Yas Gawd she is a queen … a drag queen that is.
Drag and drag culture are barging their way out of the closet and making themselves a statement piece. Men dressed as women with glittery rainbows, striking outfits, high-as-heaven hair and caked-on makeup are strutting into college events, bachelorette parties, parades, mainstream media and so much more. But it wasn’t always like this.
“Drag began out of necessity,” said a BBC UK article.
History
In the late 16th century, the Shakespearean theater took off and was the centerfold of literature and live entertainment. The stage was not yet a place for women, so roles were given to males who performed as females while wearing women’s clothes. The term “drag” was coined by men who wore dresses on stage and their outfits dragging on the floor behind them. Today, drag is known for its exuberant and overwhelming variety show performances and character personalities that come with it. One of the most well-known drag queens in world history is RuPaul.
RuPaul Andre Charles is an American queen superstar. The entirety of his career has undeniably changed drag culture and the queer community. His interest in cross-dressing started at an early age when his three sisters would dress him up to emulate female celebrities such as Diana Ross and Jane Fonda. He had a natural attraction for the limelight and by the age of 12 knew he wanted to pursue a career as an entertainer.
What separated his type of entertainment from others in the 1990s was his desire to dress as the opposite gender and let his femininity run wild.
Worldwide icon
“Drag was a tool because it was the most punk rock, anti-establishment thing we could do. It was about challenging the status quo, challenging ideals of identity,” said RuPaul in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. With much trepidation in his high-heeled step, RuPaul set off to be the worldwide icon he knew he could be.
Ru, as his friends call him, worked tirelessly to get to where he is today. Nothing came easy to a black, gay, male “cross-dresser” of the ’90s. By day he was writing music to kick start his entertainment career, and by night he was turning looks in New York City clubs as a drag queen.
“When I got into drag, straight men, straight women, everybody would go, ‘Bitch, damn.’ And I could feel it. I had never felt it before. I knew I had power. And I knew that it was important for me to get a lot of work done,” said RuPaul.
It was in 1993 when RuPaul captured the nation’s attention with his successful debut music album, “Supermodel of the World.” His song, “Supermodel (You Better Work),” was an unexpected yet instant dance-pop sensation. The music video later produced for the song featured RuPaul in full drag confidently sashaying around New York City in a peep-toe pump.
This career victory catapulted him into making drag appearances on television, talk shows and movies. RuPaul was making a name for himself and herself and by no means were they going to be brought to a halt anytime soon.
Television
“Rupaul’s Drag Race” is a reality competition show that began in 2008. Drag queens from across the country compete in quickfire comedy, improv, lip-sync and fashion challenges for cash prizes. A panel of judges, including Mama Ru herself, would judge and eliminate one queen each week until there was one remaining, making them an American drag superstar. The show was slow to gain an audience but has transpired to a worldwide phenomenon. There are multiple spinoffs in several countries, series specials, world tours, conventions, specialized merchandise and more.
Most of the drag queens the world has today is because of the impact from RuPaul’s Drag Race. It inspires many to give drag a try. Although a majority of drag has been ruled by gay males dressing to be female queens, drag is not restricted to any type of person. There are straight males known to be marvelous drag queens and straight and gay females known to be extraordinary drag kings and queens as well. Gia Gunn is one of the most notable drag queens in the industry who is a transgender woman. Drag in itself is an art and like any kind of art, can be produced by any kind of person.
“The first memory I have of drag is me flipping through the TV channels and seeing ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race.’ I stopped on the channel and was like ‘What is this? Men dressing up in wigs and makeup? I love it!’ From that moment on, I knew it was something I wanted to keep in my back pocket,” said Kenneth Miller, ’21, aka Kendra D. Diamonds on stage.
Money
Charisma, uniqueness, talent and nerve are what RuPaul says makes a great drag queen, but there is more to it than that. The other part? Money.
“Drag isn’t cheap. Makeup is expensive, wigs are expensive, nails, hips, costumes, shoes. So much goes into doing drag. And what people don’t see is the three hours it took me to style my wig, the two hours it takes just to paint my face and the hour it takes to put everything else on,” said Tommy Varela, ’19, aka Luna. The craft of drag is expensive, especially when first starting out. The expectation to have ritzy, customized, rhinestoned costumes, a perfect wig and a solid act is daunting to baby queens. It is a skill that requires time and the capacity to, as famous drag queen Katya once said, “lose big before you win big.”
Hard work
The hours it takes for a complete transformation is rewarded when queens take the stage. Endless cheers, claps, snaps and finger wags go all to the queen making her way around the audience. The power in performing for a crowd is addicting.
“For me, there’s no holding back because I want the audience to experience the whole thing. Performing is freedom. At a show, the confines of our standard gender expression go out the window. It’s an opportunity to lose yourself in your artistry and play the parts that you might be uncomfortable to do in public,” said Benjamin Paynic, ’21, aka Daddi, a gender-neutral queen.
However, there are unspoken hardships that happen to queens while performing. The drag scene takes place primarily in bars and clubs. Fruity cocktails typically are downed like water and can lead to drunken, unwanted advances towards drag performers. “When I am performing at a bar in drag, people apparently find it okay to touch me. I have had my ass grabbed, my wig touched and people say things that make me feel very uncomfortable. It’s very bizarre and not okay,” said Varela at a performance as Luna.
Acceptance
Nevertheless, queens don’t let this kind of unwanted attention rain on their pride parade. They continue to be fierce and fabulous. Their efforts to entice people into a safe, tolerant and colorful community continue to grow and flourish. Creativity and free expression are brought with such exuberance that it is hard to not become mesmerized by such liberation.
“Every time I go on stage, I feel a flow of excitement. I feel as if I’m extending another part of myself to the world in showing them everything I got,” said Miller.
The journey to the stage is different for all and requires years of resilience and continuous ambition. As with any other career, one doesn’t become a “professional” right away. There is a lengthy process to become a drag queen. It is not just about lace front wigs, fake eyelashes, gaudy makeup and extravagant outfits. Drag strips one down to their bare self and then rebuilds them back up into a new persona. It is a personal experience that is theatrical and finds a passion for avant-garde performances. Drag is about having fun and learning acceptance of yourself and what you love.
Like RuPaul says, “Remember who you really are. Unleash the dragon and let those bitches have it!”
