Museum Blog- Allie Pugliese

Instead of going to museums in a major city I went to the drag show in Carver Hall and an event called "Taking Back the Night" in Kehr Union. First, I went to "Taking Back the Night". I did not know what the speech was about before I attended it. I knew it was about victims of sexual assault but i thought it would be a routine don't-talk-to-strangers speech. However, this speaker was different than any I've heard before. Our speaker had been in Seventeen Magazine, and on radio and TV and now in front of us telling her story about how she was kidnapped.

She was a teenager working at the local mall in Chicago when one day after work she was walking to her car and noticed someone following her. She told us how she kept walking, thinking the person would go a different direction, but when she got to her car he put a knife to her throat and put her in his car, which was parked right next to hers. She told us how despite being blindfolded, she could see a little and memorized her kidnappers face and what direction he drove her in.

After she was raped by the man and set free, she went to the police station where she told the detectives about what happened to her. She told us that she included so many details that the police did not believe her story was real. They thought she made it up for attention. They finally listened to her and made a sketch which immediately was recognized. Her kidnapper turned out to be on 6 month probation for the same crime. After years of dealing with the court system, she was able to see him sent to jail.

Hearing this lady's story was incredible. It was amazing how she could take herself out of the story and tell us without breaking down. One of the questions asked at the end mentioned how she was so composed and if she ever gets taken back to the emotions she felt at that time. She said that yes, whenever she sees zip ties she gets a flash back because this is what he used to bind her hands. Just talking about the zip ties, i could see that she was getting red and uncomfortable.

She also talked about common problems with victims like herself. Often the police do not believe these people have really been through what they claim. Also, people blame the victim for the crime. They say the girl brought on the rape because of what she was wearing or how she carried herself. The biggest problem is that people don't report their crime and the offender is free to do it again. The event ended with a candle lit walk past the Quad to pay tribute to those victims of similar crimes.


The second event I went to was the drag show on April 11th. Going into the show, I had no idea what to expect. In my head I was picturing a runway and maybe a bunch of drag queens doing a fashion show.

When we got to Carver Hall, the room was filled with a surprising amount of people. I saw many people dressed in drag. These people were not in the show, however. I thought it was great how much audience participation there was and how high the energy in the room was.

When the MC came out, I thought she was a BU student but I learned later, she's a professional drag queen. I also learned the show was to raise money for charity which I thought was great.

The show turned out to be like a talent show. There were a couple of professional queens performing. The professionals were the best, but the amatures, who were BU students were good too. I didn't really have a favorite, I was equally shocked by all of them. I kept thinking to myself how my grandma would react if she was in the crowed. She would probably not understand this form of entertainment and be scarred for life.

Overall, it was a fun experience. I was happy to know it was for charity. I will think about going back if I get the chance, and I'll definitely try to convince my friends to go with me if I do.