Julia M. Applegate, MA, MPH (she/her pronouns) holds a Master of Arts in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and a Master of Public Health, both from The Ohio State University. She holds a BA in Political Science with minors in History and German from Ohio University. Julia was a founding member of H.I.S. Kings (1996) and the International Drag King Community Extravaganza (1999).

She has been an HIV and LGBTQ+ health advocate, researcher and administrator for the past 22 years. She has taught Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies classes at Ohio State, Wright State University and Ohio University since 1996. Presently, she is directing and producing a documentary film project that tells the story of Ohio’s longest running lesbian bar.  

Performing Gender: Kings, Queens, Queers and Drag Across the Decades 

Until very recently, performances of gender went relatively unnoticed by the general public. Increasingly, however, drag kings, drag queens and other performances of gender have become a part of the public consciousness. With that growing awareness is a growing backlash. This talk highlights the history of gender performance in the past century and explores the current landscape of drag in the Midwest. 

What about the L?  Preserving Lesbian History and Culture 

In the wake of marriage equality and a growing sense of LGBTQ+ inclusion, some in the lesbian community feel a sense of erasure.  What fuels this feeling and how can the preservation and appreciation of lesbian history and culture combat this discomfort? This talk explores lesbian history and culture through the lens of an Ohio filmmaker’s journey to document the story of Ohio’s longest running lesbian owned and operated bar.