Words by Kevin Perry
You dance to your own drum. You have a signature song in your heart. You are wonderfully unique, yet part of a larger symphony: society.
And Honey Davenport is playing our tune.
They are a DJ, drag royalty, and a fierce, fearless fundraiser. Best known for “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Davenport is also a proud member of Palm Springs Leather Order of the Desert (PSLOD). Now that’s a rainbow of range!
“I was looking for ways to volunteer with PSLOD, volunteer with DAP Health, and how to pull it all together,” they recount. “And the idea I came up: what if I DJ at Revivals After Dark?”
DAP Health’s Chief Marketing Officer Steven Henke explains why he’s excited about this year’s event. “I asked my friend Honey to spin at Revivals After Dark, and they didn’t hesitate. Honey is pure sparkle and fire — the kind of energy that makes you want to dance while also knowing you’re doing good for your community. That’s what makes this night so magical — we turn a party into purpose.”
Performance as a way of giving back
When asked about their spinning style, Davenport coos, “I’m always known for giving like a sexy little turnup. It’s definitely gonna have a party/fun vibe while you’re shopping and contributing to two organizations that are really the heartbeat of the desert.”
Giving back is in Davenport’s delightful DNA. “I’ve always understood that humanity is a pass/fail group project. It’s something I learned growing up. My mother did work for the United Way, and so I would volunteer for tons of things,” they say. “Kudos to my mom.”
From an early age, Davenport found their hive of helpers. “I grew up in Philly. I lived in New York. All of these places have queer health care,” they say. “We have strongholds to support us and to make sure what our community experienced in the ’80s doesn’t happen again. I am from a generation of queer people who are so into daddies now because there were none for the generation above us.”
Honey, Queen of the Desert
Now they live in Daddy Central (AKA Palm Springs). “Can you even stay upset about anything when you can walk outside and are surrounded by beautiful mountains?” they ask. “Like, you have to really choose to be upset here. This is community. I found so much family here… I feel so loved and appreciated here.”
No matter where they roam, Davenport is proud to call Palm Springs home. “It really doesn’t matter how cool of a place I’m going. I am counting the days until I’m back on this part of the rock.”
And so, they’re digging their heels into the desert and making waves. Exhibit GAY: Davenport earned the crown at this year’s Mr. Dick’s Leather contest. “Titles are temporary, but you can effect real change with them,” they explain. “Pageants and drag for me were not only a way to survive, but were also a way for me to create social change.”
Nodding to the RuPaul of it all, Davenport winks. “I think I did the biggest drag competition there is.”
Now they’re competing for Mr. Palm Springs Leather, but Davenport is already a winner, baby. Palm Springs Pride is honoring them with the Spirit of Stonewall Award for their entrepreneurial accomplishments. “It came out of nowhere,” they beam. “I had just started my own small business, Honey’s Hose, this year. It’s a size- and color-inclusive line of hosiery geared toward the drag community, but really, to pantyhose wearers of every size, shape, color, and walk of life. I wanted to make something that was for everyone.”
Making a lasting difference
Davenport goes beyond the now and thinks next-level. “The way you affect other people’s reality, that’s your legacy. That’s what you leave behind.” And it all starts with simple small talk. “Conversation is the precipice of change.”
For far too long, we’ve been talking past one another. Well, listen up, says Davenport. “Politics have not cared for us. They’ve made something as essential as health care a political debate. That’s wild. It’s not politics; it’s life.”
To right these wrongs, Davenport shares some gay guidance: “DAP Health is wonderful in how it strengthens and supports this community, but I think it’s also really important in times like these for us all to look inward,” they conclude. “It’s our job to figure out how we can contribute. What are our special skills? What are our talents? How can we use those to not only have a good time but also empower and strengthen each other?”
With a dash of urgency, they add, “If we’re all out here doing that, we actually have a chance of survival.”
The beat goes on. The crowd goes wild. And it all goes to a great cause. Join Honey Davenport at Revivals After Dark. Save us a dance, save the world.
DAP Health’s next Revivals After Dark will take place on Friday, October 24, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Revivals Palm Springs. Launched in 2019, the semi-annual event draws hundreds of shoppers who line up outside the store more than an hour before doors open. When they do, donated, pre-loved, adults-only items not appropriate for the retailer’s family-friendly mainstream shelves are displayed outside in the back alley. Think underwear, leatherwear, and leather gear, naughty tees, and erotica of all stripes (books, art, games, toys, and more). The fundraiser — which benefits both DAP Health and PSLOD — routinely raises more than $25,000 in 90 minutes.
