About Me
My name is Shane, and I am the Pop Up Drag Queen
First Pop Up Drag Queen performance (2016)
Originally the project began as a means of my survival in San Francisco
I moved from Florida to California in 2014, in order to continue school and the pursuit of an authentic lifestyle. While navigating a new city, I found myself falling in love with San Francisco and simultaneously adjusting to the high cost of living. I got my first California job at the Ferry Building inside a retail shop, which at time was barely enough to get by. On my way to work I would notice street performers along the waterfront earning tips. After some time, I thought that maybe someday I could do that too… as a way for me to earn extra cash for rent, groceries, and surviving.
Drag invites imagination and authenticity to shine for a world of possibilities
I started doing drag back in college in Florida, for school events and an occasional Halloween. While those moments were extremely fun, they also were limited glimpses of my desire to perform and go against societal gender norms. Once I was more settled in San Francisco (before Pop Up Drag Queen), I would frequent as many drag shows as I could. I was in awe of the drag scene and how drag was a platform for storytelling and radical self-expression. After some time, I finally got the courage to begin performing, with my San Francisco debut at the famous STUD bar. I became a regular at the Tuesday Meow Mix drag cabaret which was a place for community, frivolity, and a safe space to be myself. As years went by I was able to build confidence and also understand my identity as a transgender woman. Drag performance became my therapy, my exercise, and my hobby.
Manifesting an idea into a sparkling reality
The idea of performing in the street was exciting and daunting. It crossed my mind countless times on my way to work, watching the other waterfront performances. While San Francisco has an extremely rich queer history, I had uncertainties of how daytime drag on the sidewalk would be received by the general public. I wanted this idea to exhibit the diversity of San Francisco while creating an entertaining & positive experience for visitors and locals. While eventually the project became an avenue for me to dance for extra cash, what I didn’t anticipate was how much Pop Up Drag Queen would impact my life.
Provoking thought, curiosity, and joy
Since my first Pop Up Drag Queen performance in 2016, I see how this project successfully provokes thought and curiosity for so many people who have never interacted with a drag queen or even a transgender person. My performances have invited laughter, dancing, vulnerable conversations, and uninhibited joy. I have been able to interact with complete strangers and use our time to talk about my journey or listen to their stories related to gender-expression. Even after years of this project, I feel so lucky to be able to make people smile through my art. Pop Up Drag Queen has been a platform of liberation and joy, and I am so thankful for how it has inspired my creativity, activism, and happiness.
