Drag (mostly RPDR - Spoiler Heavy)

Drag, as in drag queens. Otherwise known as female impersonation. Is anybody else here really intrigued by drag in general? The concept of transforming from a masculine figure into a very feminine figure is really interesting to me. The purpose of this thread is to discuss all things involving drag, and a few resources for those who want to learn more about it.

Before I get into some things, I'd like to clear up some misconceptions and whatnot.
  • Drag isn't always about wanting to be a trans person. Drag queens and trans people are both and neither at the same time. For example, Peppermint is a very famous drag queen who is also a trans woman. To quote another queen, Monica Beverly Hillz, "Drag is what I do and trans is who I am". It's all about expression of oneself.
  • While in drag, a drag queen is typically referred to as she or her, though some prefer they or them. Most drag queens are just referred to as she when being referenced as their drag career and persona is what is being referred to, not the actual person themselves.
  • Drag is a career or hobby. Many drag queens make it their full-time career. One such example is RuPaul, who I'm sure most people are familiar with due to her long career and famous TV show, RuPaul's Drag Race, which I will get into.
  • The main purpose of drag performing is entertainment. People, including myself, love to see such creative people have a platform to dance, sing, lip sync (usually), and entertain!
Feel free to ask questions in this thread to clear up some more misconceptions you might have. I want this thread to be an open discussion on the art of drag and what it is, how it is done, and so on.

Firstly, RuPaul's Drag Race is an excellent resource for anybody who likes to watch reality TV while also bringing in serious discussions on issues regarding the LGBT+ community. For anybody who wants to watch it, it's on Netflix in some countries and other streaming devices such as Amazon Prime as well. This is where I found my footing in the drag scene and found myself captivated by it! My friend introduced me to the concept and at first I was very hesitant and found it strange. However, once I started, I couldn't stop. Here are some cool contestants and clips from the show:
  1. Alaska (Justin Honard) is my absolute favorite drag queen. Her story is incredibly inspiring and really shows true legacy and strength. Her ex-boyfriend actually won Season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race (RPDR for the rest of this post to save time), and she competed on Season 5 and was runner-up. This led to a bad break-up and a lot of drug abuse. However, she turned this around and went on to win the second All Stars season of the show very convincingly. She's one of the most adored queens to ever compete and has made an incredibly solid career off of her music and performances. Your Makeup Is Terrible is one of her most famous songs for example, and her performances, such as this solidify her as an entertainer.
  2. Bianca Del Rio (Roy Haylock) is famous for being an insult comic and winning the sixth season. Here's an excellent video which showcases her humor:
    .
    Her lovable personality is found with how kind she is to her other queens and her fans. People really do love this bitter old clown!
  3. A big proponent of the show is lip syncs, which are what most drag queens perform. These lip syncs are for queens who do badly in challenges and wind up in the Bottom 2. However, my absolute favorite lip sync is Alyssa Edwards vs. Tatianna from All Stars Season 2, where they are fighting for re-entry to the competition after already being eliminated. This lip sync is an excellent demonstration of the entertainment that drag queens provide. I mean, come on! The level of energy and just absolute excellence of this video is a highlight of the show for me, majorly.
Drag queens don't always get famous through RuPaul's Drag Race, though it's the biggest way to get big. For example, Sasha Velour, the latest winner of the show, has gone from 1.2k followers on Instagram before the show, to now having 701k followers! An insane increase. An example of a queen who hasn't made it on the show quite yet is Monét X Change, known for being a fiercely funny queen and excellent lip syncer. She's known and respected in the New York drag scene, the largest in the world.

This thread isn't purely for discussion of RuPaul's Drag Race, as drag exists outside of the show, but it's a great platform for drag queens. Many drag queens, most notably Courtney Act, runner-up on Season 6, Jinkx Monsoon, winner of Season 5, Peppermint, runner-up on Season 9, and RuPaul himself, have stood loudly and proudly for LGBT rights. Drag queens influence LGBT culture in a way like no other and the platform provided to them to speak out against inequality is truly notable and worthy of praise.

