‘Darkness Turned into Power’: Drag as resistance in the era of Trumpian reversal

Abstract

Abstract In ‘Darkness Turned to Power’ Ella Greenhalgh unearths the role of the contemporary drag queen as a force of revitalized queer resistance in the United States. Beginning by tracing the political, cultural and social impact that Donald Trump’s election campaign and presidency has had on queer Americans thus far, Greenhalgh demonstrates that it is Trump’s toxic masculinity that creates a context in which drag is more obviously defiant. The role of drag as an innately resistive and political art form is acknowledged in drag’s long history. However, Greenhalgh goes on to portray modern drag as having greater power in political activism, with a greater mainstream public interest due, most notably, to the television show RuPaul’s Drag Race (2009–present, US: Logo and VH1). Three queens who use their drag to oppose Trump in differing ways are considered. She finds resistance emerges through direct action, interpretive art and dance, social media presence and straight-up mockery. While highlighting that drag is antithetical to the conservative world-view that considers binaries fundamental, Greenhalgh notes the inherent limitations within drag’s rise to the mainstream, concluding that if drag is ‘darkness turned into power’, drag artists must use this power to fight inclusively against the common enemy.