Sharon Needles for Sharing Self-Pride
Beauty can be found in even the most unusual places. Beauty is the flaw in human nature and the flaw in every one of us. It is also the truth and realness in the world. However, many fail to see the beauty in the unconventional people. Since the beginning of time, others have judged or mocked the people who have put themselves out there in ways that people do not think is “normal.” Anything that is different, people tend to shy away from. A new light for these misunderstood people is a man named Aaron Coady, better known for wearing fabulous wigs and dresses and going on stage as Sharon Needles.
The world was first introduced to Sharon Needles when she was cast as one of the members on the show RuPaul’s Drag Race, a show featuring drag queen entertainers competing for the crown given to them by RuPaul herself. Needles immediately stood out from the pack when she entered the work room wearing a black dress, witch hat, and black lipstick and for the main challenge when she released a mouthful of fake blood while walking the runway. She identified her persona as being “beautiful, spooky, and stupid” right off the back and lists Elvira and Peggy Bundy as some of her inspirations for her character. As the show went on, the audience was able to get to know the real Sharon Needles, or Aaron Coady even.
On the show and even in candid interviews, Sharon has described her early life as being horrible in the small town of Newton, Iowa where she grew up. She was always harassed for the way she looked, “...showing up to school in full-face of makeup, full rubber fetish-wear, high-heels, and painted nails.” Despite all of the harassment, she has said, “I never felt like an outsider. I felt like the most inside kid in school. I felt like the most popular girl in class. I just didn’t know what everyone else’s fucking problem was. But as a kid I was just really naive, and completely unaware of how strange I was.” Eventually, young Aaron was advised that it would be best if he left the school because of the way he looked and how the other kids were distracted by his look, even though Aaron was the one being beaten. After that, Sharon attended high school again.
Now residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sharon lives with her fellow entertainer boyfriend, Alaska Thunderfuck. The both of them perform with their drag troupe “The Haus of Haunt” with performers Veruca la Piranha and Cherri Baum. All of their acts are out of talent and their sheer punk-rock nature where they love to freak out the audience. Many of Sharon’s lone performances while she has been on tour have been ones that she uses to push the buttons of society as the queen of shock. For example, one of her almost trademark performances is her ripping up the bible to Marilyn Manson’s “Beautiful People” and always saying, “I don’t believe in heaven or hell, I believe in myself.” Sharon is also known for taking the tips that are handed to her during the performance, blending them up with vodka, and drinking them right on stage. That trend in her performances started years back when she was at a bar and she noticed that there were very poor people outside of the place that no one would even bother looking at, but when she asked for money to blend, they would hand it over immediately. Including that act, the rest of her performances are used as ways to comment on society or to just make everyone stop taking everything so seriously because sometimes people just need to laugh.
Since Sharon has been on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and was the victor in the end, she has openly called herself a spokesperson for all of the “weirdos” out there. During her crowning as America’s Drag Superstar, she addressed that by saying, “This is not just my crown. This is the crown for anyone who ever got picked on when they were a kid or anyone who was misunderstood. This is 2012. This is the year for fucking freaks, ladies and gentlemen.” And in gratitude of Sharon’s selfless attitude and as congratulation for her work on the show, Pittsburgh proclaimed that June 12 was “Sharon Needles Day in Pittsburgh” and has now referred to her as a champion, accepting her now a lot more than before the show.
Sharon Needles has brought light to a new kind of beauty that has been around for ages, but was underground. She has made many people feel like they can accept themselves for once instead of being ashamed of being who they are, including me. No person should have to feel like they are being pushed into some small box in which they do not belong in because no one can just be categorized as just one thing. Everyone should embrace themselves and embrace each other because in reality, everyone is a little strange; just certain people are more open with it. And thank goodness for those people because without them, the world would not have the amazing and inventive things that it has now. Sharon Needles is one of those people who push the boundary of social norm. The way that she believes in herself and is proud of who she became through all of the hate is something that more people need to embody before changing who they are to fit in.
