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Drag queen

arts Maturity 7-9 Next article →

A drag queen is a person who uses clothing and makeup to imitate or exaggerate female gender roles.

DC High Heel Drag Queen Race 2014 (15567688849)
DC High Heel Drag Queen Race 2014 (15567688849)

Most drag queens use these tools for entertainment purposes. They might perform through lip-syncing, live singing, or dancing. These performances often take place at nightclubs, cabarets, or LGBTQ pride parades.

Pabllo Vittar Festival Sensacional 2020-1
Pabllo Vittar Festival Sensacional 2020-1

Drag is a way for people to express their creativity or their identity. It can be a professional career or a hobby for some. Some artists star in films and spend most of their time in persona. Others only perform drag occasionally for fun.

Performing drag involves a specific set of techniques to transform an appearance. Artists use heavy makeup and elaborate costumes to change how they look. This often includes wearing very large wigs or extremely high heels.

Lorellasukkiarini
Lorellasukkiarini

Some performers use these tools to create a heightened version of femininity. Others may use drag to perform an exaggerated version of their own gender. The goal is often to create a persona that is larger than life. This transformation allows the artist to step into a different character on stage.

There are several different types of performers within this art form. Drag queens are often associated with feminine presentation. Their counterparts are called drag kings, who are performers that dress in exaggeratedly masculine clothing.

Khookha McQueer autoportrait 5
Khookha McQueer autoportrait 5

While many drag queens are cisgender men, the community is diverse. Transgender women and non-binary people also perform as drag queens. Some cisgender women perform drag and are called faux queens or bioqueens. The term drag artist is also used by many to describe nonbinary performances. These different categories show the many ways gender can be explored through art.

History shows that gender impersonation has existed for a very long time. In ancient Greece, male actors played female roles in theatrical plays. This was because women held a lower social status at that time. This tradition continued for centuries until motion pictures became popular. During the vaudeville era, some men became famous as female impersonators.

Julian Eltinge was one of the most successful and highest-paid actors in the world. Another performer, Andrew Tribble, gained fame in Black Vaudeville and on Broadway.

The term "drag queen" has a complex history in the United States. In 1950s New York City, the term had two distinct meanings. One meaning described amateur performers who did drag for fun at pageants. The other meaning described men who wore women's clothing on the streets. At that time, wearing such clothing in public was illegal in New York.

Drag queens argentinas 1995 crop
Drag queens argentinas 1995 crop

Performers often had to distance themselves from queer identity to avoid criminal charges. This was because it was often illegal for LGBTQ people to congregate. Even as late as the 1970s, performers worked hard to maintain respectability with mainstream audiences.

Modern drag has become a global phenomenon with many notable figures. RuPaul is a famous American drag queen, actor, and musician.

RuPaul by David Shankbone
RuPaul by David Shankbone

In Brazil, Pabllo Vittar is a well-known drag queen and singer.

Pabllo Vittar Festival Sensacional 2020-1
Pabllo Vittar Festival Sensacional 2020-1

Drag culture is also growing rapidly in India. Following a 2018 Supreme Court ruling, drag has become a mainstream art form there. Artists like Maya the Drag Queen perform in major cities like Mumbai and Delhi.

Alex Mathew & Maya the drag queen
Alex Mathew & Maya the drag queen

India even launched its first drag magazine, Dragvanti, in 2020.

Drag connects to many different social and legal systems around the world. In Canada, the history of drag is tied to legal struggles. John Herbert was convicted of indecency in the 1940s while dressed as a woman. He later wrote the book *Fortune and Men's Eyes* based on his experiences. In Lebanon, drag is a visible scene in the Arab world. These connections show how drag is linked to law, theater, and human rights. It remains a powerful way for people to navigate and celebrate identity.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
File:DC High Heel Drag Queen Race 2014 (15567688849).jpg
DC High Heel Drag Queen Race 2014...
File:Pabllo Vittar Festival Sensacional 2020-1.jpg
Pabllo Vittar Festival Sensacional 2020-1.jpg
File:RuPaul by David Shankbone.jpg
RuPaul by David Shankbone.jpg
File:Drag queens argentinas 1995 crop.jpg
Drag queens argentinas 1995 crop.jpg
File:John Hunter 1952 SLNSW FL9722539.jpg
John Hunter 1952 SLNSW FL9722539.jpg
File:Khookha McQueer autoportrait 5.jpg
Khookha McQueer autoportrait 5.jpg
File:Alex Mathew & Maya the drag queen.jpg
Alex Mathew & Maya the drag queen.jpg
File:Manifestation pour le mariage pour tous Paris 16 12 2012 13.jpg
Manifestation pour le mariage pour tous...
File:Eddie Valdez "José Maria González" Wild Side Story 1977.jpg
Eddie Valdez "José Maria González" Wild...
File:ESC2014 - Austria 16.jpg
ESC2014 - Austria 16.jpg
File:Sofia Pride 2019 Drag Queen.png
Sofia Pride 2019 Drag Queen.png
File:Lorellasukkiarini.jpg
Lorellasukkiarini.jpg

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