To kick off discussion, I'd like to discuss the upcoming All Stars Season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race. I'm personally very excited to see all these queens in action! And, as you can see from my profile picture, I'm #TeamBenDeLaCreme. How about you?!

What if you don't watch the show though? Then, let's talk about something else: do you enjoy drag or know anything about it? Would you like to learn more? If you haven't learned about drag and such, I encourage you to check out some of the stuff I've linked in this thread and discuss what you've found!

Please keep this thread semi-serious. Making fun of drag isn't really acceptable in this thread, as it only derails from discussion. Furthermore, I would hope that we don't shit on or disrespect queens that we don't like. We should encourage drag and drag queens together! LGBT discussion should be kept in the LGBT thread, though discussing how drag has influenced LGBT people and its culture is more than welcome!

:]
 

Bughouse

Like ships in the night, you're passing me by
is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a CAP Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
Well, most importantly I wouldn't focus a thread on drag so much on RPDR. Sure, it's a phenomenon and has launched the careers of most, if not all, of the 100 or so queens who have been on. But if I go to a drag show one more time when a Ru Girl is touring and the crowd saves all its tips for the Ru Girl and the local queens get no coin, I may literally explode. And I'm saying that as a fan of the show and many of its queens.

Moreover, if it's gonna be a RPDR themed thread, it should probably be in The Great Library not Cong.

I was at Town in DC the night after the most recent finale. Sasha, who I adore, was making her first post-crowning performance. Sasha was great, as expected (performances below), but so were all the local queens. The crowd was unusually good and tipped all the ladies well. I think my favorite performance of the night was a local queen doing Poor Unfortunate Souls with this hilarious octopus skirt thing on and using her cauldron to collect tips at one point.

PS these were Sasha's first and second performances post-winning, showing off the "ugly-drag" that she was known for before the show and also her (frequent) use of projectors. It also showcases her love for Kate Bush. Kinda amazing what range she has, seeing as none of this type of stuff was even showed on RPDR at all, since they don't fit the show's theme.


(same performance as her second one in DC that night but I can't find good video of it, so this rendition was done pre-drag race and in New York)
 

HotFuzzBall

fuzzy-chan \(ㆁヮㆁ✿)
is an Artist
To kick off discussion, I'd like to discuss the upcoming All Stars Season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race. I'm personally very excited to see all these queens in action! And, as you can see from my profile picture, I'm #TeamBenDeLaCreme. How about you?!
I'm also really excited about AS3, I feel like it's hard to pick a winner in this cast mainly because no one really stands out and there aren't any runner ups (since they usually indicate which queen was "robbed" during their season, since they were so close). I'm personally Team Kennedy Davenport, I mean I think she is a sick performer and I find that she's hilarious and super talented. I honestly believe that she can snatch that AS3 crown. I also wouldn't mind if Thorgy wins since she is probably the most versatile queen of the cast since she showed that she can rock a runway, design a decent costume, perform, and be funny.

Though what I'm least excited for is that you know if Trixie gets eliminated, queens and the judges are going to receive piles of death threats and suicide threats (idk how else to word it) by her vicious fans, I still think Trixya fans are more vicious than Valentina's fans.

Also AS3 will be a bust if there isn't a Kennedy vs. ChiChi lip sync (I wouldn't mind if they brought back Lip Sync for your Legacy for this)
 
Drag, as in drag queens. Otherwise known as female impersonation. Is anybody else here really intrigued by drag in general? The concept of transforming from a masculine figure into a very feminine figure is really interesting to me. The purpose of this thread is to discuss all things involving drag, and a few resources for those who want to learn more about it.

