Gotham Knights, New York's Gay/Inclusive Rugby Team, Announce Annual Drag Fundraiser

The Gotham Knights Rugby Football Club, New York's premiere gay / inclusive rugby team, will be hosting their fifth annual drag fundraiser at Industry Bar ( 355 W 52nd St, New York, New York 10019 ) on Wednesday, April 4, 2018 from 7 : 00 to 11 : 00 PM.

This year's special anniversary show - Drag Us to Bingham ! 5 Golden Years of Gotham Drag ! - will help the Knights raise the necessary funds to ensure that the club can send both an A - side and B - side team ( or roughly 50 players ) to Amsterdam to represent New York and the United States while competing at the 2018 Bingham Cup, the " world cup " of gay rugby, this June.

" Whether commanding a pitch in rugby boots or stomping the runway in heels, every member of Gotham Knights Rugby Football Club proudly and consistently combats negative stereotypes of gay men and the LGBTQIA + community at large, " says club President and the winner of last year's drag show Robert Bursztyn.

" In addition to being a fun evening out in the city, the money earned from our annual drag show fundraisers grant this team the opportunity to represent the best aspects of New York City on both the national and international levels. " This year, eight members of the Gotham Knights will strut their stuff and lip - sync for more than just their lives as they compete for the coveted crown of Ms. Gotham 2018. Earning tips by entertaining the crowd, these ruggers turned dolls will be working to ensure that both sides, he coaching staff, and other crucial team support members will be able to travel to the Bingham Cup.

However, Gotham's illustrious queens will not be doing it alone. Anniversary worthy surprises are in store for anyone who ventures out to the show. With inclusion and diversity as founding principles of Gotham Knights Rugby Football Club, the team invites and encourages everyone - regardless of age, race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, religious views, or country of origin - to attend this drag fundraiser and to, in the words of Alaska Thunderfuck, " Tip. These. Men ! "

The Gotham Knights Rugby Football Club is the premier gay / inclusive rugby team in New York City. Following in the tradition of International Gay Rugby ( IGR ) teams like the London Kings Cross Steelers ( 1995 ), San Francisco Fog RFC ( 2000 ) and the Washington Renegades ( 2000 ), part - time New York City business owner and Fog player, Mark Bingham and, local rugby player, Scott Glaessgen planned to found a team in New York. Their plans were cut short on September 11, 2001, when Bingham was lost in the terrorist attack on United Airlines Flight 93. Inspired by Bingham's life, work, and dedication to the sport of rugby, Glaessgen and other New York City rugby players established the Gotham Knights RFC in late 2001. Currently, we are a D - III men's rugby club in the Empire Rugby Football Union Geographical Union of New York and a member of IGR. Our mission of inclusion is to increase diversity within the sport of rugby by the recruitment of LGBTQ and underrepresented groups, refute negative stereotypes of the LGBTQ athletic community, and to create a competitive team on local and national levels.

For more information please visit GothamRFC.org.