Drag artist Alex Locust aka 'Glamputee' talks art and disability justice

KALW | By Jeneé Darden

Published June 25, 2024 at 6:00 AM PDT

Queer disability activist and artist Alex Locust, also known as "Glamputee"

Queer, Black, biracial, disabled…and glamorous. Those are just a few identities Bay Area activist and artist Alex Locust embodies. In 2023, Alex, known as “Glamputee,” was crowned Butch Queen in the annual drag pageant at the Castro Theater. He says he hopes his work is a model to other disabled people who want to “shape culture and share their shine.”

In this interview, Alex speaks about their passion for disability justices and the sparkle they bring to their performances.

This interview was co-produced by Porfirio Rangel.

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Jeneé Darden

Jeneé Darden is an award-winning journalist, author, public speaker and proud Oakland native. She is the executive producer and host of the weekly arts segment Sights & Sounds as well as the series Sights + Sounds Magazine. Jeneé also covers East Oakland for KALW. Jeneé has reported for NPR, Marketplace, KQED, KPCC, The Los Angeles Times, Ebony magazine, Refinery29 and other outlets. In 2005, she reported on the London transit bombings for Time magazine. Prior to coming to KALW, she hosted the podcast Mental Health and Wellness Radio.

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