Raising the Curtain on 'Tulip Wolf Journal'...

It is with trembling fingers that I type these words – welcoming you to Volume One of Tulip Wolf Journal. It has been a beautifully messy ride, arriving at this moment... 

The catalyst for this project was the Judy's Tasmania Drag Ball 2024 – an event curated by Nipaluna/Hobart drag legend Pussay Poppins. Sitting in the VIP seats next to my 18-year-old bébé, Piper, we were front and centre for an array of incredible performances by local and interstate drag kings, queens, and in-betweens. It cracked something open in us. 

Piper had long thought about performing drag and woke up the next morning to say, ‘Right... I need to do drag,’ and their alter-ego, Daisy ChainMale, began to take shape. I had long dreamed of starting a literary journal but could never get clear on its theme. I woke on that same morning to say, ‘Right, I need to start my journal. It’s going to be about the beauty and the struggle of drag – want to be my Deputy Editor?’ 

I chose a name. Tulips are one of the first bulbs to bloom after winter – symbolising resilience and renewal, good qualities for any drag artist. With a blend of power, loyalty and wildness, the wolf has multiple associations – including the paradoxical notions of ‘the lone wolf’ and ‘the wolf pack’. My hope for Tulip Wolf Journal was to become a place where even the most feral of lone wolves could begin to find their pack... 

I did not plan to announce the project until I had a website complete with mission statement and submission guidelines, sub-editors attached, ideally some funding, and many other things ticked off my list. But I abandoned that careful plan in the wake of the US election – watching the escalating rhetoric, attacks on drag artists, and the looming threats to the LGBTQIA+ community’s self-expression and creative freedom. I stayed up through the night, launching the project with nothing but a hastily started Instagram page and some ferocious feelings. And I could not be more proud of what we have created in such a short time... 

Tulip Wolf Journal may be grounded in Lutruwita/Tasmania, Australia, but its heart beats globally. This volume brings together voices from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Asia, Canada, the US and the UK – a testament to the universal power of drag. We feature artists who’ve been performing for decades alongside those in their first year, those who have graced the Drag Race stage, and those who dwell on the fringes. All have stories that matter.  

Piper and JJ Loveday at the Judy's Tasmania Drag Ball 2024 📷: Millie Crouch @millie.crouch {Image description: Two spunks, one younger and one older, wearing glasses and black jackets, have their arms around each other, smiling at the camera}

Drag is life-changing. And drag is life-saving. Moving forward, we want the gritty, the crunchy, the messy, the raw. We want the community, the connection, the illumination and the hope. If you or someone you know has a story to tell, please spread the word and consider sharing your work with us. Now, more than ever, the LGBTQIA+ community needs to stand together and share the stories that sustain us, to see others who have had similar experiences and not only survived but thrived. 

To everyone who has supported this first volume – our interviewees, our artists, our writers, our friends, our family, our champions – THANK YOU. This journal exists because of you, for you, and with you.

And to Piper, sweet child of mine, my partner in crime, and one of the great loves of my life – not only could I not do this without you, I would never want to. Thank you for everything you have taught me and the light that you shine... 

JJ Loveday – Founding Editor 

26th March 2025