Joan Jett Blakk, the drag icon who made history in 1992 as the first drag queen to run for U.S. president, is the focus of a new limited-edition fundraiser supporting her long-term care following a major stroke.
The fundraiser is being organized by Legends of Drag and Willie Norris Workshop and centers on Blakk’s deep ties to Chicago, where she ran her satirical presidential campaign as a Queer Nation candidate.
Blakk was a founder of Queer Nation in Chicago and has long been active in LGBTQ+ liberation movements, including the Gay Liberation Front, ACT UP and early Radical Faerie gatherings, organizers said.
Blakk experienced a major stroke in 2024 and will require lifelong care.
To help raise funds, organizers are releasing a T-shirt featuring her iconic 1992 presidential campaign poster, photographed by Marc Geller, with one of her slogans printed on the back: “A vote for Joan Jett Blakk is a vote for total anarchy.”
The shirt will be available for 30 days, from December 4 through January 4.
All proceeds will go directly toward Blakk’s medical care, storage costs and supervised outings from her rehabilitation facility. Donations can also be made through Blakk’s GoFundMe, organizers said.