[28] With the United States shifting demographics, including the shift from farms to cities, Great Migration of African Americans, and an influx of immigrants, vaudeville's broad comedy and music expanded the audience from minstrelsy. Cross-dressing has been documented in many ancient civilisations, including the Aztec Empire, Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. Drag as an art form has exploded largely thanks to the life and career of RuPaul Andre Charles — arguably the most famous drag queen in the world today. 1996, Robert Rodi, Drag Queen, Plume Books, →ISBN, page 51: 1.1.1… Out of the sight of the law, gay men felt free to be themselves in the underground Prohibition scene and felt free to dress as drag queens as well. The competition reality show for drag queens first aired on the Logo TV network in 2009. [75][27][76], CODCO was a Canadian sketch comedy series which aired on CBC Television from 1988 to 1993;[77] two of its actors, Tommy Sexton and Greg Malone, were especially renowned for drag-based impersonations of celebrity women such as Queen Elizabeth, Barbara Frum, Barbara Walters, Tammy Faye Bakker and Margaret Thatcher. Drag queen Crystal Labeija competing in a drag beauty pageant in the late 1960s. [31] Drag queens such as José Sarria[32] and Aleshia Brevard[33] first came to prominence in these clubs. [44][nb 1] His assailants falsely claimed that Herbert had solicited them for sex,[44] and Herbert was accused and convicted of indecency[44] under Canada's same-sex sexual activity law (which was not repealed until 1969). Wikimedia CommonsA depiction of a scene from King Lear, featuring performers dressed in drag. When men played female parts, they would supposedly discuss how their costume dresses would "drag" across the floor. History; Gender and Sexuality; Feature; February 17, 2020, Issue; The First Drag Queen Was a Former Slave The First Drag Queen Was a Former … [61] Drag queens tend to go for a more exaggerated look with a lot more makeup than a typical feminine woman would wear. That success came in the form of his hit 1993 single "Supermodel (You Better Work)." Meet the leading drag queens with all the answers", "4 Beloved Drag Queens Help Fans with Life-Changing Makeovers in TLC's Dragnificent! (1995). The first person to describe himself as "the queen of drag" was William Dorsey Swann, born enslaved in Hancock, Maryland, who in the 1880s started also hosting drag balls in Washington, DC attended by other men who were former slaves, and often raided by the police, as documented in the newspapers. Bernadette is a digital media producer, writer, and a proud native New Yorker. It was then that drag culture seemed to slowly fold into mainstream society with such drag and gender-bending performances by actor Tim Curry in 1975's Rocky Horror Picture Show and the aesthetic stylings of musician David Bowie. Then, learn more about the Stonewall riots and how the events impacted the landscape of gay rights in America. RuPaul received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the television industry on March 16, 2018, making him the first drag queen to be given such an award. Even this photo from Kansas City, MO, shows that drag … [36] It marked the beginning of transgender activism in San Francisco. [15] Other drag performers, like RuPaul, seem to be completely indifferent to which pronoun is used to refer to them. The queen of all Drag Race queens and the most successful alum, Bianca appeared on the show five years ago (and was so dominant that she reached the finale without having to … "[64] Many drag queens do dress up for money by doing different shows, but there are also drag queens that have full-time jobs but still enjoy dressing up in drag as a hobby. The history of drag queens as an art form dates back to theater and earlier, even before it was associated with the gay community. [27] People went to these nightclubs to play with the boundaries of gender and sexuality and it became a place for the LGBT community, especially gay men, to feel accepted. Create by Jose Julio Sarria (Empress Jose I), who was also the first openly gay person to run for public office, this was the first ever organization for drag queens. Drag kings achieved notoriety in the 1990s, with performers like Murray Hill, books devoted to performing masculinity, and even the first International Drag King Extravaganza in 1999. Pepper Labeija of the "House of Labeija" — one of the drag ball houses of Manhattan. Drag Queen Story Hour is committed to creating diverse, accessible, and safe spaces, so we wanted to share a brief update on our programming amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Francois LE DIASCORN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty ImagesDrag queen Divine performing in New York in the 1970s. After World War I and World War II, the theatre and movie scenes were changing, and the use of pantomime dames declined.