Contributed by: Daily Dragsbian
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “drag” as: clothing typical of one sex worn by a person of the opposite sex. Many fans and performers would agree that “drag” - as an artform and culture - is much more than simply the act of putting on “drag,” contrary to what the dictionary definition seems to imply. While that definition addresses an important logistical aspect of drag, it fails to address the true essence that is felt and shown during a performance or show. This is due in part to the fact that Drag is so many things. The sheer volume and range of styles that we see at drag shows is almost unfathomable, and the rift that can be created by differing opinions on what drag’s true meaning is can seem as vast as the Grand Canyon. It is not uncommon to see shade being thrown in the community between queens with different approaches to Drag. (Do we need to rewind the video footage of the spats between Roxxxy Andrews and Jinkx Monsoon on Season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, or perhaps the never ending war that rampaged between Phi Phi O’Hara and Sharon Needles during Season 4?)
If you have ever been to a live drag show, you’ve probably experienced at least a small taste of the diversity that can be found. After watching a show, articulating its exact effect or even the reason you went in the first place might be difficult. The request for you to do so would almost certainly elicit at least slightly different responses from you and each of the other audience members. Drag shows can be intriguing, entertaining, hypnotizing, thought-provoking, fun, shocking, heart-warming, intimidating, touching, and many other things, often all at the same time. Each queen or king brings something unique to the stage they perform on. That special element they bring might be found in their look, their song choice, their performance concept, or the way they choose to interact with the audience. However, there is one factor behind each and every Drag performance which helps the artist create the distinction between themselves and their fellow queens and kings: their own personal definition of “drag.”
I wanted to know what some of these definitions might be. To find out, I decided to go right to the source. I reached out to queens from all over the country and from a beautifully diverse variety of styles to find out what their definitions of drag were. This is what some of the queens I spoke with had to say when I asked the question: What does drag mean to you?
If you have ever been to a live drag show, you’ve probably experienced at least a small taste of the diversity that can be found. After watching a show, articulating its exact effect or even the reason you went in the first place might be difficult. The request for you to do so would almost certainly elicit at least slightly different responses from you and each of the other audience members. Drag shows can be intriguing, entertaining, hypnotizing, thought-provoking, fun, shocking, heart-warming, intimidating, touching, and many other things, often all at the same time. Each queen or king brings something unique to the stage they perform on. That special element they bring might be found in their look, their song choice, their performance concept, or the way they choose to interact with the audience. However, there is one factor behind each and every Drag performance which helps the artist create the distinction between themselves and their fellow queens and kings: their own personal definition of “drag.”
I wanted to know what some of these definitions might be. To find out, I decided to go right to the source. I reached out to queens from all over the country and from a beautifully diverse variety of styles to find out what their definitions of drag were. This is what some of the queens I spoke with had to say when I asked the question: What does drag mean to you?
| |
Jade Jolie | Drag has been a huge artistic outlet for me with all the costumes and design. I have always had a huge appreciation for women. Growing up all my heroes were female so it’s been nice making my own perfect version. My drag reflects on how I like to feel, which is colorfully fun and fabulous! |
| Drag means a mixture of different components for me. Drag is definitely an art form. It has helped me artistically express myself through makeup and illusion. It eventually gave me a platform and a voice to make a living and a difference. I have gone through some pretty different stages in my drag because I wasn't comfortable in it, and I was trying to find myself as an artist. I adapted my "Androgynous/ No Wig" look, which really set me aside from some of the other queens. I worked hard and eventually became comfortable in my own skin. And now thanks to the support and motivation of Courtney Act (part owner of "Wigs By Vanity") I now am comfortable wearing a wig. I hold my head up high and say, "#AweYeah, I am Sickening!" RuPaul said it best when she said, "You are born naked, the rest is Drag." | Rhea Litre |
Ann Artist | I see drag as a big "Fuck You" to societal norms. I feel that it is one of the most punk rock things a man or woman can do. It is the art of screwing with people. For me my drag performances are somewhat like my diary entries or records of current events. I get excited to share my point of view on stage in a cathartic release of artistic expression. It's as much of a job as any starving artist has. I take great pride in my performances. My style of drag is inspired by reality, art imitating life, and life imitating art. I try to be as raw and real as possible when I perform because those are the types of performances that inspire me. |
| My drag is "death." It is close to my heart and filled with pain, love, loss and longing. You can call it art.... It does provide me with sustenance whether I like it or not. It is my reality, and pieces of my existence that I cannot alter. It is my homage to the dark ladies that made me who I am. If I were a woman this is who I would be. | Squeaky Blonde |
| |
Milan | Drag is an artfom - a place to express some of my feelings using the female visual - and at times it’s an excellent paying job, too. I just love the range in drag that one can create. There are no true rules for me. It becomes a bit confusing, though, for some, because there is a lot of difference amongst people who categorize drag as a certain style or in a certain way. For instance, dressing "in drag" to me is different than being a drag queen. There are many types of drag, hence why Rupaul says, "You are born naked, the rest is drag." A woman can be "in drag" dressed as a male but that doesn't make here a drag queen. So the term drag for me can be a bit open in its true sense. |
| Drag is an art form. It is why I do Drag. It is a way to express myself completely without any obstructions or direction. Drag for me has really always been about fashion and style and beauty and being sexual without ever touching anyone. Style, style, style: in your clothes, hair, performance, and being! That is what drag is to me! | Lili Whiteass |
Darienne LAke | Drag completes me, it is the icing on the cake. Being Darienne Lake fills in the nooks and crannies of my personality and strengths. Drag covers up my flaws, polishes the sparkle in my personality. It is the blood that runs through my veins and nourishes my soul. The energy, love, and support I get from the crowd compels me to continue to show the world that you can do drag no matter how young or old, fat or thin, ugly or pretty. Drag is not one thing, but it is everything. |
