TWIRLING AND POSING DURING 'THE PARADE' PAN FROM SHOES TO DRAG QUEEN GREETING CROWD CLOWN WALKING DOWN 17TH STREET NW A 'MAN' WITH THE LIKENESS OF DONALD TRUMP WALKING DOWN STREET WITH 'WOMEN' CLOSE-UP OF HIGH HEEL SHOE 'HELEN HEELS' DRESSED IN A COLONEL SANDERS/KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN OUTFIT (SOUNDBITE) (English) DC RESIDENT 'HELEN HEELS', SAYING: "The high heel drag race is, it's obviously an LGBT event but there's so many straight allies that come out and support the LGBT community in the audience. And it's important for us to appreciate that and to sort of celebrate as an entire city rather than segregated communities." HORN SOUNDS AND HIGH HEEL RACE BEGINS LOW ANGLE OF HIGH HEEL RUNNERS DRAG QUEENS RACING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ELIOT JOHNSON, SAYING: "My feet hurt so bad. They are weeping- my feet are weeping for America." A 'WOMAN' WITH THE LIKENESS OF HILLARY CLINTON GREETING CROWD (SOUNDBITE) (English) DRAG QUEEN NAMED 'DARLENE DEPLORABLE', SAYING: "I'm part of a basket of deplorables and we're all voting for Donald Trump because we want to make America great again. We don't need ISIS coming up in here through these borders and stuff. And we just want to make America great again." BLUE AND RED STAR TREK INSPIRED COSTUMES (SOUNDBITE) (English) JENNY NORTH, SAYING: "We're going to build a deflector shield around the earth and make the klingons pay for it." (PAULA DEVILLE SAYING:) "Um, excuse me, we are talking about universal healthcare. Universal healthcare for the whole universe. That's what we want." DRAG QUEENS POSING, HOLDING OUT TOY GUN (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAPNA NICHANI, SAYING: "Today was awesome. It was my first time coming to the DC drag queen race and I saw a lot of different costumes. A lot of creativity. There was, like, Hillary Clinton and Trump. And it was just really cool just to see the creativity and get everyone together and have a really good time in this stressful election time. It's just nice to have fun at this event." DRAG QUEEN WITH HILLARY CLINTON MASK CLOSE-UP OF 'RUMP' SIGN THREE DRAG QUEENS (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAYE JOHNSON, SAYING: (WITH DONTAY BROWN TO HIS RIGHT) "I just said the heels bring people together who otherwise would not so it's a good time. It's a fun time. Otherwise I would not see a lot of these people so it's alright. It's a good thing." THREE DRAG QUEENS GROUP OF 'BRITNEY SPEARS' DRAG QUEENS
- Embargoed: 10th November 2016 05:11
- Keywords: high heels drag queens Washington DC LGBT
- Location: WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Human Interest/Brights/Odd News,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA00155N4ACL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Drag queens were dressed to impress as thousands of spectators lined a Washington, DC street on Tuesday (October 25), in anticipation of the 30th annual High Heel Race.
The costume parade began prior to the race, and showcased an array of colorful outfits.
From Star Trek to Britney Spears, mermaids and presidential nominees, the parade was an eclectic mix of fashion and mockery. Many participants said they were simply having a good time and enjoying the pageantry.
"The high heel drag race is, it's obviously an LGBT event but there's so many straight allies that come out and support the LGBT community in the audience. And it's important for us to appreciate that and to sort of celebrate as an entire city rather than segregated communities," said a drag queen who went by the name of 'Helen Heels.'
Spectators like Sapna Nichani agreed. "Today was awesome. It was my first time coming to the DC drag queen race and I saw a lot of different costumes. A lot of creativity. There was, like, Hillary Clinton and Trump. And it was just really cool just to see the creativity and get everyone together and have a really good time in this stressful election time. It's just nice to have fun at this event," Nichani said.
Multiple Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump characters paraded up and down 17th Street, in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. Other costumes showcased political puns from the current election campaign. Some said they were voicing their opinions and making a political statement. Others said it was all in good fun.
"I'm part of a basket of deplorables and we're all voting for Donald Trump because we want to make America great again. We don't need ISIS coming up in here through these borders and stuff. And we just want to make America great again," said a drag queen who went by the name of Darlene DePlorable.
Despite differences in political views, there was one task at hand when the horn sounded -- and that was to race to the finish line in high heels.
Eliot Johnson said he came in fourth place, but that it came with a price. "My feet hurt so bad. They are weeping- my feet are weeping for America," said Johnson, dressed in a stars and stripes suit.
Many participants took themselves, and their tired feet, to one of the bars in the neighborhood after the race. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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