[29]. A Drag-queen Bingo event in Provincetown, Rhode Island. Drag queens vary by type, culture, and dedication, from professionals who star in films to people who do drag only occasionally. Drag queen Lily Savage celebrates after being crowned Festival of Comedy Queen in 1994. Dressing as a woman, however, does not a drag queen make. People partake in the activity of doing drag for reasons ranging from self-expression to mainstream performance. Maya the drag queen,[51] Rani Kohinoor (Sushant Divgikar),[52] Lush Monsoon,[53][54] Betta Naan Stop,[55] Tropical Marca,[56] Zeeshan Ali[57] and Patruni Chidananda Sastry [58] are some of the Indian drag artists. You can call me Regis and Kathie Lee; I don't care! The term “drag queen” was first used to describe men appearing in women’s clothing in Polari—a type of British slang that was popularized among gay men and the theater community in the late 19th and 20th centuries.And while drag has long maintained a powerful presence in popular culture, more recently, it has developed a strong foothold in the art world as well. Drag queen Divine performing in New York in the 1970s. Drag began to take on more of an individual form of entertainment (as opposed to being utilized as a part of an ensemble performance) when female impersonation was introduced into American culture via the genre known as "vaudeville.". A drag queen may either pick or be given a drag name by a friend, sometimes called a "drag mother", the so named thus becoming known as a "drag daughter". Another term for a drag queen is female impersonator. [35], The Compton's Cafeteria riot, which involved drag queens and others, occurred in San Francisco in 1966. The drag queen has entered the mainstream once again — and this time, it seems like it's here to stay. [44] Herbert wrote Fortune and Men's Eyes in 1964 based on his time behind bars. RuPaul's current claim-to-fame is his tenure as the host and face of the reality TV show RuPaul's Drag Race which has changed the history of drag. [23][24][25], The first person to describe himself as "the queen of drag" was William Dorsey Swann, born enslaved in Hancock, Maryland, who in the 1880s started also hosting drag balls in Washington, DC attended by other men who were formerly enslaved, and often raided by the police, as documented in the newspapers. [27] In addition to the "wench players", minstrel shows developed the role of "prima donnas", who appeared more elegant and refined while still retaining their comedic elements. Pride and prejudice: same-sex relations through history; The meteoric rise of RuPaul’s Drag Race, a televised drag queen competition in which queens lip synch, death-drop, and stomp the runway, has allowed millions to bask in this feeling.RuPaul’s Drag Race has become a bona fide phenomenon.. The top drag queens in the United States hail from NYC, Las Vegas, LA, Chicago, and New Orleans (not surprisingly, these are also some of the most gay friendly cities in the US) with popular drag queens coming from as far as Australia, India, and the UK. In modern times, drag queens are associated with gay men and gay culture, but they can be of any gender and sexual identity. A Harvard student participating in vaudeville drag. [31] The dame became a stock character with a range of attitudes from "charwoman" to "grande dame" that mainly was used for improvisation. "[93] Marti Gould Cummings said something similar when a video of them performing "Baby Shark" at a drag brunch event went viral. Public Romain ReviewRae Bourbon, a popular drag performer of the "Pansy Craze" era. Barry Humphries, dressed as his most famous character Dame Edna Everage at the Sydney Opera House. For example, Boy George wears drag queen style clothes and cosmetics but he once stated he was not a drag queen. Many queens choose a last name, and most usually borrow that of their "drag mother," the drag queen their style is most heavily influenced by, however, you don't need to do this. When the United States entered the Prohibition era, which abolished alcohol production and consumption from 1920 until 1933, gay men used the underground clubs and speakeasies as an opportunity to express and enjoy themselves. Dragnificent! That’s the message parents should be communicating to their kids, at any age. The 10th Annual Wigstock drag festival in 1995. The Netflix show AJ and the Queen, released in 2020, followed "Ruby Red, a bigger-than-life but down-on-her-luck drag queen [played by RuPaul] who travels across America from club to club in a rundown 1990’s R/V with her unlikely sidekick AJ, a recently orphaned, tough-talking, scrappy ten-year-old stowaway. [30], At this time being a female impersonator was seen as something for the straight white male, and any deviation was punished. When Warren's friends in Cherry Grove heard what had happened, they dressed up in drag, and, on July 4, 1976, sailed to the Pines by water taxi. The dame in a pantomime is one of the most famous platforms for a drag performance, dating back to the dawn of theatre in many cultures. (colloquial, LGBT) A person, usually male, who dresses up in women's clothing and makeup, typically in an exaggerated fashion and for public performance.quotations ▼ 1.1. The two also continued their journey as famous drag queens at venues like the Kit Kat Club, making a name for themselves all