Full name: Colin Miller
Stage name: Absinthe
Year and major: Junior, Art Major
Instagram: @justabsinthe
All photos by Maddie Almer | Her Campus Penn State
In preparation for the PSU Fall Student Drag Show this Thursday, we sat down with Penn State junior Colin Miller, known to the drag scene as Absinthe, to discuss the impact that drag has had on his life and the Penn State community.
HC: How long have you been doing drag?
CM: Officially since last Halloween, but I’ve been doing makeup since I was like 13.
HC: Did you follow the art form before you started it?
CM: Yes, I found it when I found RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2010 when I was 12 or 13. I’m a “drag race baby.”
HC: Do you think drag has changed you as a person?
CM: Definitely, because if I didn’t have drag I would probably be really f**king annoying and probably homeless…no joke.
HC: In this particular time in society, why do you feel drag is especially important?
CM: It’s pushing gender boundaries. I think that it’s a really interesting way to see how people truly want to express themselves.
HC: Why do you feel it’s important for people to attend a drag show?
CM: Because I need the money [laughing].
HC: How do you feel drag fights gender norms?
CM: It speaks for itself really. Like it’s allowing people to dress how they want, it allows people to express themselves as they please, and it gives a middle finger to people who say that you can only be this or that.
HC: What do you hope the audience takes away from this show?
CM: I hope they’re impressed and get that it’s not all jokes. There are some jokes, but it’s more than just a laugh.
HC: How do you feel drag plays a role in Penn State becoming a more inclusive environment?
CM: I think it’s really important that we have this community here because Penn State is known for having an open and accepting campus, so I think it’s important that people know that our community is here and that it’s more than just a stereotype.
Don’t miss out — the PSU Fall Student Drag Show is at 10 p.m. on October 12 in Alumni Hall! Admission is free with a valid PSU student ID.