The state's drag ban, which went into effect in March, has taken a toll emotionally and on his livelihood. But just like anyone in the working class, Pudrido says, he’s got to keep going.
Jay Thomas grew up like any kid, laughing at silly things and making up funny names. So in the '90s, when Tejano superstar Bobby Pulido ’s songs played on the radio, young Jay and his peers couldn’t help but rhyme his last name with the Spanish word“I was thinking of some queer icons and some not queer icons," he said.
"This one just resonated because he is a Tejano star. And in the '90s he was this really big heartthrob that everybody wanted to be or be with. ”He thought it would be fun to impersonate a masculine figure from the Latino community and perform for an audience attracted to that type of energy. He also wanted to bring his culture into his drag.
Pudrido's name has new recognition these days: Tejano singer Pulido decided to retire from music and go into politics. He's running for Congress in South Texas’ District 15 against incumbent Republican Monica De La Cruz.that went into effect statewide in March. The law prohibits drag performances in public properties or in front of children. Venues that host these performances can be fined up to $10,000.
“As a drag artist, one of the things we need to do is get booked so we can pay our bills,” Pudrido said. Even though it's unclear whether the ban affects some venues, he said, he thinks certain business owners won't book drag performers because of the risk of being fined.
"You have to go to work, because you need to pay your bills," he said. “The way it chips away at a queer person to hear any type of anti-queer legislation pass is something that is really big for me,“ he said. "We are constantly — just as human beings — trying to maintain our mental health. " But that doesn’t mean his love for performing has been diminished.
In fact, quite the opposite is true. As a performer and producer, the drag king has put on shows in the Austin area and recently traveled back to hisBobby Pudrido has become an advocate for trans rights and against the ban that prohibits drag performances on public property or in front of children.
“It’s hard for drag kings to get booked sometimes, so we are still far away from the perfect ideal world for ," he said. "But the fact that I have a platform at all is huge. " Pudrido's passion for performing comes from his drag ancestors, “who started the art form as a way of being political and of being against the systems that were oppressing queer people.
” Drag King Bobby Prudido is currently producing his second queer quinceañera, “Con Mucho Amor," with an anticipated show date in the fall.
Bobby Pulido Con Mucho Amor Drag King Jay Thomas Tejano Music Texas Drag Ban
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