We recently connected with Anthony Paparelli and have shared our conversation below.

Anthony, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

The idea of drag isn’t new but it was definitely new for me. I was a professional dancer who was working in nightlife in-between my contracts. I was doing “boylesque” which is basically just male-burlesque in a show in New York City. One night, our show director told me that the show was going in a “all drag” direction and that they wanted me to stay in the show but I had to be performing drag. So, after consideration and not wanting to lose my job and income, I decided to take on the world of drag.

To be completely honest, it was something I never wanted to do and something I said I would never do but now that I have entered that world, I truly couldn’t be happier. I knew going in that there were aspects of drag that didn’t appeal to me and said that if I was going to do this, I was going to do it my way. I knew I could succeed because the drag world really didn’t have anyone or anything quite like me in it but I also knew that it would be an extremely difficult path because most people do not like change or anything outside of what they consider the “norm”.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My drag name is Androgyny and I am a drag entertainer from New York City. I am unlike most drag queens you see or have seen (particularly on television) because I do not tuck and I do not pad. I am a gender-bending, gender fluid, androgynous performer who loves to push the envelope.

Prior to drag, I grew up as a gymnast, and then I got into musical theatre and dance. I attended Point Park University where I received a B.F.A. in Dance and Musical Theatre. Following that, I worked professionally as a solo contemporary ballet artist and aerial dancer for the next 11 years. I was blessed enough to be in three different dance companies, work on cruise ships, work in commercials, television, and movies all around the world.

What sets me apart and makes me different, besides my obvious aesthetic, would be my personality. I am an high energy dance performer who always pushes the audience to the brink with my hilarious and sometimes edgy humor. I like to make my shows totally inclusive and open to everyone and anyone. I try to heal the world through laughter and make people forget what is going on in the outside world while they are in attendance but always end on a note of love, light, and happiness for everyone because that is what everyone deserves.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, I think that the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to connect with people. I, of course, love entertaining people and making people laugh. I love performing and getting to call the stage my home, however, being a drag queen we have a unique ability to connect directly with the community. Obviously, while we are on stage but I also love meeting and talking with people prior to and following the show. To really listen to people and see how much a performance means to them, or how a specific number spoke to them, or even how they were feeling alone or outcasted and this made them feel like they belong and had someone to relate to. I also love being able to do outreach for the community such as charities or various programs.

For example, during the pandemic, I was able to use my online platform to raise money for 8 different LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC charities. I am honored to say that over the course of the lockdown, we were able to raise over $100,00.00 worth of donations. To me, that what it is truly all about, helping people when you have the ability to and/or a platform to. This community has given me so much over my life and the least I can do is give back whenever possible.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Being an artist is never something some people will understand. The lifestyle of an artist isn’t something you choose, it’s something you are born with. You can’t explain why you have to do this, it’s just something inside you. Conforming to the “traditional” or “normal” lifestyle of corporate or the nine to five schedule literally is something that sucks out your soul. Some people will never understand this because we don’t have the most financially stable jobs, we may not have benefits, or insurance, or a 401K, or anything like that. However, at the end of the day we are fulfilled in a way that can’t be bought and we gain something that can’t be fulfilled by possessions. We are doing what we love because it truly fulfills us as human beings and gives us a life of purpose.

With that being said, I always encourage everyone to support the arts and artists. What we do is something that our world desperately needs more of and it needs to be protected. Support doesn’t always mean financial either, even though that is a major help. Just being present at a show, or reposting things on social media, or telling others about them to make their audience grow are things that literally cost nothing. I always say that our most precious gift on this earth is time and giving people a part of your time is truly the greatest gift you can give.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @androgynynyc
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/androgynynyc
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/AnthonyP-Androgynynyc
• Twitter: @androgynynyc
• Other: Tik Tok: @androgynynyc

Image Credits
Photographer: David Serrano