I noticed that Spikey Van Dykey was pretty popular here on the Tumblr back in the day, and I think now is a wonderful time to remind the oldies that he’s still performing and kicking ass and also introduce him (and possibly even drag kings in general) to the new Tumblr users!
hi! i see drag king discussion, and we alllll know drag kings are super under represented, sooo i'm going to list some drag kings who i think are super fucking cool that you should follow if you need more kings in your life
the obvious of course, follow landon cider, tenderoni, and spikey van dykey
but lets get some less well known check out:
rusty hammer (boston)
axel andrews (orlando)
zade black (orlando)
perka sexxx (atlanta)
sir vix (sacramento)
if you want to see more kings on your insta feed, follow @/kingdom of drag (and if you want more non rugirls on your feed, follow @/thedragqueendom xo <3
(luna also wanted to add andro gin who is either in miami or nyc i think)
I always knew about Drag Queens (albeit being very young I wasnt cognizant to the fact they were not separate people) but legit never knew about Drag Kings until like the end of highschool. Or that women could dress in camp (a la Jinx Monsoon) and thought that Drag was some sort of closed practice only to gay men and no one else
Anyway shoutout to Moe B Dick and Spikey van Dykey for opening my eyes.
GLOW: Winter Wonderland Back by popular demand! Come out and party with us next Friday December 9th, for a spectacular event! The event starts at 11 p.m. with showtime starting at 12:30. Grab a GLO bracelet at the door! Green= SINGLE Yellow= Proceed with CAUTION! Red= TAKEN Blue/ Purple= Kinky AF The event will be hosted by Spikey Van Dykey with special guest entertainment for this special themed event. DJ Se7en will be playing your favorite mixes all night long! Let’s dance the night away and celebrate the Holigays at your favorite LGBTQIA hot spot in Birmingham! #spikeyvandykey #lgbtq #dragshow #glowparty #queer #subzero #cosplay (at The Quest) https://www.instagram.com/p/Clk_YG9upUJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
Drag kings have always been an important part of drag culture! There’s a rich history of ~male impersonation~ in the United States that dates back to (at least) the 1800’s!
Watch the full video here.
I’m freaking out, Spikey Van Dykey fucking threw me a lollipop In their drag performance AND HELD MY HAND FOR LOMGER THAN NECESSARY WHILE TAKING MY DOLLAR. They also signed my transpride flag and gave me a hug.
Spikey Van Dykey. That's one name I haven't seen in a minute. The OG social media king. I think he was supposed to be on this show called Love of the Arts or something. Wonder what happened with that. Time to research.
Drag Queens have become popular TV stars. Frank DeCaro draws our attention the Drag Kings in an article over at The New York Times.
If you understand “transgender” as an umbrella term for all kinds of gender variance, all drag queens and drag kings are trans. That being said, many of them feel at home in their assigned gender. But all of them want to explore the mysteries of masculine gender expression, in seriousness or in jest.
DeCaro writes:
With names like Vigor Mortis, Spikey Van Dykey, Jack Rabid and Freddie Prinze Charming, the latest drag kings were being nurtured in out-of-the-way venues in cities around the world, ones not unlike those clubs of the ’90s. In New York, performance collectives like Brooklyn’s Switch ’N Play, led by the burlesque-inspired “sex symbol” K. James; Night Gowns, a series of events run by Sasha Velour, a “Drag Race” winner; and Cake Boys, out of Queens, have been fertile ground.
Typically, younger performers blur whatever is left of gender lines. As Mr. Grrrl put it, “Right now, if you don’t have an ‘AFAB performer,’” — meaning a cisgender woman, trans man or nonbinary person dressed as a drag queen — “or a drag king in your lineup, you’re doing it wrong.” The future of drag, he said, “is going to be a big old mess and that’s a wonderful, glamorous, fantastic thing. We’re all finding new ways to spread joy through the power of sequins.”
Drag Kings are Ready to Rule.
See also Drag King History.
Top photo of Murray Hill by Isak Tiner for The New York Times
Photo #2: Wang Newton by Celeste Sloman for The New York Times
Photo #3: Tenderoni by Evan Jenkins for The New York Times
Let's do the TIME WARP AGAIN!!! Join us for an evening of LIPS, HIPS, and Dr Frank as we take you on a very strange journey! The movie will be starting on the big screen at 11 p.m. with popcorn and prop bags available. After the movie, we are going to have a spectacular show with Spikey Van Dykey and very special guest performers! Costumes highly encouraged! #spikeyvandykey #whatshappeningbirmingham #questclubbirmingham #birminghamlgbt #lgbtq #rhps #rockyhorrorpictureshow #halloween (at The Quest) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj6Q6CuPeSS/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=