*03-2019 edit: Aggy is raising funds for their partner’s top surgery. Click here to show your support!
*
Measuring in at a regal 6’2 in stiletto knee-highs, stunning ensembles, and fabulous lace fronts, the incomparable Agnes Senga. Makes. A. Motherfucking. Entrance.
A member of the Hause cast alongside Shane, Anita, and host Costa Lottabuckz at There Ultra Lounge’s Thirsty Thursday’s in downtown Pittsburgh, crowd favorite Agnes or Aggy, is like ball lightning when they hit the stage. Rhinestones glittering, body snatched, serving that gorgeous FACE, Agnes Senga is a bonafide electrical phenomenon whose energy reaches every corner of the room.
A walking paradox, this gender fluid performer exudes femme energy from toes to hips and proud masculinity from shoulder to nips. Seductive and powerful, Agnes’ dichotomy intrigues everyone in their path. When they strut into a room, they DARE you not to notice.
With an undeniable star quality and confidence to spare, it’s hard to believe that only two years ago Cervantes, the boy Aggy emerges from, contemplated suicide during the darkest period of their young life.
A Compton California native, Cervantes and their family moved east after years of living in financial struggle and violence. They settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but the adjustment was a difficult one. For Cervantes, who grappled with having been sexually abused, they were further isolated by the newest circumstances, that of being a Native American boy in a now predominantly white neighborhood.
Bullies wield power at the expense of another, most often fueled by an intense hatred of the self. The ability to be true to yourself is the most difficult lesson a young person learns, and one that some never learn even into adulthood. This quality that makes Aggy so special, is exactly what made Cervantes an even bigger target of bullying, when at twelve years old they came out as gay.
The stressors of Cervantes youth were enough for several lifetimes, because you see, as Cervantes dealt with all of this emotional turmoil they were simultaneously receiving corrective surgeries for the cleft palate they were born with. These surgeries were not only difficult to physically endure, but put Cervantes’ life at risk, forcing them to face their mortality at an early age. The physical pain of recovery, the bullying and emotional abuse at school from their peers, the processing of the sexual abuse of their past, and their parents eventual separation, left Cervantes exhausted.
At 22 years old Cervantes found themselves at an impasse; whether to live and continue suffering, or die. Deciding there was nothing left to fight for, Cervantes prepared themselves for suicide. But the glow that emanates from Cervantes isn’t just Fenty highlight, it’s the deep empathy they garnered from all of the difficulties they faced in youth.
Ready to end it all in the attic, Cervantes thought of their family. The idea that they would be found lifeless by their younger brother, in their family home, and the impact this would have, was enough to stop Cervantes in their tracks. Because, despite all of the seemingly shitty cards Cervantes was dealt, a loving and supportive family was a blessing that surpassed it all.
Cervantes posits this moment, where life and death blurred into one another, was transformative. Instead of eternal sleep, Cervantes chose to call on their ancestors to chase the demons away, and in this lowest of moments, Agnes Senga emerged the savior.
Inside Cervantes was a voice that was genuine and fearless, and this voice pushed them to live, and to live unapologetically in their truth. Instead of surrendering to the sadness of circumstances, they would use the trials they faced to inspire. On that day, determined to make the most of life, alter-ego Agnes was born. When they burst onto Pittsburgh’s drag scene six months later, they never looked back.
It’s been over a year since then and Aggy’s climb has been steady. Whether working clubs like Cruze Bar, hosting Drag Bingo, walking the parade route during gay pride weekend in NYC, or acting as the master of ceremonies for a charity benefit for Autistic Advocacy at Persad Center in Pittsburgh, Aggy brings love, style, and dedication to everything they do.
In the drag community where many have been shunned by their own families and former friends, there are those who choose competition, and those who choose family. Aggy has been blessed with a rare gift for the industry, a tight knit drag family (husband Austin Deseo, and three kids Anne T Christ, Baby T, and Cole Hardluck) AND support from the family assigned to them at birth. Aggy’s biggest fans are their brother Sincere and mother Jovante who was lovingly dubbed “Mama Senga” by the drag community. You can find Mama Ag front and center at EVERY performance, day or night cheering Aggy on with pride and adoration. This love is shared freely not only with Aggy, but with every performer open to receiving it.
The thing that makes Aggy such a force is this fierce sense of community, and the quality and depth they bring to their craft. Witnessing a performance by Aggy is like watching a living, breathing, work of art. One that pushes us to think outside of our conception of gender and self-expression. A relentlessly hard worker, every performance is a piece of Aggy that they share with the audience. From the looks created, to the music selection and choreography, Agnes is the representation of embracing that which makes us unique.
Aggy’s performances are so engaging because they will look into the eyes of a patron in the audience, and make them feel as if this performance is for them and for them alone. This connection to the people is what Aggy lives for. It inspires bravery in those who need it most, and can change the life of someone who may have felt invisible outside of that interaction.
Knowing what it is like to suffer, Agnes uses their hard-won confidence and power to lift others up to find their own. These special moments that Aggy creates, is where we see the empathy that makes them a star, their performances are more than a spectacle, they are a celebration of life and the self.
To catch the wildly entertaining “pussy popping talents” of Kween Aggy yourself, bring an open heart, plenty of cash to tip your performers, and head on over to There Ultra Lounge every Thirsty Thursday night! Follow @aggykween on instagram for clips of their performances and updates on upcoming shows week to week. This month, mark your calender for October 20th when Agnes will be headlining their own production at There Ultra Lounge; Aggy’s Thriller! Until next time, live fearlessly, dare to be different, and keep your double-x fly.
