Drag Bingo draws big crowd

Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" blasted through Loftin Student Center Wednesday to announce Drag Bingo, sponsored by the college Gay and Lesbian Association.

Part of Coming-Out Week activities, the games helped increase awareness of acceptance in a diverse community in a fun and colorful way.

Autumn Summers and Eryca Daniels served as mistresses of ceremony in the second year of drag bingo at the college.

Daniels, a student here, has been entertaining for 25-plus years

She entered the Fiesta Room in a "cheap" red leather suit clashing with her fiery red and black hair.

Summers, who has been entertaining in drag for 30 years, wore a purple and multi-colored dress and wore her hair up held by an artificial fruit-filled headband.

The pair led students through bingo and musical chairs where the contestants had to hop, dance and skip.

They handed out T-shirts, pedometers and free passes to The Saint, a nightclub at 800 Lexington Ave.

Communications sophomore Rene Rorzco, who serves as vice president of GALA, said the group's is to educate, advocate and provide information resources about life as LGBTQ, or lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered or questioning.

Based on the size of the crowd and the laughter spilling out, the event seemed to have met its goal.

Many in the audience knew of they event in advance. "I saw a flyer and decided to come support equal rights," biology freshman Rafael Argarita said. "I'm straight myself, but I have a lot of friends who are gay."

Others were drawn by the music and laughter.

"I just walked by and it looked fun, so I came in," political science freshman Joanna Mitchell said.

Summers and Daniels perform at fundraisers with other organizations, such as Mujeres Unidas, a nonprofit organization that provides education and support services to communities faced with HIV/AIDS in a bicultural/bilingual environment.

As the event ended, the pair were surrounded by people wanting to pose for photos with them and thanking them for their participation in the event.

Daniels shared her wish. "I want one person to leave here with the message of acceptance."

Brian Burdick contributed to this report.