“I hear them whispering ’bout the places that you’ve been. And how you don’t know how to keep your business clean.” Sam Smith and Kim Petras’s banger “Unholy” is blasting as Pattie Gonia is lip-synching and grabbing dollar bills on stage at House of Yes in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The drag superstar is wearing a high-fashion corporate look made up of thrifted suiting pieces, and behind her, a giant screen is projecting the faces of some of the largest oil-money billionaires on the planet—including Darren Woods, CEO of Exxon Mobile, who racks in $35 million a year, and Larry Fink, CEO of Black Rock, who commands $32 million salary. The message of Pattie Gonia’s act, titled Big Oil Criminals, wasn’t subtle: “These are the men who are killing us” the screen behind her read.
Pattie Gonia served as the host and one of several drag performers at this week’s environmental-themed drag show, titled Save Her! and held during Climate Week. Presented over two nights, the show focused on using the art of drag to celebrate our planet and highlight the key issues currently affecting it. Joining Pattie Gonia on the main stage were drag queens and kings including Sequoia, Vera Hannush, and Uncle Freak—all of whom used their moment in the spotlight to tackle climate change and offer climate solutions.
Of course, the drag stars had campy and fun ways of doing so. On Tuesday night Patti Gonia opened the show with her rendition of Katy Perry’s “Firework”—only Pattie kept singing the same lyrics over and over: Do you ever feel, like a plastic bag?… Do you ever feel, like a plastic bag?… In other words: Stop relying on single-use plastics! Drag king Uncle Freak, meanwhile, performed a saucy strip tease to Nelly’s “Hot In Herre,” as videos of wildfires played on the screen—clearly alluding to just how hot our planet is getting.
Naturally, there were plenty of statement fashions in the mix as well. For a more thematic approach, both the performers and those in the crowd came dressed in their best sustainable looks. The dress code, Mother Nature’s Disco, was all about compiling vintage or upcycled garments into a look that evoked “queer, sparkles, skin, and fun.”
Pattie Gonia wore garments such as a golden dress made of pop can tabs, and an all-pink look comprising pool floaties, shower curtains, and kitchen globes. Cy Berspace opted for a three-dimensional floral coat made of fabric scraps, while Nini Coco wore a dramatic butterfly getup that was upcycled from an old stage look. The message of the raucous, fun night? Our planet is in an environmental crisis—please, try to re-wear your clothes. Clearly, you can still look utterly fabulous while doing so.
Below, more photos from inside the Save Her! show.
