2019 Issue 5 Sep/Oct - Focus Mid-Tenn Magazine

lgbt advocate
getting to know
IONA
by GK Gurley x photos courtesy of Chris Walburn Photography
Murfreesboro is hosting its fourth
annual Boro Pride event on
September 7. George Manus, better
known as the drag queen IONA, has been
their emcee each year. She has been a
resident of Tennessee and a strong advocate
for the LGBTQ+ community from the get-go.
Manus identifies as nonbinary
(using she or he
pronouns) and discovered
a love for drag during
the ‘90s. She started by
performing in fundraisers
for AIDS awareness. After
losing countless friends
and performing in such an
environment, drag became
a way to be an advocate
and build a chosen family.
“It became important for
me to be a part of the
community and have a
platform,” said IONA. “Drag
was the best way I knew
how, especially with a
theater background.”
Drag was and continues
to be how IONA builds her
chosen family and gives to
the queer community. She
took a break to get sober,
which she has been for
19 years, and came back
to drag around 9 years
ago both to perform and
host. In Middle Tennessee,
especially in smaller
towns, IONA talks about
the necessity for queer
people to make spaces
and opportunities for
themselves. “This is why
I started an open stage
night. We need places for
people to have a shot and
get some stage time. Open
stage is my favorite thing I
do here.”
Murfreesboro has always
had a tight-knit queer
community. IONA, in
describing her experience
being a life-long resident
of Middle Tennessee, said,
“There’s always been a
pretty big gay population
at MTSU, but they haven’t
really had an outlet to
be themselves, so all the
things we’ve started like
Pride and general drag
shows are opening up
opportunities for people
“... All the things we’ve started like Pride
and general drag shows are opening up
opportunities for people to have a place to go
and be comfortable and open about who they
are around other people like them.”
— IONA, aka George Manus
Page 28 / focusmidtenn.com / SEP+OCT 2019 / SUCCESS