A Nevada Air Force base hosted a drag show this month as “an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the history and significance of drag performance art within the LGBT+ community.”
The “Drag-u-Nellis” drag show was the first one ever at Nellis Air Force Base.
The New York Post reports that the event took place at the Nellis Club, one of the on-base dining and entertainment venues, last Thursday.
An invitation for the show urged people on base to “Discover the significance of Drag in the LGBT+ Community.” It was organized by the Nellis Air Force Base Pride committee and sponsored by Nellis Top 3.
Nellis Top 3, according to their Facebook page, is a "social and professional organization established to enhance the morale, espirit de corps, of all enlisted personnel assigned to the Wing and to facilitate cooperation between members of the top three enlisted grades."
The organizers said that the goal of the event was to “enhance the morale, esprit de corps, of all enlisted personnel assigned to the [99th Air Base] Wing and to facilitate cooperation between members of the top three enlisted grades.”
Nellis spokesman Lt. Col. Bryon McGarry said in a statement that the event “was sponsored by a private organization and provided an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the history and significance of drag performance art within the LGBT+ community.”“Ensuring our ranks reflect and are inclusive of the American people is essential to the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the military,” his statement continued. “Nellis Air Force Base is committed to providing and championing an environment that is characterized by equal opportunity, diversity and inclusion.”
The show featured drag queens from the Las Vegas area, including Coco Montrese, Makena Knight, and Alexis Mateo.
"Nellis Air Force Base is committed to providing and championing an environment that is characterized by equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion," a base spokesman told Newsweek.
"Base leaders remain supportive of events and initiatives that reinforce the Air Force's emphasis on diversity and inclusion toward recognizing the value every one of our Airmen brings to the team."
The spokesperson said that approximately 180 Nellis community members attended, and "feedback from attendees was resoundingly positive."
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