Drag queens from across the state vied for the title of Miss Gay Alaska America earlier this month in Juneau.
Taking the crown with a break up-themed lip sync routine was Lamia Insomnia Lexicon Doom Monroe, the drag persona of Anchorage-based performer Robin O’Donoghue. Monroe spoke with KTOO’s Adelyn Baxter about the pageant, her Juneau Drag connection and preparing to compete in the national Miss Gay America contest.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Lamia Monroe: My name is Lamia Monroe. I am an Anchorage-based performer. I’ve been performing in Alaska for about six years. Born and raised Alaskan. I’m an Alaska Native tribal member, originally from the Interior up in Fairbanks, lived in Juneau – so I’m kind of an all around Alaska person, bounced around.
Adelyn Baxter: What’s your connection to Juneau Drag and Juneau’s Drag Mother, Gigi Monroe?
Lamia Monroe: I’d been doing drag and performing for several years prior to getting connected with Gigi. And we performed together, I performed in Gigi’s shows for a few years before I was officially anointed the Monroe name and part of the drag family … But really I really enjoy the community here in Juneau. I have lots of friends and family here so (I) try to get down as much as possible.
Adelyn Baxter: Tell me about the Miss Gay Alaska America pageant. This was the first time it was held, right?
Lamia Monroe: This pageant, the Miss Gay Alaska America pageant, is the first inaugural pageant and it’s part of this national Miss Gay America system. So it was the first time that the Miss Gay America system has been a thing in Alaska. There is a title, Miss Gay Alaska, which is through the Imperial Court of All Alaska, which is a community organization and nonprofit organization that has been in Alaska for a very long time. And I’m also the current title holder for the Imperial Court’s Miss Gay Alaska.
Adelyn Baxter: How did you win the statewide pageant?
Lamia Monroe: My talent was a lip sync performance I created that has some audio mix from a couple of different Shirley Bassey songs and then some spoken word audio of that I recorded myself of having a phone call with myself playing both a male and female role, kind of doing a sort of comedic over the phone breakup. The piece is very much like, a little autobiographical, of, you know, a relationship going poorly and then finding confidence again, through stage through performing … So all about like, getting knocked down and getting back up again.
Adelyn Baxter: And so now that you have received the title of Miss Gay Alaska America. Where does that take you?
Lamia Monroe: I am currently preparing to go to nationals in January in Little Rock, Arkansas, which is where Miss Gay America, that pageant system was founded … It’s the first time that Alaska will be represented at that pageant. And I believe – I could be wrong – but I believe it is also the first time Alaska has had an official preliminary for any of the main national pageant systems. So it feels pretty surreal, like pretty big. And I just really want to do a good job of representing the LGBTQ community here, but also representing, you know, my home state to the best of my abilities.
Adelyn Baxter: What is your goal for the national competition?
Lamia Monroe: My goal is to just do well. You know, there’s 22 states participating, 44 contestants. Just making it past the preliminary rounds would be a huge accomplishment. So I’m really just trying to put together a very solid package that I can be proud of, and not worried too much about comparing myself to other people, you know, just trying to do I, I guess what I would say is the way I like, view anything is not really in competition with other people just in competition with myself, that’s what motivates me is to continue elevating, all the time constantly striving for perfection, you could say.
Adelyn Baxter: What else do you want people to know about drag in Alaska?
Lamia Monroe: I think what some people may not know is that a huge part of drag – and especially in Alaska, where we have a smaller community – is advocating for the LGBTQ community and raising money for various related causes. So a really big passion of mine is fundraising and raising awareness for Alaskans living with HIV. I serve on the board of the Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association. I have for about two years. And so that is, that’s part of my platform that I talked about – I’ve talked about both at the pageant and I plan on talking about that nationals – is just constantly reminding people that I think inherently in this political climate we’re in, you can’t really separate drag from advocacy.
The Miss Gay America pageant takes place in Little Rock, Arkansas Jan. 16 to 19.
