No Tea, No Shade: Life as a Drag Queen

Summary

Intimate, hilarious, and inspiring essays by celebrated drag queens Lagoona Bloo, Julie J., Olivia Lux, Alexis Michelle, Kennedy Ann Scott, and Nina West.

Kennedy Ann Scott was awarded Teacher of the Year in Nashville, Tennessee. Olivia Lux starred in Rent and Kinky Boots. Julie J raised more than $100,000 for trans and LGBTQIA+ organizations. Lagoona Bloo is currently starring on the Off-Broadway hit Drag: the Musical, and Alex Michaels received a stellar review from the New York Times for their role in La Cage Aux Falles at Barrington Stage Company. Nina West received an honorary doctorate in May 2024 and is a well-known entertainer, having worked with everyone from Glenn Close to Kermit the Frog.

When these gorgeous queens dress up in their stunning gown with picture perfect makeup, haters label them as inappropriate and unlawful. They are entertainers not predators. Drag is an art of self-expression that, at its core, affirms and uplifts LGBTQIA+ people.

No Tea, No Shade is a collective anthem written by six drag queens who believe in equality, peace, and in a world that loves and respects all people. The defiant legacy of drag will endure fearmongering and hate because their hearts have endured the unthinkable, their courage has been relentlessly tested, and to be blunt, they have the balls to prevail.

No Tea, No Shade features thirty essays written by six talented queens. They discuss:

• Social activism, Drag Story Hour, and education.
• Coming out, gender, and equality.
• Parenting, relationships, setting goals, and rejection.
• Celebrating womanhood, family, and image.

Despite the pervasive danger of being authentic and real, these drag artists have chosen to fight for LGBTQIA+ rights and not give up. They remind us and others who will listen that a person’s identity shouldn’t be marginalized to genitals. Identity categories are not as important as we have been led to believe. The shade casted on drag is just a scapegoat. It is a distraction political figures and trolls use to lure people away from caring about serious issues like gun violence, poverty, and racism.

No Tea, No Shade shines a light on a community of people who are paving the way for a better world and holding the light for others to step up.