Wearing a big black hat with feathers, a black, gray, white and sea foam green dress, and sandals from Old Navy, Gil Allensworth strutted his stuff along with seven other men during the Womanless Beauty Pageant on Saturday at the Aiken Fairgrounds.
He also tossed candy to the audience, which might have helped him in his successful quest to become Miss Fire Over Aiken.
The crowd voted with their cash, and there also was an online poll with photos of the contestants beforehand.
Allensworth raised $360, which was more than any of the other men in drag did, and it earned him the crown.
“This is inarguably one of the most of uncomfortable things I’ve done,” said Allensworth before the pageant started. “I’ve never dressed up like a woman before.”
Afterward, however, he was feeling a lot better.
“It wasn’t as nearly as bad as I expected,” Allensworth said. “It turned out to be a lot of fun.”
In all, the votes for Allensworth and the other men who joined him on stage generated $1,214.15, and Atlantic Broadband matched that amount.
All of the money was donated to the Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons. Allensworth is a member of the nonprofit’s board of directors.
“If this helps one person not experience domestic violence or helps a victim sleep in peace tonight, it is worth me being uncomfortable,” Allensworth said.
The Cumbee Center’s executive director, Susan Selden, was grateful that her organization was benefiting from the pageant.
“These men are brave to step out of their comfort zone and do something they probably wouldn’t usually do,” Selden said. “This gives us something to enjoy, but they also are raising money to support women and children. Our shelter has been full for two or three weeks, and we’ve got lots of young children, we’ve got lots of young babies, and we’ve got lots of pregnant women. They need safety and food.”
Atlantic Broadband was the presenter of Fire Over Aiken, and the Aiken Standard, the Western Carolina State Fair and AllStar Tents & Events were the primary sponsors.
“Fire Over Aiken is our way to give back to the community,” said Jenifer Granade, sales and marketing manager for Atlantic Broadband.
In addition to the Womanless Beauty Pageant, there was a Kids Talent Show, a Home and Garden Show with more than 20 vendors and a dazzling fireworks display in the evening.
There also were carnival rides for attendee to enjoy.
Halley Jenkins, 15 won the Kids Talent Show with her rendition of the inspirational song “Change Me.”
Jenkins said she chose it for her performance because it meant something special to her.
“When I was about 14 years old, I was acting out,” Jenkins said. “I was misbehaving in school, and I wasn’t getting the grades that I should have gotten. I had to do something. I was like, ‘Something’s got to give.’ I asked God to change me, and he did.”
Diane Daniell, sales and special project manager for the Aiken Standard, described the Womanless Beauty Pageant and the Kids Talent Show as “awesome.”
She added that they were “real crowd-pleasers.”
