After a popular Ontario restaurant that hosts drag performances abruptly closed this month, its employees, including regular performers, have been left without an explanation, a source of income and what they call “a safe place.”
On Election Day, when the so-called blue tsunami swept across the nation, with voters electing more Democrats who may be more supportive of LGBTQ rights, workers at Hamburger Mary’s Ontario received a sudden text saying the doors to the restaurant were locked, and it had to stop operations.
“It was a shock,” said Cesar, one of the drag show performers. “Now, with the economy and political climate, people are holding on to their money because of how politicians have painted drag queens. Many people have stopped coming.”
NBC Los Angeles repeatedly reached out to Hamburger Mary’s to ask what led to the sudden closure but did not receive an answer.
Cesar, who goes by the stage name April Showers, said his future as a performer has become uncertain.
“Now that my full-time job is gone, I have to figure out what’s my next step in drag and income. I’m still trying to process it,” he said.
For people like Cesar, Hamburger Mary’s Ontario was one of the few safe spaces that provided more than just a job for the LGBTQ+ community.
“It’s sad because these safe spaces are disappearing, and the next generation won’t have anything,” he said. “In this political climate, our voices need to be heard. We don’t want to fade away.”
With one fewer “safe space” left, Temecula’s Chubby Cheeks Meadery, which hosts drag brunch shows, may be becoming a lifeline for the drag community.
“I have one of the only drag shows in Temecula called ‘Oh Honey, It’s Brunch,’ and it’s been going on for two years,” Thai Teaze, a drag performer, said. “I’m happy I’m able to be there for my community and give back.”
Pasadena last month lost its last-standing gay bar, The Boulevard, after its longtime owner decided to retire.
Nearly a year ago, STRUT Bar & Club in Costa Mesa permanently closed after serving as a popular LGBTQ nightclub and drag palace in Orange County.