over Europe. [37], Drag queens were also involved in the Stonewall riots, a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the LGBT community against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Lala Ri Age. Viviane Moos/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images. [68] Many drag shows feature performers singing or lip-synching to songs while performing a pre-planned pantomime, or dancing. Indeed, the drag queen at the helm of this acceptance was none other than RuPaul Charles who would change the history of drag in the modern age. Susanne Bartsch's Love Ball 2 circa 1991 in New York City. Amateur sleuths and other observers still actively dig for clues both online and off. ", "RuPaul Comedy Series 'AJ And The Queen' Set On Netflix From Michael Patrick King", "Nina West Of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Wants Kids To Feel 'Loved And Seen' With New Video", "Drag Queen Performs 'Baby Shark' At 2-Year-Old's Request, And It's Delightful", "Don 't Be a Drag, Just Be a Queen—How Drag Queens Protect their Intellectual Property without Law", "Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2018 revealed", "RuPaul Is the First Drag Queen to Get a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame", "The Trouble with "Queerness": Drag and the Making of Two Cultures", Drag Artist Discography (information and discography with historical references and photos) of drag artists & female impersonators, Sexuality and gender identity-based cultures, History of Christianity and homosexuality, Timeline of sexual orientation and medicine, SPLC-designated list of anti-LGBT U.S. hate groups, Persecution of homosexuals in Nazi Germany, Significant acts of violence against LGBT people, La Femme Magnifique International Pageant, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Drag_queen&oldid=1006365083, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from June 2020, Articles with disputed statements from May 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2019, Articles needing additional references from June 2018, All articles needing additional references, Articles that may contain original research from June 2018, All articles that may contain original research, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 12 February 2021, at 14:08. Beyond the realm of VH1, drag is a multivalent art form with a complex and stratified history. is a television series on the American network TLC. [27] Both the minstrelsy and vaudeville eras of female impersonation led to an association with music, dance, and comedy that still lasts today. Gottmik is the franchise's first ever transgender man to compete. Divine performing in New York in the 1970s. They occur at events like gay pride parades and drag pageants and in venues such as cabarets and nightclubs. How female drag queens are causing a scene", "Meet Pabllo Vittar: Major Lazer's Favorite Brazilian Drag Queen", The Quiet Clash Between Transgender Women And Drag Queens, "Getting to Know Non-Binary Drag Artist Rose Butch", "The First Drag Queen Was a Former Slave", "Finocchio's 1961 Revue One of LaMonte's Best", "10 Years Before Stonewall, There Was the Cooper's Donuts Riot", "Workforce Diversity: The Stonewall Inn, National Historic Landmark National Register Number: 99000562", "Obama inaugural speech references Stonewall gay-rights riots", "Drag Queen Story Hour Puts the Rainbow in Reading", "Some Libraries Are Facing Backlash Against LGBT Programs – And Holding Their Ground", "Drag Queen Storytime Held at Fall River Library Despite Protests", "John Herbert Dies at 75; Wrote of Prison Life", https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/lush-monsoon-aishwarya-ayushmaan-indian-drag-queen-human-rights-lawyer-lgbtqi-delhi, https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/betta-naan-stop-indian-drag-queen-interview, "The Rainbow History Project: Drag in DC", "Dude to Diva: How to Become a Drag Queen | The Chronicle", "Performing in drag is all about self-expression for some West Michigan men", "Tom Bartolomei: 10 Myths About Drag Queens", "Don't Be a Drag, Just Be a Queen – How Drag Queens Protect their Intellectual Property without Law", "Wigstock: The Movie Movie Review (1995) | Roger Ebert", "Boy George: "I'M Not A Dragqueen!" [2] For much of history, drag queens were men, but in more modern times, cisgender and trans women, as well as non-binary people, also perform as drag queens. Indeed, the history of drag seems to be one inextricably tied to the theater, and before the theater of Shakespeare's time, the stage was used for religious purposes. [50] Since then, drag culture in India has been growing and becoming the mainstream art culture. It was through vaudeville that the first official well-known drag queen came to exist, named Julian Eltinge. Its first recorded use to refer to actors dressed in women's clothing is from 1870. Grove Press/PhotofestDrag queen Crystal Labeija competing in a drag beauty pageant in the late 1960s. [72] However, RuPaul is a professional drag queen performer and singer.