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Sexual Chocolate, the current reigning Mr. Gay Wichita, was one of three regional performers at Friday night’s drag show.
Aria Hymn, a student performer, gives a nod to her name by performing Trisha Paytas’s “I Love You Jesus” followed by Sam Smith’s “Unholy.”
Volume 127
At the end of their first performance, Loki Tr’ster drinks a liquid from their pocket. Tr’ster is a beginning drag star who hopes to continue growing within the community.
ART OF
DRAG Ladiesman finishes his first routine at the drag show on March 31. Ladiesman is also known as the “Godfather of Wichita” and is well-known in the regional drag community.
Claire St. Claire finishes singing and prepares to tumble across the stage. St. Claire’s musical theater experience at WSU helped inspire her drag routines. | Photos by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower
A’Keria Davenport, a renowned drag queen, makes her entrance early in the drag show on March 31. Davenport is known for her appearences on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and her several pageant titles.
A’Keria Davenport comes back to stage in a new outfit to MC in. Davenport is a drag star from Texas who has caught national attention from her appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Student Performer, Loki Tr’ster, returns to the stage for their second performace of the night. The WSU 13th annual drag show was Loki Tr’ster’s second time on stage.
Altair gets down on their knees while collecting tips at the drag show on March 31. The drag show was hosted by Spectrum, SAC, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Issue 27
Iris Okere is now the presidentelect for SGA’s 66th session. | Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower
Student body president announced for 66th session BY MIA HENNEN
news@thesunflower.com
Iris Okere and Sophie Martins will be the next student body president and vice president. Okere, SGA’s current Diversity Empowerment and Inclusion Committee chair, and Martins, advocacy coordinator for Student Engagement, Advocacy and Leadership, will begin transitioning into the role of president and vice president almost immediately. Okere and Martins won by a large portion, with 47.6% of the votes, 910 students — with opposing candidates each getting about half of that. Noah Carter and Jonathan Stanger secured 26.2% of the votes, 500 students, while Zane Berry and Nicholas Harmon got 23.5% of the votes, 449 students. Okere and Martins campaigned on five platforms: transparency, civic engagement, diversity, student retention and accountability. One of their main goals included increasing diversity on campus and in Student Government. Last year, 1,008 students voted for presidential candidates, with 554 voting for sole ticket and former president Olivia Gallegos. Gallegos resigned on the first day of the fall semester when former VP Mitchell Adamson took office. Later, Adamson stepped down and the former Speaker of the Senate John Kirk took over the presidential role, where he resides now.
Annual drag show imposes age restriction, students react BY COURTNEY BROWN
browncourtney2002@gmail.com
After 12 years of welcoming an audience of all ages, the 13th annual drag show required patrons to be 18 or older. Wichita State administration placed the restriction two weeks before the event, according to Spectrum Advisor Jennifer Pearson. In a statement to The Sunflower, Teri Hall, vice president of student affairs, said the decision was intended to prioritize students. “Wichita State University wants to ensure that WSU students continue to have access to student life activities, including the drag show,” Hall said via email. “The drag show, like many campus events, is open to the public, but students – who are 18 and older – are the priority.” Hall went on to say that other events on campus are limited to adults. “WSU hosts other events, such as the NXT LVL Garage Party,
the upcoming SAINT MOTEL concert and last year’s Wale concert that are 18 and up,” she said. Some students understood the reason for the age restriction on the drag show, which was sponsored by Student Activities Council (SAC), Spectrum and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. “We want to cater our events to students the most,” Tim Henkes, drag show committee member and SAC chairperson, said. “18 and up does make sense considering our student population.” Other students didn’t understand the purpose behind the age limit. “If (the drag show is) not like vulgar or anything, I don’t see the point in having an age limit,” Gehrig Hett, a music composition major, said. Other students disagreed with the age limit. Spectrum Vice President Damaris Mireles said the decision didn’t support students and diversity and excluded younger students who
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It’s playing into new legislation that portrays drag shows as just sexual and mature content when that is not the reality. DAMARIS MIRELES Spectrum Vice President
“had been looking forward to the event.” “It’s playing into new legislation that portrays drag shows as just sexual and mature content when that is not the reality,” Mireles said. In February, a Kansas bill was introduced that would prevent state funding for drag shows where minors are the main audience. “We basically got a twosentence response, the administration felt pressure from the legislature to make the show 18 and up, and that at least we’d still get to have a drag show,” Dawson Jacques, drag
show committee member and Spectrum executive, said. Throughout 2023, the state legislature has introduced a slew of bills relating to LGBTQ issues, with some being passed recently. On Feb. 23, the Kansas House of Representatives passed a bill preventing transgender women and girls from competing in high school/college sports; Gov. Laura Kelly later vetoed the bill. Jacques, who is transgender, said he is concerned the drag show’s age limit means WSU administration might follow other bills related to LGBTQ issues. “If you get pressure to change the other parts of the institution to meet those things, but no bills have been passed, you’re (the administration) going to do it just because it’s easier for you?” Jacques said. In response to students’ concerns, Hall said WSU supports the LGBTQ community and will keep track of legislation. Hall also reiterated the university’s desire to prioritize students at campus events.
“Wichita State fully supports our LGBTQ+ community, and we want to ensure that they and all WSU students continue to have access to the student life activities they know and love,” Hall said. “The university will monitor proposed legislation and comply with all applicable laws.” The Student Activities Council page states the drag show contained “mature content.” Henkes said this content notice was decided based on some performers’ submissions. “(The maturity rating is) not a typical thing that I would think a drag show would need,” Henkes said. “This isn’t your grandma’s drag show.” Jacques said drag portrays “the extremes of gender expression” and sometimes contains sexual jokes. Jacques said the content notice would have helped parents decide whether to bring their children, before non-adults were prevented from going all together. SEE DRAG PAGE 3