Before I get into some things, I'd like to clear up some misconceptions and whatnot.
  • Drag isn't always about wanting to be a trans person. Drag queens and trans people are both and neither at the same time. For example, Peppermint is a very famous drag queen who is also a trans woman. To quote another queen, Monica Beverly Hillz, "Drag is what I do and trans is who I am". It's all about expression of oneself.
  • While in drag, a drag queen is typically referred to as she or her, though some prefer they or them. Most drag queens are just referred to as she when being referenced as their drag career and persona is what is being referred to, not the actual person themselves.
  • Drag is a career or hobby. Many drag queens make it their full-time career. One such example is RuPaul, who I'm sure most people are familiar with due to her long career and famous TV show, RuPaul's Drag Race, which I will get into.
  • The main purpose of drag performing is entertainment. People, including myself, love to see such creative people have a platform to dance, sing, lip sync (usually), and entertain!
Feel free to ask questions in this thread to clear up some more misconceptions you might have. I want this thread to be an open discussion on the art of drag and what it is, how it is done, and so on.

Firstly, RuPaul's Drag Race is an excellent resource for anybody who likes to watch reality TV while also bringing in serious discussions on issues regarding the LGBT+ community. For anybody who wants to watch it, it's on Netflix in some countries and other streaming devices such as Amazon Prime as well. This is where I found my footing in the drag scene and found myself captivated by it! My friend introduced me to the concept and at first I was very hesitant and found it strange. However, once I started, I couldn't stop. Here are some cool contestants and clips from the show:
  1. Alaska (Justin Honard) is my absolute favorite drag queen. Her story is incredibly inspiring and really shows true legacy and strength. Her ex-boyfriend actually won Season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race (RPDR for the rest of this post to save time), and she competed on Season 5 and was runner-up. This led to a bad break-up and a lot of drug abuse. However, she turned this around and went on to win the second All Stars season of the show very convincingly. She's one of the most adored queens to ever compete and has made an incredibly solid career off of her music and performances. Your Makeup Is Terrible is one of her most famous songs for example, and her performances, such as this solidify her as an entertainer.
  2. Bianca Del Rio (Roy Haylock) is famous for being an insult comic and winning the sixth season. Here's an excellent video which showcases her humor:
    .
    Her lovable personality is found with how kind she is to her other queens and her fans. People really do love this bitter old clown!
  3. A big proponent of the show is lip syncs, which are what most drag queens perform. These lip syncs are for queens who do badly in challenges and wind up in the Bottom 2. However, my absolute favorite lip sync is Alyssa Edwards vs. Tatianna from All Stars Season 2, where they are fighting for re-entry to the competition after already being eliminated. This lip sync is an excellent demonstration of the entertainment that drag queens provide. I mean, come on! The level of energy and just absolute excellence of this video is a highlight of the show for me, majorly.
Drag queens don't always get famous through RuPaul's Drag Race, though it's the biggest way to get big. For example, Sasha Velour, the latest winner of the show, has gone from 1.2k followers on Instagram before the show, to now having 701k followers! An insane increase. An example of a queen who hasn't made it on the show quite yet is Monét X Change, known for being a fiercely funny queen and excellent lip syncer. She's known and respected in the New York drag scene, the largest in the world.

This thread isn't purely for discussion of RuPaul's Drag Race, as drag exists outside of the show, but it's a great platform for drag queens. Many drag queens, most notably Courtney Act, runner-up on Season 6, Jinkx Monsoon, winner of Season 5, Peppermint, runner-up on Season 9, and RuPaul himself, have stood loudly and proudly for LGBT rights. Drag queens influence LGBT culture in a way like no other and the platform provided to them to speak out against inequality is truly notable and worthy of praise.

To kick off discussion, I'd like to discuss the upcoming All Stars Season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race. I'm personally very excited to see all these queens in action! And, as you can see from my profile picture, I'm #TeamBenDeLaCreme. How about you?!

What if you don't watch the show though? Then, let's talk about something else: do you enjoy drag or know anything about it? Would you like to learn more? If you haven't learned about drag and such, I encourage you to check out some of the stuff I've linked in this thread and discuss what you've found!

Please keep this thread semi-serious. Making fun of drag isn't really acceptable in this thread, as it only derails from discussion. Furthermore, I would hope that we don't shit on or disrespect queens that we don't like. We should encourage drag and drag queens together! LGBT discussion should be kept in the LGBT thread, though discussing how drag has influenced LGBT people and its culture is more than welcome!

