2016 Issue 3 may/jun - Focus Mid-South magazine

life
Drag Kings and Queens
Creating Family
by Phillis Lewis, with Candace Rudd | photos by Cassidy Cook
When you think of family,
what is the first thing that
comes to mind? Do you
imagine a more traditional
family that includes a man,
woman, two kids and a dog?
Well take that thinking and
throw it right out of the
window because when it
comes to drag families, there
is nothing traditional about
them.
I should know. More than
five years ago, I began my
journey into the drag world. I
was introduced fairly quickly
to Memphis’ quintessential
drag family, the Coxxx family.
My initial encounter was
with family member Will
Ryder who, himself, has been
entertaining for more than
eight years (since 2008).
We soon became very good
friends. I then met other
family ‘Brudders’: Cristofer
(the original member, 2003),
Kameron and Kolton (2005),
Macc and JR (2011), the
youngest Brudder, Zac (2012),
and Allison. Allison and Matt
don’t perform but might as
well because they do just
about everything we do.
The thing about drag
families is that they just
continue to grow, and boy
– or should I say ‘girl’ – did
ours! And like most families,
the Coxxx family includes
girls: Mama Coxx, Patti Rock,
Brittany, Lexie, Lauren, Kelly,
Puma, Jackie, Camilla, Katie,
Erin, Jesse, Cynthia, and
Mini Freak. These ladies are
the backbone of the family.
They are the family’s ears,
shoulders, extra hands, drag
wives, and cheerleaders. A lot
of what the Brudders are able
to do is because we always
have these ladies in our
corners. They’ve stolen our
hearts.
So how, exactly, did this
group of separate individuals
create a family? Cristofer was
kind of the family seedling.
He wanted to start a new
drag family, but obviously
that couldn’t be done alone.
You need others to make
this all work. Though not yet
officially, it was always ???
who was using her maternal
instincts to help Cristofer
pick out music and clothes
for shows. She soon became
known as Mama Coxxx. Next
came the original Brudders,
Kolton and Kameron. Then the
other Brudders and girls I just
mentioned joined the family
over the last 10 years or so.
Still, the family wasn’t
quite complete. They needed
a family name. Cristofer’s
surname was Cox. Then
there were the three original
Brudders, or kings. The family
used three Xs as symbols of
the Brudders. plus Cristofer’s
surname, and in 2005 came
up with the new family name
‘Coxxx.’ Along with the new
name, the members wanted
family rules. Some rules would
be obvious, like remaining
loyal. But the most crucial rule
to the new family became the
motto “Once Family Always
Family.” As the years counted
on, the family continued to
grow and add members and
have made it into what it is
today.
There are a lot of questions
that people have about drag
families. I went to many family
members directly for some
answers. The first question
that non-family members
seem to have is what is it like
to be a part of a drag family? I
got many different responses
from the Brudders and girls.
Page 26 / www.focusmidsouth.com / MAY+JUN 2016 / The Family Issue