Article by Chartruice / Photography by Tiffany Salerno

Little did I know that when the curvaceous vixen Lady Coquine (aka PROUD & Kinky magazine editor, Jennifer) randomly followed me on Instagram, it would lead me onto one of the greatest adventures of my life thus far.

“Would you be interested in performing at the Las Vegas PRIDE Festival later this year?” They asked me.

I answered after I looked through their photos of whip cracking in the Nevada desert under the full moon. “I would love to.”

I currently reside in New York City. Before moving to the city, I lived in Indiana for ten years; before that, I was born and raised in the deep south of Alabama. Before my trip, I had never been to the West Coast and didn’t really have a desire to, other than Vegas. And here I was, getting a first-hand invitation, casino hotel accommodations included.

There were many reasons I was excited about this trip. For one, my personality rallies around flashing lights and neon signs, as I am the living personification of both of these things. Two, it’s the home of aliens. Burlesque, kink, and PRIDE, all of these are the cornerstones of my queer existence. Three, my favorite drag king, whom I had never met, was performing at the PRIDE Festival as well, Mr. Clit Eatswood (I dare you to find a better drag name than that!). Fourth, last but not least, is the cheap food and smorgasbord of culinary options the city offers.

When I got off the plane, the first thing I noticed at the airport was all the slot machines! Also, the Harry Reid airport is probably the biggest airport I have ever seen. I took the bus to the hotel. Sorry, I mean the hotel casino. I have never seen an establishment of this manor in all my life. I honestly thought they weren’t real and only existed in the dimensions of film. As I parted ways from the 5th houseless person, who had stopped me to compliment my hair, I crossed the 20-lane highway (it was actually only 6, but it felt huge) and walked up to the doors of “Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall.” I looked it up on Google before I came, and I still don’t believe it was real.

The first thing I experienced was the smell. A hundred years of stale cigarette smoke wafted up and hit me before I even opened the door. I didn’t realize you could smoke in the casinos in Las Vegas. I did no research and wanted to know nothing before I came so that I would be completely surprised, and boy, was I. Now, don’t get me wrong, I ain’t complaining about the smell. To be quite honest, it was very comforting; it smelled like my childhood and the trailers I lived in and visited back then. The signs said there was a TGI Fridays, a McDonalds, a Panda Express, a bingo hall, a bowling alley, a Dunkin Donuts, and a…. It was an ADHDer’s wildest west dream come true. So many things to see and do, and this was just the hotel casino.

I checked in at the counter, which was located inside of a huge, almost bio dome-like outside area that was encased in glass and had a huge fountain and animatronic animals, which scared me shitless at first because I didn’t expect them to move. The first thing I did was get myself a steak and lobster dinner with a Dr. Pepper for only $25 at TGI Fridays. After which, I passed out for a few hours. Once I awoke from my food coma, I headed to check out The Neon Museum.

I headed to The Neon Museum dressed all in neon but not too much because I didn’t want to one-up my neon sign brethren. Someone who worked at the museum gave me a little green duck because they liked my outfit so much. That’s another thing I will say about Vegas: the hospitality was as plentiful as the all-you-can-eat buffets. I took the museum tour, guided by a lovely lady with a soothing voice. She spoke to us on her tiny microphone about the neon signs of yore, the science of neon signs and how they glow, and the sometimes sordid pasts of the businesses to which the signs belonged. Seeing these signs up close was otherworldly, as some of them were as big as skyscrapers. My favorite sign was the last one. It was designed by Tim Burton, someone whose art I greatly admire. It was a life-altering experience, and I recommend it be one of the top places you visit when you come to Vegas. Seeing these glowing, shining, glittering signs up close is otherworldly for sure.

The next day was game day. I stretched, put on my SPF100, and lay by the pool, then got ready to be picked up and taken to the park for the festival. All the Uber drivers I had so far were very nice and talkative. One regaled me with a story about a passenger he’d had, in which the passenger, a business bro, was doing meth in the back seat while going on and on about how the driver was trying to control his mind and rob him. I wished the driver good luck as I got out and headed through the massive park through the sea of rainbow flags and leather harnesses to the PROUD & Kinky stage.

I knew I was in the right place when I saw the green mohawk of Lady Coquine and all the naked people. I waited to put on my costume because I didn’t want to sweat right through it in the Vegas heat. Backstage, I watched the dancing boys in Andrew Christian jockstraps twerking like the nonbinary peeping menace I am. Finally, I got to meet the man, the legend, the drag clown, in person, Mr. Clit Eatswood. My crush did not wain. His performance was spectacular. I was most impressed that he did it all in a (heavy) silicone chest plate with a long-sleeved black leather catsuit over the top and a full face of drag makeup in the afternoon heat, and he didn’t pass out. That is the resilience of drag, baby.

Soon after, it was my turn to perform. A crowd of several hundred people had packed into the grassy area in front of the stage; their energy was electric. After my performance, which absolutely slayed, I stayed at the PROUD & Kinky stage until the final show. I saw so many fire performances and rhinestones that I was almost blinded the next day. It was a beautiful experience, with so many different types of talents and bodies gracing the stage. I felt truly honored that I was invited all the way from New York City to be a part of Las Vegas PRIDE. Lady Coquine did a fantastic job putting together such an eclectic production; over 10 hours of entertainment, the stage was full of so many wonderfully queer and kinky performers. A super special thank you to them for providing me with such a truly life-altering experience. Even though I had never been to the West side of the country, I was invited with open arms and celebrated in such a way that I felt like I was home. Fellow performers Clit Eatswood and Taint took me in and made me feel like family, just like everyone else I met on my trip.

Las Vegas truly felt like a fever dream on acid, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I cannot wait to return to my dream home away from home. And if you’re ever in Las Vegas in October, I highly recommend you attend the Las Vegas PRIDE festival, as it is something you will never forget, and I’m positive you will find your family there like I did. I’ve been tired of NYC lately, and if I could, I would immediately move to Vegas. I loved it that much.

“Be the change you wish to see in the club”- Chartruice

Chartruice is a non-binary, plus-size, lesbian performance artist based in NYC. Their performance art specializes in neo-burlesque and explores various topics, including the body and personal life experiences, with performance residencies at the Box and the Slipper Room. They are also a producer and currently have a residency at the legendary Stonewall Inn, where they produce “Fat Tuesday,” a monthly all-plus size variety show including drag, burlesque, circus, etc. They strive for inclusivity, diversity, and equal rights in performance art and the world.

You can find them on IG @chartruiceee

This article was originally published in the fourth issue of PROUD & Kinky Magazine. You may read it in its original format here.

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