Drag and Popular Culture

Abstract

In this discussion of drag and popular culture, I should make it very clear at the outset that I will be discussing drag in the context of gay culture. This does not mean to say that drag does not exist outside of gay culture, or that every person who dresses in drag (male or female) is gay or lesbian. But, first of all, my specialty is gay culture, and secondly, much of the drag we see in popular or avant-garde art comes from that world. And finally, I’m just dreadfully tired of turning on the television and watching drag artistes on interview shows who are asked whether or not they are gay, replying “I really don’t think sex is that important, do you, that it has to enter into everything? I love women very much, and I’m dating a very lovely woman at the moment, thank you.” The fact of the matter is that many drag artists are gay and this is quite simply because drag is a significant element in gay culture. So much time is wasted (as is always wasted around gay matters) with men defending their so-called “masculinity” that it’s time to redress the imbalance and talk of drag in the context of its roots. (Keep in mind that when I suggest that drag has its roots in gay culture I am referring to modern western culture of the last 500 years. Obviously in Asian cultures and ancient cultures there are different cultural and sociological factors involved.)