From the lush feather boas that adorned early female impersonators to the sequined lip syncs of barroom queens to the drag kings that have us laughing in stitches, drag has played a vital role in the creative life of New York City. But the evolution of drag in the city—as an art form, a community and a mode of liberation—has never before been fully chronicled.Now, for the first time, Elyssa Goodman unearths the dramatic, provocative untold story of drag in New York City in all its glistening glory. ducks beneath the velvet ropes of Harlem Renaissance balls, examines drag’s crucial role in the Stonewall Uprising, traces drag's influence on disco and punk rock as well as its unifying power during the AIDS crisis and 9/11, and culminates with the modern-day drag queen in the era of .Including original interviews with high-profile performers, as well as glamorous color photos from exclusive sources and the author herself, is a significant contribution to queer history and an essential read for anyone curious about the story that echoes beneath the heels."Deeply researched and featuring a cast of characters who can truly be described as fabulous, is urban history on fire." —