REMEMBERING OUR COMMUNITY

Capital City Pride would like to pay tribute to Ruby James Knight (Jim Raymond), Iowa drag legend.

Ruby James Knight (Jim Raymond) was a drag legend in Iowa for 30 years and was known for their Phyllis Diller outfits, retro wigs, and dignified demeanor. Knight won the title of Miss Waterloo in 1998 and 2008 and had a significant impact on the state’s LGBTQ+ community as a mentor, performer, founding member of Community AIDS Assistance Project, and event organizer.

Their career started when Jim was hanging out at a bar in 1995 called The Bar. Jim and a group of co-workers at John Deere Co. took the stage in drag “for fun,” and Raymond caught the eye of house queen, Courtney Michaels, and Lili Whyte. Michaels invited Raymond back and helped with make-up and clothes. Whereas Jim was shy, Ruby was a persona that Jim considered beautiful and loving.

Over the years, Knight became well-known for her classy style, generosity, and charisma on stage, and her fellow queens credit her with transforming their lives. Knight will be missed by many, but her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of drag performers and LGBTQ+ individuals.

Sharon Malheiro was a tireless champion for LGBTQ+ Iowans, exhibiting an extraordinary passion for civil rights. She committed herself to advocacy work and had a significant impact. Sharon’s legacy lives on through the Varnum v. Brien ruling, which helped guide the way for a federal Supreme Court ruling in 2015, allowing same-sex couples the right to marry in Iowa. On October 10, 2009, Sharon accomplished her personal goal by legally marrying her partner, Sue, in the eyes of all, after their union was first formalized in a commitment ceremony eight years earlier. Their commitment spanned over 33 years. Sharon’s advocacy work focused on both local and statewide goals, such as the passage of an anti-discrimination ordinance in Des Moines and outlawing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in Iowa.

Born in Chicago, Sharon attended Drake University and graduated with a degree in journalism. She served as the managing editor of the Des Moines Register and

Tribune syndicate from 1979 to 1987 before getting a law degree from Drake Law School in 1988. She joined the Davis Brown law firm in 1990 and became a shareholder in 1995, eventually serving as its president from 2010 to 2012. Sharon was the first openly gay woman to be a law firm president in all of Iowa, and she played a key role in the firm’s relocation to the Davis Brown tower.

Sharon’s commitment to creating real and lasting change came from her personal connections with people, and she and Sue opened their home every Friday for “Framily Night,” where they shared food, wine, and advice with friends. Sharon continued her advocacy work on LGBTQ rights up until her death, working on issues such as birth certificates, death certificates, divorce, elder care, and family rights. Sharon loved hard, and our community was lucky to benefit from her kindness, her stories, and her hearty laugh.