:]
Just found this thread, so I'm a bit late but other than RPDR I haven't really had much experience with drag in the UK. The only thing I can recall is Paul O'Grady in drag as 'Lily Savage' hosting a show called 'Blankety Blank' which is the British Version of 'Match Game' which the show parodies as 'Snatch Game' (what a coincidence that this is my only exposure to drag pre drag race haha).

As for favourite queens (no particular order):
- Jinkx Monsoon, she was just a lovable weirdo that was seemingly brilliant at everything the show thrown at her.
- Tatianna, she was the standout of season 2 for me. She was the right kind of bitch (not S2 Raven kind) and the way she called out Tyra was brilliant.
- Manilla Luzon, still annoyed that she didn't win S3 and AS1 like the show is against her.
- Ben Delacreme, so so so annoyed that she was eliminated so much earlier than what she should have. Yeah she lost the lip sync but arguably should not have been in the bottom 2 in the first place (Courtney should have).

As for All Stars 3 the 10th queen was ruined for me in Youtube comments (just a warning about that now). I am also Team Dela but wouldn't be upset if Shangela or the 10th queen wins it. If Trixie wins I assume the show was set up just for her unless she actually does really really well but then again they might just throw a folk singing challenge to help her out since she is so close with WOW. Hopefully there is no Roxxxy of the season and no obvious collusion between a group of queens.
 

Tera Melos

Banned deucer.
Sometimes when my band plays live I wear this Dinosaur Dress ( it belongs to my girlfriend ) It's super tiny on me and I think it's funny / cute and I feel funny / cute in it.

What's this say about me from the perspective of people who are into Drag culture?
 

dwarfstar

mindless philosopher
I still don't even know what this means
Egg is a term used mostly in the trans community to mean a trans person who hasn't figured out that they're trans yet. While the feelings you're describing aren't guaranteed to be a sign of transness and there are definitely dudes who feel cute in dresses, a lot of transfeminine folks have had similar experiences to what you're describing, so if there's a pattern of positive feelings you associate with things perceived as feminine and/or discomfort with things that identify you as masculine it might be worth trying to process those feelings and see what you come up with
 

Tera Melos

Banned deucer.
Egg is a term used mostly in the trans community to mean a trans person who hasn't figured out that they're trans yet. While the feelings you're describing aren't guaranteed to be a sign of transness and there are definitely dudes who feel cute in dresses, a lot of transfeminine folks have had similar experiences to what you're describing, so if there's a pattern of positive feelings you associate with things perceived as feminine and/or discomfort with things that identify you as masculine it might be worth trying to process those feelings and see what you come up with

I'm 100% not trans, but I get it now.
 
I'm kinda disappointed that this thread isn't as active as I hoped considering AS3 has started. So I thought I'd share some thoughts so far:
- Ben is killing this and has already outperformed her previous run in the first 3 episodes.
-I'm happy with Shangela's progress too.
-I hope that Shangela and Trixie stay long just for their commentary
- I'm slightly disappointed by bebe so far.
- I'm happy Trixie is just middle of the road just so the Trixie fans can shut up about Trixie winning as a fact.
- I'm confused about 'The Handmaids Tale' reference
- I love Chi Chi but she has to go.

So far I'm loving the season and hope Dela takes it all the way.

Ps Wishes awesome to see you reppin' Dela!
 

Myzozoa

to find better ways to say what nobody says
is a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Past WCoP Champion
I just have to say that drag race is truly a proper test of ones' ability to perceive consensus reality because you know ur fucking up if you cant tell the top 2 and bottom 2 before it is announced by the judges: they always get it right in my experience watching the show.

Having said that:

Chi Chi could turn it around anytime, she is super talented. She will be sent off if she finds herself in the bottom again I reckon, I just don't get her lack of self belief because she is imo a more established drag performer than most of the cast. She should have been off for not wearing shoes in e1, idk where her mind is in the season, she dances in heels all the time.

im just glad they got rid of all the annoying queens asap.
 
