Drag Queens: Saving Queer Media
By Anne Gregg
A shy queer person is brought to a gay bar by their new friends. The lights are down and club music is playing. The camera slyly pans to a sign that says “Drag Night.” An early 2000s pop hit plays as a Drag Queen (most likely one who appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race) appears on a stage. She asks the crowd for a volunteer in her act. A spotlight falls on the unwilling protagonist who is dragged up to the stage by their friends. They shy away from the lights, but eventually they are singing in the mic and dancing like everyone else. The protagonist learns to open up and to express themself. Afterwards, they are ready to be more confident in their life and relationships.
This scene is copy and pasted in a plethora of movies and television, shows like Happiest Season, Love Victor, Fire Island. A version of the Drag Queen self-love scene even appears in Hurricane Bianca, a campy movie made by Drag Queen Bianca Del Rio. Drag Queens even appear in straight comedies like Dumplin’ and Hairspray. With the onslaught of drag bans around the country, it’s important to consider what the portrayal of Drag Queens tells us about how they are viewed in America’s media dominion.
I am using the term Drag Queen to refer to anyone who uses a female presenting drag character to participate in queer art. On the other hand, in this article the term men in drag refers to people who are not necessarily participating in queer art, and in some cases are belittling queer culture. Making the distinction between men in drag and drag queens is important because Tennessee’s legislation to ban drag is written as banning “male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest, or similar entertainers, regardless of whether or not performed for consideration” in any place that is not strictly an adult establishment. This phrasing is similar across legislation that would ban drag. The language is intentionally vague, because in the eyes of those who wrote the bill, transgender women are female impersonators. Banning gender expression under the guise of banning impersonation shows that some lawmakers see no distinction between drag queens and trans people.
Drag Queens or men in drag are more prominent in media than any other kinds of drag performers. Men performing in drag for comedic affect is a tradition in mainstream movies. Some Like It Hot, White Chicks, and Mrs. Doubtfire, all have men in drag as the central protagonists. These performances do not promote a freedom of gender expression. Instead they make fun of men taking on feminine roles.
While men in drag often serve a comedic purpose in movies, Drag Queens have taken on a different role, even in comedies. In queer movies or open minded modern films, Drag Queens often serve as guides to the protagonists. They appear to help the protagonists find their confidence. In Prime Video’s Cinderella remake, Billy Porter literally plays the fairy godmother. So why are Drag Queens so often used to save the day or help the shy main character out of their shell in queer media?
Well, because drag is the ultimate freedom of expression for the queer community. Drag Queens play with gender norms and sexuality. They can wear big crazy wigs, loud makeup, and elaborate costumes. Drag Queens use themselves as a canvas on top of being dancers, singers, performers, comedians and/or models. Drag Queens are unafraid to express themselves. They will get crazy and weird, and it’s delightful to watch. When a character in a movie is shy about their queerness they are taken to a drag bar. There they are taught to embrace their queerness.
As I mentioned above, the Drag Queen scene comes when the character needs a pick-me-up, when they feel alone, helpless, or unworthy. Performance allows the main character to embrace themselves and express everything they want to suppress. Through drag, they experience that one moment of freedom where they can become more open to the challenges they are facing. The Drag Queens in these movies are an introduction for the young queer protagonist into a world of freedom and living unapologetically. They are a doorway into the queer community. Drag is freedom and these scenes recognize the power and respect Drag Performers hold in the queer community. Drag does not conform to societal rules or expectations, it is subversive and liberating. That is why we as queer people celebrate drag and that is why some lawmakers hate it.
Drag Performers are pillars of the queer community. They are community leaders and organizers. They show an alternate version of what people can look like and how people can express themselves outside of the cis straight hegemony. Queer media paints them as whimsical immortal sages because the world they create, the freedom they inhabit is magical. Drag gives people confidence and that is a powerful and necessary message for young queer people. The way Drag Queens are portrayed in queer media shows how vital they are to our community.
But we need to remember that they do not have magical powers and they are not untouchable. In fact there is very real legislation that could suppress them. Now is the time to give back to the Drag Community and use our power to help them.
About the Author
Anne Gregg is a poet and writer from Northwest Indiana. She is an English Writing major at DePauw University and is the editor-in-chief of her campus’s literary magazine, A Midwestern Review. She is a Media Fellow at her university and loves dissecting how LGBTQ+ people are portrayed in film and tv.
