Nevada has a dark history when it comes to LGBT folks. But somehow, drag queens have been a part of Las Vegas entertainment for almost 100 years.
It dates back to when female impersonators braved crowds on Fremont Street in the 1930s; to the Kit Kat drag club in the 1940s; to the explosion of drag both on the Strip and off in the 1980s; and Cirque du Soleil hiring a popular drag queen from New York City for its new Zumanity show in 2003.
Now, drag has gone mainstream. The Emmy-winning
RuPaul’s Drag Race inspired a live version for the Strip, which also hosts a weekend drag brunch. Drag queens are now reading to children in Nevada libraries.