RECAP: History with a Drag Queen makes waves at MRU
Bella Coco, Staff Writer |
On Feb. 8, the tables of West Gate Social at Mount Royal University (MRU) were filled for History with a Drag Queen. Before the show even began, bodies filled the beloved university pub. Those who showed up later on were left to stand by the bar tables and appreciate the show from afar.
The event was hosted by Karla Marx who is embodied by MRU’s own Victoria Bucholtz (Faculty of Arts), and supported by drag performers Smokey Waters, Rip Em and Ruffen Tumble. The event was additionally supported by the Faculty of Arts Endeavour and QriTical, MRU’s newly founded queer and trans research hub.
The rules during the show were simple: show respect for everyone at the show, hands to yourself, have fun, and don’t be afraid to support and tip the performers. Attendees were encouraged to record and post the content of the show on social media except the burlesque moments, and to tag the performers and QriTical.
Marx opened with a classic tradition of lip synching to the one and only Cher, and class promptly began. In typical classroom fashion, Marx used the art of a slideshow to help assist her teaching.
To begin the lesson, Marx played a quick game with the attendees: Hitler Myth Busting. Five audience members were given the opportunity to yell out a myth about Adolf Hitler, and Marx would then debunk it.
The first myth, and most common myth about Hitler, was his status of living. The audience erupted into laughter, and Marx smiled knowingly.
“Trust me. Out of all the dead people, Hitler is very dead,” Marx said to the audience. She went on to educate the audience on the popularity of the myth— many infamous Nazis avoided capture after the Second World War, which led many to believe Hitler to escape to South America.
The topics hilariously ranged from Hitler’s questionable relationships with family members to his… appendage. With Marx’s profound knowledge, the audience learned that a rather intimate injury Hitler suffered on the battlefield would later be used for British Propaganda.
After the myth busting, and after the decided rule that the audience would profusely boo with each slide presenting Hitler, Marx moved on to a quick lesson on Hitler’s upbringing. From his time in Munich to serving in the First World War, Marx was able to educate the audience on the spark that became the wildfire of facism with Hitler and the Second World War.
In addition to the lessons on facism, Marx touched on the effect facism had— and still has—on queer and transgender history. She taught the audience that Nazis burnt numerous books on sexual research, which held a plethora of information on queer and trans research.
In between sections of the “class lesson,” Smokey Waters, Rip Em and Ruffen Tumble took to the stage for a lip synching performance.
Nearing the end of “class,” Marx reiterated the importance of Nazi politics and facism, and the harm it causes.
“You cannot understand the holocaust without putting anti-semitism at the core of it,” Marx said. She went on to say that at the heart of Nazi politics, there was hate for everyone who was different.
Marx closed off the show with an abundance of gratitude to QriTical, the employees of WSG, and the Faculty of Arts at MRU.
Before Marx left the stage, she announced a call for action against the new transgender policies the government of Alberta had recently proposed, and reminded the queer and trans community of Alberta to stay strong and stay hopeful. To those who were interested in taking a stand and overturning the policies, Marx directed them to take a look at Queer Citizens United Calgary.
QriTical took to Instagram (@qritical.mru) the next day to thank everyone for the amazing success. Marx will be back to perform and provide a class on queer history at MRU at the QriTical Launch Party on March 1.
