Does Anyone Else Remember the Yearly Mother’s Day Drag Shows?

For Mothers Day, as far back as I could remember, the men of the church hosted a dinner or luncheon for the women of the church. They made and served the meal, cleaned up, and provided the entertainment.

Every year, part of the entertainment always featured the men in drag. It didn’t matter the content of the skits, the men dressed in their wives‘ or mother’s dresses, put on awful exaggerated makeup and put balloons or stuffed bras under the clothes. The climax of the show was always the appearance of the pastor.

I remember being delighted as a little kid. The sight of the men was always funny, but it was better watching the ladies howl with laughter. The sight of them doubled over, with tears running down their faces is seared into my mind.

I was born in California, moved to the Midwest as a teen, went to college in a different state and the drag performances for Mothers Day were a feature at every church I attended.

Sometime in the late 2000’s, they suddenly stopped. I assume because of the rise of social media and the demonization of LGBTQ+.

Just curious, 80s-2000s churchgoers, was this a beloved tradition at your churches as well?