The Lyft community has always been one where people feel free to be themselves. This pride month, we’re partnering with six major pride festivals across the nation to make sure you have a ride as unique as you are. Each week, we’ll highlight an LGBT driver to bring you their story.
Los Angeles driver Erik Koral is known for being a passenger favorite. His real claim to fame, though, is why.
For the past year, Erik’s been making passengers’ days through his alter ego, Erika Simone. Called Driving is a Drag, the themed Lyft ride includes a Prius filled with beads and boas, driven by Erika, a taxi-costumed drag queen. It started when Erik began to experiment with cross-dressing, and he realized it could be a fun way to interact with his passengers. “It was like a big neon sign lit up in my head, and I thought ‘that’s just crazy enough to work.’” he recalls. “So I tried it, and everyone loved it! The response has been insanely positive.”
Aside from being quite possibly the most fun Lyft ride in Los Angeles, Driving is a Drag has another purpose. “It’s half entertainment, half education. I get a lot of people that ask me about being bisexual, and the difference between cross-dressing, being transgender, et cetera,” Erik says. “The great thing about it is that people see I’m totally comfortable with myself, and it makes them drop their walls and open up. We have some really important conversations.”
What advice would Erik give his passengers this pride month? “Find your tribe. Find what makes you happy, and go where that community congregates. There are people in the same world out there to venture with, and they will welcome you with open arms. Just be yourself and be happy!”
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