At an LGBTQ+ Caucus meeting during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday, drag performers and activists Peppermint and BenDeLaCreme brought their unique blend of charisma, advocacy, and insight to the stage. Their participation was highlighted by a surprise appearance from Minnesota governor and vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz, who delivered a speech to the nearly 1,000 attendees.
Walz’s unexpected appearance and rousing speech set an optimistic tone for the meeting, attended by prominent figures such as U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee of California, Wisconsin’s Mark Pocan, Florida’s Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, and soccer star Ali Krieger. Each speaker emphasized the critical role of the LGBTQ+ community in shaping the nation’s future and the importance of continuing the fight for equality.
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Peppermint and BenDeLaCreme reflected on the experience of being at the DNC and the significance of drag as both an art form and a political statement in an interview with The Advocate after the meeting.
“It’s incredible to be part of a moment where we are all motivated by joy rather than fear,” BenDeLaCreme said. She noted that the energy at the convention was infectious, with people excited, motivated, and passionate about the future.
Peppermint agreed, drawing parallels between the current moment and the excitement she felt during Barack Obama’s rise to national prominence. “This feels so similar to that,” she said, emphasizing the importance of participation and the opportunity to be actively involved in shaping history. She also discussed the coalition of people looking to get Democrats elected. “These little communities, these little intersections of people, many of them marginalized—people of color, women of color, women, queer folks, disabled folks—are having the opportunity to stand up and say, ‘We have power. We will support you. We can support you. This is what our vote means, and this is what we want you to do.’”
The conversation also touched on the recent wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, particularly the attacks on drag performers. BenDeLaCreme described these drag bans as “thinly veiled ways of attacking the trans community and other subsections of the LGBTQ+ community.” She praised the DNC for its understanding of the intersectionality of these issues, noting that bodily autonomy affects everyone and that unity is essential for progress. “Something really incredible about being here is people do seem to understand this intersectionality, not just within the LGBTQ+ community, but across the board,” she said. “We all need to be moving together in that direction if anyone’s going to move in that direction.”
Peppermint and BenDeLaCreme also emphasized the importance of Drag PAC, a political action committee that supports LGBTQ+ candidates and causes. “We are being embraced here,” Peppermint remarked. “These are people that understand these issues more wholeheartedly, not so flippantly, not so at a surface level, and sort of at a negative judgmental level. But it’s important, and it’s imperative that we’re a part of the process. And truly, we have been a part of the process.”
Peppermint reflected on her journey as a Black transgender woman, noting the challenges of having others, who often do not share her identities, making decisions that impact her life and the lives of those in her community.
“I’ve always been a spectator for so long, and hearing people, especially as an adult coming into my own identity that’s very intersectional—as a Black woman, as a Black queer woman, as a Black queer trans woman—having other people, usually people who aren’t any of those identities, talking about passing laws and making decisions about all of that,” she said. “And no one who looks like me is anywhere nearby.”
The duo addressed the broader implications of the political moment, with BenDeLaCreme explaining why it's important to have allies in power who genuinely support the LGBTQ+ community. Reflecting on Walz’s long-standing advocacy, she said, “The fact that he started that GSA in 1999 is huge to me. I was in high school in ’99. If I had somebody like him on my side advocating for me, I would’ve had a very different childhood.”
According to GLAAD, LGBTQ voters are a growing and impactful voting bloc crucial to the outcome of the 2024 election. GLAAD’s polling highlights the stakes in the 2024 election, with 94 percent of LGBTQ+ registered voters indicating they are definitely or probably voting this year.
Peppermint and BenDeLaCreme stressed the importance of harnessing the power of young voters, particularly Gen Z, through voter registration and activism. More than 1 in 5 Gen Z Americans are out as LGBTQ+, according to Gallup, making them the most out generation in history.
“One of our main missions with the PAC is to engage voter registration among young people, Gen Z specifically,” BenDeLaCreme said. “Because of the kinds of platforms we have, I think that many young people are seeing that they can start to get engaged.”
Both performers stressed the importance of the upcoming election and the need for continued activism.
“We’ve had so many instances in the past of groups saying, ‘Alright, we believe in everyone’s rights to freedom and liberty, but we’re going to come back for you later because we don’t want you to weigh us down,’” BenDeLaCreme said. “That is not happening right now. And that, to me, says that this sentiment is genuine.”
Peppermint added, “This moment is greater than that. Thanks in part to what has come before, but it’s now an evolution of that.”