'Call Me Mother!'
Living in a small rural town, there are many aspects of gay social culture I've missed. There are no gay bars or clubs in my town, nor any of the nearby villages. There are no gay book stores, male strip clubs, gay book stores or drag brunches. I remember seeing one drag queen at a blueberry festival doing kids make-up, but I think it may have been the organizers husband, pressured into the task.
I'd also not really heard of the term 'mother' and it's connection to gay culture. I think the first time I really understood what it meant was when watching the first season of Pose. Since then, I've included a 'Mothers' themes post each Mother's Day. Last year, I researched the history of 'mothers' in gay culture. (HERE:) I was surprised to learn the term goes back to the 1700's.
So many of us have created our own form of family. Although it seems to be getting better, so many who come out still find themselves rejected by their biological family. Seeking acceptance is organic, and when you don't feel it at home, it's natural to look elsewhere for unconditional love and support.
Most of these created families replicate the usual familial roles. There are siblings, some we get along with, some we fight with. Odd cousins, aunties and uncles and of course parental figures. Leaders and role models who we often seek out. Other 'mothers' are there to give wisdom and advice whether we want, or ask for it or not.
I've been trying to find or commission an original drag mother shoot for awhile now, but for various reasons was hitting a wall. When I mentioned my idea to Jay from Frisky Frolic, he said he'd done a shoot for another project that just might work. Let me introduce you to Aleksa, the beautiful mother posing with one of her boys. Jay was asked to shoot Aleksa, as well as two other models, for the cover shot for a friends project.
Jay had never shot a drag queen before, and wasn't sure how much planning and prep time would be required. It ended up being much easier than Jay expected, and the the shoot was created spontaneously in the moment. Jay simply asked Aleksa what was in her bag, and it was those outfits and items they used for the shoot. I love Aleksa's look, sexy and sultry, with a dash of Eartha Kitt. I also love how well Aleksa takes very good care of her boy.
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