Miss Continental is an annual drag queen pageantry system founded in 1980 by Jim Flint. The pageant itself takes place at the Baton Show Lounge in Chicago, Illinois, and is usually held over Labor Day weekends.[1]
| Formation | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Type | Drag beauty pageant |
| Headquarters | Baton Show Lounge |
| Location | |
Key people | Jim Flint (founder and CEO) |
| Website | Official Facebook |
History
editJim Flint organized the first Miss Continental Pageant in 1980.[2] He started the competition as an inclusive pageant for all female impersonators, including those who have taken hormones or had surgical enhancements.[3][1]
The first competition had 14 contestants.[4] Ten years later in 1990, there were 44 contestants and 25 preliminaries in the United States.[4]
Competitions
editAlso known as the Continental Pageantry System, the pageant features different competitions.
- Miss Continental Plus debuted in 1991, a pageant for competitors weighing 225 lb (102 kg) or more.
- Miss Continental Elite was created in 2004 for entertainers who are over the age of 40.
- Mr. Continental was formed in 2003 for male entertainers.[1][5]
- Mr. and Miss Continental Newcomer was added in 2023.[6]
Formerly, both Miss Continental Plus and Miss Continental Elite had been held each year over the Easter weekend, in Chicago; now all are held during the Labor Day weekend.
Contestants show five looks and a talent.[7] More than 40 preliminary competitions occur around the world, with finalists arriving in Chicago for the event.[7]
Winners
editLegend:
† indicates that the contestant is deceased.
| Year | Miss Continental | Miss Continental Plus | Miss Continental Elite | Mister Continental | Miss Continental Newcomer | Mr. Continental Newcomer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Chilli Pepper † | |||||
| 1981 | Heather Fontaine | |||||
| 1982 | Tiffany Arieagus | |||||
| 1983 | Chena Black | |||||
| 1984 | Cherine Alexander † | |||||
| 1985 | Maya Douglas | |||||
| 1986 | Tandi Andrews † | |||||
| 1987 | Dana Douglas | |||||
| 1988 | Kelly Lauren | |||||
| 1989 | Lakesha Lucky | |||||
| 1990 | Chanel Dupree | |||||
| 1991 | Amber Richards † | Ginger Grant † | ||||
| 1992 | Mimi Marks | Denise Russell | ||||
| 1993 | Monica Munro | Lady Catiria † | ||||
| 1994 | Cézanne | Erica Christian | ||||
| 1995 | Lady Catiria † | Carmella Marcella Garcia † | ||||
| 1996 | Paris Frantz | Victoria Le Paige | ||||
| 1997 | Tasha Long | Dena Cass | ||||
| 1998 | Michelle Dupree | Santana T. Summers † | ||||
| 1999 | Tommie Ross | Terri Williams | ||||
| 2000 | Danielle Hunter | Tumara Mahorning | ||||
| 2001 | Candis Cayne | Angel Sheridan | ||||
| 2002 | Yoshiko Oshiro | Chevelle Brooks | ||||
| 2003 | Erika Norell | Victoria Parker | Carl Harris (Dethroned) Ray Matthews | |||
| 2004 | Erica Andrews † | Anjelica Sanchez | Nikki Adams | Antonio Edwards | ||
| 2005 | Domanique Shappelle | Amaya | Barbara Herr | Tony Desario | ||
| 2006 | Victoria Le Paige | Desiree DeMornay † | Maya Douglas | Simba Hall | ||
| 2007 | Necole Luv Dupree | Tajma Hall † | Danielle Hunter | Rasean Montrese | ||
| 2008 | Tulsi | Mercedes Tyler | Angel Sheridan | David "Freklz" Hunter | ||
| 2009 | Armani | Coco Van Cartier | Michelle Fighter | Christopher Iman | ||
| 2010 | Mokha Montrese | Roxxxy Andrews | Electra | Nick Gray | ||
| 2011 | Alexis Gabrielle Sherrington | Chelsea Pearl † | Daesha Richards | Phillip Alexander | ||
| 2012 | Sasha Colby | Tanisha Cassadine † | Dana Douglas | Angel Saez | ||
| 2013 | Naysha Lopez | Whitney Paige † Farra N. Hyte |
Kourtney Paige Van Wales | Kalil Valentino | ||
| 2014 | Brooke Lynn Hytes | Tahjee Iman | Lady Charisse Estrada † | Joey Taylor | ||
| 2015 | Tiffany T. Hunter | Kofi | Chantal Reshae | Mykul J. Valentine | ||
