Number 21 on my Queer Icons Pride Project is Drag Queen Dorian Corey. Dorian Corey was an American drag performer and fashion designer. She appeared in Wigstock and was featured in Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning. Born Frederick Legg in 1937 assigned male at birth, but realized later in life that she was a trans woman. Calling herself Dorian Corey, she began doing drag after leaving the city of Buffalo. In the 1950s, Corey worked as a window dresser at Hengerer's, then moved to New York City to study art at Parsons. Corey was the founder of the voguing House of Corey, holding over 50 grand prizes from the voguing balls. She was also "house mother" to Angie Xtravaganza, who later became a mother of her own house and was also featured in Paris Is Burning. Corey's legacy remains one of importance to the drag and ballroom communities, and her particular importance in the development of voguing as a cornerstone of New York ballroom culture is venerated and memorialized in the modern day. Corey is remembered by fans, friends and family for her simple philosophy that "...everybody wants to make an impression, some mark upon the world. ... You don't have to bend the whole world. I think it's better just to enjoy it. Pay your dues, and just enjoy it. If you shoot an arrow and it goes real high, hooray for you." Dorian Corey inspires me because of her fierceness and strength. She had an amazing talent, not only with fashion, but with words as well. I personally love her quote "Shade is I don't tell you you're ugly, but I don't have to tell you because you know you're ugly — and that's shade!" @parisisburningquotes #doriancorey #parisisburning #houseofcorey #drag #dragqueen #dragballs #lgbt #pride2022 #prideproject #loveislove #strength #queerartist #gayillustration #xtravaganza #queer #gay #transgender #lesbian #bisexual (at Turlock, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CfGxU6JrHKK/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
