Your Arlington, your views

The following was written by Grace Tinsley, an Arlington High School senior.

Walking outside the Unitarian Universalist Church at Mass. Ave. and Pleasant in Arlington Center on a Saturday in February, you would never realize what was happening. Some teenagers walked through the church doors, but nothing about them looked out of the ordinary. Once inside the church, not much appeared to be “normal.”

The men were dressed in skirts, dresses and anything frilly, while the girls were wearing baggy shirts and men’s jeans. The whole scene was hilarious. It started out with everyone inside changing into their drag outfits and introducing themselves to new faces — since the GSA is extremely open to new members. The purpose of this event was to bring its members closer together and invite new affiliates in a fun, bonding, Saturday-night experience. Members and chaperones brought food, drinks and a karaoke machine to tie it all together.

Arlington High School junior James Wallis was the announcer for most of the singing performers and brought a wonderful spark to the whole event. Eva Leah Cirker-Stark, another junior, was another strong member who looked stunning in her blue-stripped button down shirt, tie, and men’s blue jeans.

All types of music were played and performed. There was everything from metal to the Spice Girls performed by Miranda Forman, Emily Allen, Rebecca Brown and Claire Weinberg.

Nearing the end of the performances, Ms. Holt, the head of the GSA, took the stage and announced the contestants for the drag fashion show. Everyone who wanted to participate got a chance to strut his or her stuff in front of the whole crowd of laughing teenagers and chaperones.

Once everyone had the chance to show off “what they got,” the audience members voted on who had the best costume. The winner was Arlington High School alum, William “Bear” Smith, who came back for the weekend from Wheaton College, was wearing a black dress with a black shawl and flats. He topped off his whole get-up with red lipstick.

The evening ended at 10 o’clock with a warming group singalong to the Monty Python tune “I’m a lumberjack, and I’m OK, I sleep all night and I work all day.”