| 2016 | Jazell Barbie Royale | Natasha Douglas | Teryl Lynn Foxx | Antwuan Steele | ||
| 2017 | Shantell D’Marco | Keke Velazquez-Lord | Fontasia L'Amour | Ramon Ventura | ||
| 2018 | Stasha Sanchez | Chy'enne Valentino | Lorna Vando Misty Knight (Honorary) † |
Sir Valentino | ||
| 2019 | Vanessa Van Cartier[11] | Darcel Stevens | A'zsia Dupree | Desi M. Andrews[12] | ||
| 2020 | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||||
| 2021 | Britney Taylor | Yosmein C. Starr | ||||
| 2022 | Juliana Rivera | Rachel Meredith | Layla LaRue | Travis Stancil | ||
| 2023 | Sunny Dee-Lite | Lindsay Paige | Taylor St. James | Syvon Sinatra | ||
| 2024 | Zhané Dawlingz | Alvion Arnell Davenport | Lee Ann Feathers / Honorary Fantasia Dior | Noel Anaya | Dominink[13] | Dioscar Montesino[13] |
| 2025 | Raquell Lord | |||||
Popular media
editThe Queens, a documentary directed by Mark Saxenmeyer, premiered in 2020 and focused on the 2011 competition.[14][15][2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Collo-Julin, Salem (2023-04-06). "Best internationally known drag pageant system based in Chicago". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ a b Ballew, Jonathan (2019-03-01). "Legendary Drag Club The Baton Opens In Uptown Friday After Decades In River North: 'It's A New Chapter'". Block Club Chicago. Archived from the original on 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ Swenson, JP; Mendoza, Marie (2023-03-30). "What's the history of drag performance in Chicago?". WBEZ Chicago. Archived from the original on 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ a b Knight Jr, Richard (1990-01-17). "GLAMAZONS". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2024-05-27. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ Noyce, Eleanor (2023-09-06). "Black trans woman Zhané Dawlingz Wiley crowned Miss Continental". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "Continental Pageantry". www.thebatonshowlounge.com. Archived from the original on 2024-05-27. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ a b Hunter, Ross (2023-04-12). "Drag queen to represent Scotland for first time at world's most prestigious pageant". The National. Archived from the original on 2024-01-14. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "Miss Continental – Our Community Roots". Archived from the original on 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "Every Miss Continental Pageant Winner Over the Years". www.out.com. Archived from the original on 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "Every Miss Continental Pageant Winner Over the Years". Yahoo Life. 2023-09-08. Archived from the original on 2024-05-27. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ Souza, Guilherme (2019-09-13). "Meet the queen who broke stereotypes and became the first European to win Miss Continental". GCN. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "Bringing Home the Gold - OutSmart Magazine". www.outsmartmagazine.com. 2019-12-26. Archived from the original on 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ a b "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 2024-05-27. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "The Queens". The Reporters Inc. Archived from the original on 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ Corrall, Cody (2020-09-04). "The Queens takes you behind the scenes of a Chicago drag pageant". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- Richard Knight Jr. (January 17, 1990). Glamazons: Here she comes, with a few hundred pounds of sequins and a massive will to win. Chicago Tribune
- Barbara Brotman (August 2, 1992). Gender gap: Lines blur as drag contestants give it all they've got-and more. Chicago Tribune