‘We need it now more than ever’: How a drag pageant supports LGBTQIA+ health services in North Texas

From KERA News:

In Dallas’ Oak Lawn neighborhood, life and organized chaos filled the Rose Room ahead of an important pageant.

Drag queens shared mirrors as they did their makeup and hair backstage. A crowd of people filled the space around a well-lit and colorful stage, prepared with dollar bills to give to performers. Advocates and health care leaders chatted about complicated health policy before heading to the judges’ table in front of the stage.

Everyone in the Rose was there for a reason: the Miss LifeWalk pageant.

Despite growing fear and concerns about anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation and policy changes, drag queens and North Texas community members want to focus on advocating for queer joy and health — making the annual event especially important.

Gennifer WithaG was one of five drag queens competing in Miss LifeWalk — a pageant hosted by Prism Health North Texas, which provides health services to the LBGTQIA+ community. She said the title is significant to her because it represents a platform and an opportunity to give back to her community.

Gennifer WithaG performs at the 2025 Miss LifeWalk Competition supporting Prism Health North Texas on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in the Rose Room in Dallas. Yfat Yossifor / KERA News

“I actually found community in the waiting room of one of those clinics,” WithaG told the crowd.

WithaG moved to Dallas from Indiana, which she said was not a great place for queer health. The first time she had access to queer doctors and mental health resources was when she moved to Dallas and went to a Prism Health clinic.

“I never had a doctor that just understood what being queer was like,” WithaG said. “I always had to explain my experience. [It] was always just really frustrating.”

The Miss LifeWalk competition is a big event for Prism Health. For more than 20 years, the pageant has raised money and awareness for the critical health services the organization provides.

But it also celebrates queer joy and gives one drag queen a advocacy role with Prism Health to support community care and sexual health resources.

“I want to be the welcoming committee for those that are new here [and] for those who have been here for a while,” WithaG said. “This community is incredible and I’m here because of it.”

Prism Health is a system of community health centers that provide services like primary or preventive care and sexual health resources. Like many clinics, it’s facing an uncertain financial future – including losing federal grant funding and adjusting to policy changes that could increase the number of people without insurance.

Services for the transgender and queer community are facing additional political challenges, both at the state and federal level.

The previous winner of the pageant, Shantae Morgan, said the increasing threats to drag performances and health care access make Miss LifeWalk more significant this year.

“We are playing really dangerous chicken with people’s lives,” she said. “We are all human beings…. There is no reason for us to be weaponized.”

Morgan has been a Dallas drag queen for almost a decade, raising money for various local organizations at her shows. She fell in love with drag because of the artistry involved.

“But also, I love the fact that I get to take something and use it as this amazing platform for advocacy,” Morgan said. “I also get to bring joy to people.”

The tie between drag as an artform and advocacy has a long history.

“Drag and drag queens have always been at the forefront of change,” said Tri McBath, director of marketing for Prism Health.

He said drag queens have helped raise money for health services for decades – like during the HIV and AIDS crisis in the 1980s.

“Now that we’re here at this time where healthcare is under threat again, I’m just excited that we were able to continue utilizing this art form,” he said.

McBath said the event keeps growing every year. The recent pageant raised more than $10,000 dollars – more than double the previous year.

“People forget that we as drag performers, we’re here to uplift and unite the community,” he said. “We’re not doing anything that harms anyone, and we are given a platform. When we are able to use that platform for good, such as raising money for healthcare for our community, especially at this time when health care is under threat, it’s a very good thing.”

Morgan said her experience as Miss LifeWalk was life-changing and filled with countless speaking engagements, performances and conversations about how people in the queer and transgender community can take steps to protect their health.

But her reign had to come to an end.

After weeks of fundraising, a live vocal performance and a handful of costume changes, the judges crowned Gennifer WithaG as this year’s Miss LifeWalk.

While Morgan praised all of the performers, she said it’s special to pass the crown on to WithaG.

“I know she’s gonna do an amazing job in her role,” Morgan said. “For me especially, to be able to continue this tradition, to pass this on after 21 years of advocacy is so important.”

Morgan also said WithaG is taking on the title at a particularly crucial moment.

“We need it now more than ever to be able to continue to do the work that we’re doing and continue the fight,” she said. “This is how we do it by showing up by continuing to provide advocacy but continuing to do this amazing art that we’re doing.”

WithaG said she’s grateful to serve in the role.

“I’ve been a drag queen in this community for three years,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of charity work, so this is just a really special moment to be kind of recognized for that.”

WithaG said people overlook the “important and wonderful” queer histories of cities like Dallas because of the states they’re in. But, she’s proud be a part of the queer community here. She said she wants to bring joy, love and comedy over the next year as Miss LifeWalk.

“Let’s be educated, let’s have fun, let’s be safe,” WithaG said. “That’s all that matters.”

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