Why Drag Research? As a 30+ year professional (activist, practitioner, instructor, and researcher) with a LGBTQ+ identity, I engage in sexual and gender minority (SGM) research through the lens of healthy human development. I aim to explore and highlight the strengths and positive aspects of SGM identities to further awareness, understanding, and respect. By illuminating the wholeness and richness of the human experiences of those with sexual and gender minority identities, I hope to advance positive social change.

Why Drag Research? The first course I taught 30 years ago was Issues in Human Sexuality which brought front and center the hate, prejudices, and moral convictions of others. I have witnessed microaggressions toward my son who is gay ever since he was in grammar school and have also experienced microaggressions as his parent. Unexpectedly, these experiences ignited a flame to be an agent of change. My research focuses on the lived experiences of sexual and gender minorities across the lifespan and the interplay among intergenerational, familial, and social contexts. Specifically, my current research focuses on the lived experiences of older drag queens/kings and how drag expression contributes to positive identity development amidst adversity, ageism, and dragism.