I just have to say that drag race is truly a proper test of ones' ability to perceive consensus reality because you know ur fucking up if you cant tell the top 2 and bottom 2 before it is announced by the judges: they always get it right in my experience watching the show.

Having said that:

Chi Chi could turn it around anytime, she is super talented. She will be sent off if she finds herself in the bottom again I reckon, I just don't get her lack of self belief because she is imo a more established drag performer than most of the cast. She should have been off for not wearing shoes in e1, idk where her mind is in the season, she dances in heels all the time.

im just glad they got rid of all the annoying queens asap.
Honestly I think Chi Chi has no hope, considering it's snatch game this week and she was meh in her last one. I reckon she'll be in the bottom. It's probably for the best so she has a chance at the ruvenge thing Ru is planning and maybe return when all the acting challenges have gone.
 
Well Dela has set/drawn like a million records now.

Even though I love chi chi it was her time to go but it was probably the most graceful of an exit the show has ever had.

Also I'm betting Dela does not win the crown now just because she has to stumble at one point and she'll be gone the first chance they get. No one wants to make the same mistake Detox did in AS2.
 
Thank you to whoever put henny in the title, lol.

Anyways, All Stars 3 finale next week. With the gag of the century in DeLa's elimination, it's anybody's game. I'm personally #TeamKennedy. I love her a lot and I think if anyone deserves a crown, she does. Her hard work has shown and although she has the worst track record of the four, Kennedy's legacy and impact in the realm of drag is undeniable and I think she'd make a welcome addition. Also, totally freaking out because my best friend got a video message from her telling me congratulations on some personal stuff I achieved and sending me love and inspiration!!! So, obviously she has my vote.

With that being said, I think Shangela is 100% the clear cut most deserving. From first out to winner, it's a true arc and legacy that nobody on Drag Race comes close to. She's also got the best track record at this point. Though, I'm willing to bet Trixie or Bebe will win somehow... I just don't know. But I love all four of the girls, and I'd be happy with whatever comes! Thinking Trixie will snatch the crown, but I wish for Kennedy to win!
 

EV

Banned deucer.
Fuck that show. Seriously. Lost all credibility after Ben left.

Kennedy making final 2 over Shangela was a travesty, and Trixie winning was just insult to injury. No wonder S10 is coming up so quickly to distract from this mess.
 

Bughouse

Like ships in the night, you're passing me by
is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a CAP Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
Lots of season 10 queens I'm a fan of.

Genuinely interested in all of the following (literally over half the cast) roughly in this order(?): The Vixen, Eureka, Yuhua, Monet, Dusty Ray, Miz Cracker, Aquaria, and Vanessa
 

EV

Banned deucer.
Some topics I've been thinking about:
RPDR AS4 and the Holiday Special are coming out soon.

(1) What are your thoughts on having FOUR drag shows from the RPDR family air in the same year? Do you think drag has achieved a new level of acceptance in American culture and society or is it just a byproduct of a larger network getting its hands on the show? Combination of both?

(2) How do you feel about the series celebrating controversial personalities such as Eureka (holiday special) and Trinity Taylor (AS4)? And by controversial I don't mean Valentina levels of narcissism controversy, I mean making racist (Eureka) or transphobic (Trinity) remarks about other cast members and the drag community at large. (Feel free to go for the jugular and bring up Ru's own sordid past on these topics, too.)

(2.a.) What do you think people within the drag community can do to address racism or transphobia in general? And more specifically, do you think RPDR is doing more harm than good (by focusing on the entertainment value generated by "drama" and failing to hold people such as Eureka/Trinity/Ru accountable) or is it just the uncomfortable stage of the community making progress toward the wider acceptance of all types of drag queens?​

(3) Do you agree Trixie's Playhouse AS4 cast "ruveal" was a shitshow? [super cringe, hardly any laughter from the audience, Trixie & Katya turning it into an UNHhhh spinoff] To piggyback some on (2), did you think it was appropriate for Detox to proclaim Gia Gunn has some "weight on her shoulders" as the first openly trans contestant going into a season?

(4) Potpourri option (talk about anything else RPDR related!)


 

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