[73]. A drag queen dancing at Club USA in 1996. One source states that Herbert was imprisoned for six months at Guelph, Boyd, Nan Alamilla (2004). [84], A 2018 episode of The Simpsons, titled "Werking Mom", featured many drag queens, including cameos from RuPaul and Raja (the season three winner of RuPaul's Drag Race).[85]. Lala Ri whose real name is LaRico Potts is 30 years old as of 2020. Drag Queen (ドラァグクイーン) is a 3 star event set in Hesokuri Wars portraying the sextuplets as drag queens, where each of them has their own drag queen names. [82], Also in 2018, So You Think You Can Dance featured Jay Jackson (drag name Laganja Estranja) as one of its contestants. [7] Examples of trans female drag queens, sometimes called trans queens,[8] include Monica Beverly Hillz[3][4] and Peppermint. She was born on August 28, 1990, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Sashay Through the History of Drag Queen Culture September 5, 2019 by Ryan Roschke In the 21st century, a drag queen is not just a man who wears women's clothes; a drag queen … A scene from the 1991 Wigstock annual drag festival held in Manhattan. Drag queens never use their "boy names." Some will tell you that you should never use a drag queen's "boy name," and that is partially true, but it really depends on the queen and the situation. A drag queen is a person, usually male, who dresses in the clothing of the opposite sex and often acts with exaggerated femininity for the purpose of entertainment or fashion. "[13], Some drag queens may prefer to be referred to as "she" while in drag and desire to stay completely in character. A 1996 guide, The Drag Queens of New York: An Illustrated Field Guide, likens the cult-followings of Manhattan drag queens to bird-watching and lists such mainstays as Hedda Lettuce, Miss Understood, Mighty Afrodite, Mona Foot (a.k.a. They performed in comedic skits, dances, and "wench" songs. After this look at the history of drag queens, take a look at the most famous drag queens of the 20th century. RuPaul’s Drag Race has made drag more popular than ever — but as much as we love the queens on screen, it’s important to know the drag legends who paved their way, making the art form what it is today. Oddly enough, it would be the New York mafia, and the Genovese family in particular, who would covertly give the drag queens and gay community an outlet. Of course drag has been around forever, from boys playing the roles of girls in Shakespeare to now… In Ancient Greece, women were not permitted to perform on stage. Amid intensifying anti-gay hostility, in 1965, the Imperial Court System was founded as the first drag queen organization, and that kind of community building among drag queens would ultimately prove to be a valuable resource within the broader gay community that had begun making itself more publicly known. The 1980s saw even greater experimentation with drag and gender-bending in music and film through artists such as Boy George and Pete Burns. The term drag queen occurred in Polari, a subset of English slang that was popular in some gay communities in the early part of the 20th century. Many female impersonators started with low comedy in vaudeville and worked their way up to perform as the prima donna. [9][10] Drag queens' counterparts are drag kings: performers, usually women, who dress in exaggeratedly masculine clothing. [65], Many parts of the drag show, and of the drag queens' other intellectual properties, cannot be protected by intellectual property law. [26], Development of the drag queen in the United States was influenced by the development of the blackface minstrel show. Drag balls gained popularity among queer people of color in the 1970s and 80s. Hair, make-up, and costumes are the most important essentials for drag queens. You can call me she. [36], On March 17, 1968, in Los Angeles, to protest entrapment and harassment by the LAPD, two drag queens known as "The Princess" and "The Duchess" held a St. Patrick's Day party at Griffith Park, a popular cruising spot and a frequent target of police activity. A folk etymology whose acro… However this is not always the case, because there are also biokings, bio-queens, and faux queens, which are people who perform their own biological sex through a heightened or exaggerated gender presentation. Vintage Drag Queen photographs--Francis Renault With it being October 1st I thought it was fitting in a way to pay tribute to those men who were drag queens, female impersonators, female illusionists or how ever we want to call these talented men. Drag shows frequently include lip-syncing, live singing, and dancing. In his words, "You can call me he. Steve Baccon/Fairfax Media via Getty Images. In 1977 the Canadian film Outrageous!, starring drag queen Craig Russell, became one of the first gay-themed films to break out into mainstream theatrical release. [98] In 2018, the show became the first show to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program in the same year. As the two misfits travel from city to city, Ruby’s message of love and acceptance winds up touching people and changing their lives for the better. In 2018, American Idol featured a drag queen, Adam Sanders (drag name Ada Vox) as one of its contestants. Gottmik is the first contestant on the show to have top surgery while competing. So when plays included female parts, the male actors would dress as women to fill the void. [27] It moved from being popular mainstream entertainment to something done only at night in disreputable areas, such as San Francisco's Tenderloin. [81] He made it to the top ten. The cast of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" give us a brief history of drag's cultural influences. [27] Originally the performers would only mock African American men, but as time went on they found it amusing to mock African American femininity as well. RuPaul Charles poses for a group portrait in November 1992 in Times Square, New York City. The premise of the program has several drag queens compete to be selected by RuPaul and a panel of judges as "America's next drag superstar". By the 1990s, the world was ready to make the drag queen more mainstream than ever before. John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images. The queen of all Drag Race queens and the most successful alum, Bianca appeared on the show five years ago (and was so dominant that she reached the finale without having to … But even long after Prohibition ended, the gay bars that featured drag during this time continued to operate well into the 1950s and 60s. 20 Quotes About Murder From Some Of The World's Coldest Killers, Kindertransport: When Great Britain Saved 10,000 Children From The Holocaust, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. On 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the application of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code to consensual homosexual sex between adults was unconstitutional, "irrational, indefensible and manifestly arbitrary". The origin of the term drag is uncertain;[1] the first recorded use of drag in reference to actors dressed in women's clothing is from 1870. But this success has been hard-earned: the story of drag, especially in America, is not a … Drag queen Kevin Aviance arrives at the Madonna concert at Madison Square Garden in 2001. In mid-2008, RuPaul began producing RuPaul's Drag Race, a reality television game show which began airing in February 2009. The phenomena of drag kids is relatively recent, The New York Times notes that as of September 2019 there are over a hundred public drag kids in the U.S., with Desmond is Amazing as the one with the most followers. RuPaul even won the Emmy for best host in 2018. [92], Nina West, Drag Race season eleven contestant and winner of Miss Congeniality, and producer of Drag Is Magic, an EP of kids music about the art form, says she hopes to inspire them to "dream big, be kind, and be their perfect selves. Historically, most drag queens have been men dressing as women. Dame Edna Everidge, a.k.a. Drag families are a part of ball culture and drag 'houses'’.[60]. [11] Female impersonation has been and continues to be illegal in some places, which inspired the drag queen José Sarria to hand out labels to his friends reading, "I am a boy", so he could not be accused of female impersonation. Rosé's drag mother is NYC Legend, Kizha Carr. drag queen (plural drag queens) 1. It was here where the drag "ball" culture is believed to have originated in the early 1970s. The gay community continued to flourish despite the fact that it was illegal for them to be served alcohol in bars, or even to dance together. This turned into a yearly event where drag queens go to the Pines, called the Invasion of the Pines. [59] Drag mothers and drag daughters have a mentor-apprentice relationship. RuPaul at Quick Night Club in New York circa the 1980s. [29], In the early to mid-1900s, female impersonation had become tied to the LGBT community[dubious – discuss] and thus criminality, so it had to change forms and locations. [27] Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Bothwell Browne was the top female impersonator of the West Coast. Imagine a world where men can freely dress in long skirts and high heeled boots, and women freely dressed in pants and male tailored suits without any ridicule from the public. [45][47][48][nb 2] Herbert later served another sentence for indecency at reformatory in Mimico. [31], The Cooper Donuts Riot was a May 1959 incident in Los Angeles in which drag queens, lesbians, transgender women, and gay men rioted; it was one of the first LGBT uprisings in the United States. Historically, most drag queens have been men dressing as women. He also said, "I don't dress like a woman; I dress like a drag queen! TWO drag queens are making history as the first Scottish performers to appear on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. ", "Facts About Ada Vox From "American Idol" You Need to Know", "Courtney Act crowned winner of Celebrity Big Brother", "Drag Superstar Alyssa Edwards to Star in Docu-Series DANCING QUEEN on Netflix", "RuPaul, Raja and Mr Smithers team up in drag queen Simpsons episode", "4 Drag Queens Will Help a Bride-to-Be Feel Confident in Her Skin on TLC's New Wedding Special", "Who is the 'Drag Me Down the Aisle' cast?