#48 Don't be a drag - get into drag!
My name is Elaine and I LOVE drag! Drag makes me very happy as it is a form of pure escapism. This blog is dedicated to the reasons why. So firstly what qualifies me to pontificate about the benefits of drag for my wellbeing?
I have watched every series of Rupaul’s Drag Race - US, UK and Canada (plus Allstars spin-offs). If you haven’t heard of it, this is a TV show created and hosted by Rupaul Charles the most famous drag queen in the world in which drag queens battle against each other for the crown
I regularly go to live drag shows with my little group of Drag Fans - luckily for me since Drag Race became more popular there is pretty much always a show on (usually mid-week so they can keep venue costs low so we need to be selective!)
I have a Dragmin PA (aka my BFF’s daughter) who organises our schedule of drag shows
The main photo of this blog pays tribute to 4 of my favourite queens (3 of which I have seen perform live) - they are all different but share one thing in common - FABULOUSNESS!
So on to the main reasons why drag is good for us (well me anyway, I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea):
Costumes & make-up
I have always been into fashion and clothes and fancy dress parties - if I was allowed, I would probably dress up in a different fancy dress costume every day. Most drag acts make their own costumes and the more flamboyant and over-the-top the better - no such thing as too many sequins or frills. Huge and quirky wigs play a big role check out Baga Chipz on the right wearing a lit-up Christmas tree wig - I want one.
Drag artists spend hours perfecting their make-up looks and they have mastered the art of accentuating, highlighting, contouring and looking completely different from how they look bare-faced. I wish I had the time, patience and skill to transform into a fabulous alter ego. i don’t, so instead I will watch in admiration.
Community
One of the best things about the drag community is how it is so inclusive and diverse. Drag queens and drag kings can be male, female or non-binary. They can be any colour or size. Many of them have not had the support of their families because they don’t conform to imposed stereotypes so have had to deal with abuse or tried to hide their true selves. The drag community becomes a family of kindred spirits who support each other and one of the best parts of Drag Race is hearing the back stories.
Entertainment
Top drag acts are really talented. There is so much more to it than costumes and make-up - they need to keep their audience entertained with singing, dancing, acting or comedy. And of course they need to be good at lip-synching to pop anthems. Some of the moves they are able to do all whilst sporting a ‘tuck’, I mean…..
Drag names
I love a play on words and drag names are often pure genius either because they are clever, smutty or just plain ridiculous. Examples are Farrah Moan, Sharon Needles, Baga Chipz, Kim Chi, BenDeLaCreme, Hulluva Bottom Carter, Bob the Drag Queen - the list goes on. There is even an entire glossary of drag race terms which you can reference here if you are interested. Rupaul fans create their own community - if I could count the number of times I have talked to a stranger cos they are wearing a ‘Sashay Away’ Tshirt!
Escapism
The main reason why I love drag is that it is pure escapism - it takes you into a fantasy world which is just another excuse to have fun and laugh. For the launch of the new UK versus the world Drag Race show, we had a cocktail party where we each had to create our own Rupaul-inspired cocktail. The photo below is my entry called ‘GINny Lemon’ in honour of a Brummie drag queen of the same name. Other cocktails featured prosecco-soaked candy floss, rainbow sweets accompanied by themed cup cakes with drag queen cut outs - now who doesn’t need a bit of that in their life?
