Drag Queens: A Five Star Review
- Taran McGinn
- Jan 22
- 4 min read
Dancing under bright lights and loud music are some of the most vibrant and fabulous performers of this lifetime. Drag races have a long history of expression and activism and are well known for their glamour. Not only does drag welcome exploration of creativity and identity, but also a community that has been fighting for LGBTQ+ rights since the beginning.
The original term “drag” is believed to have come from sixteenth-century performances done by an all-male cast, in which men played women’s roles, and their skirts dragged across the stage floor. While not always associated with the LGBTQ+ community, drag was characterized by cross-dressing, and allowed both heterosexual and gay men to explore a more feminine side of their identities. Clearly, this is not in the spirit of drag today, but nevertheless, drag has always been about performance and self-expression.
The earliest icon to be remembered was William Dorsey Swann: A formerly enslaved, Black, queer man who hosted drag parties in his Washington DC home in the 1880s. If being the first recorded person to refer to themselves as a “queen of drag” isn’t iconic enough, then I don’t know what is. But Swann took it another step; on one of many police encounters, they confronted an officer wearing a satin dress and was arrested for “being a suspicious character.” Not only did he wear his identity proudly, but his resistance throughout his life marked some of the earliest acts of support for the growing queer liberation movement in the US. Swann is definitely a queen to remember.
While modern drag is well known for its exaggerated features, towering wigs, and sparkly getups, earlier drag was just as glamorous. The New York drag balls of the 1970s showcased the vibrant community of people exploring a refuge from the heavily heteronormative society in which they lived. Drag balls were not only a safe space for transgender folks but also for the rest of the LGBTQ+ community. Historically, queer folks were treated violently, as they were seen as broken, sinful, and mentally ill. Many LGBTQ+ hotspots were frequented by police raids and brutality as a result, influenced by the fact that these hotspots were predominantly filled with queer people of color.
Many people found their families in these communities, in what were called “drag houses.” In these houses, a “drag mother”, would essentially adopt and help support younger LGBTQ+ people in need of housing for various reasons. Together, they would become a family of queens participating in the glory of the New York drag balls. Found families are a characteristic of life as a queer person living with homophobic family, friends, and neighbors, and create safe spaces in which LGBTQ+ people can care for each other in a world that doesn’t care for them.
In a variety of ways, drag displays differing levels of humanity. At the bottom of the list belongs homophobic parents who disown their own children to “save” their reputation. At the top, might be drag mothers and activists who make endless positive differences in the lives of the LGBTQ+ community. The way that the drag community supports each other is a prime example of having compassion and humanity: Even if they come from totally different backgrounds, they are still a family.
I have always had a fascination with drag. Not just the artistry of the makeup or the creative ensembles that sparkle on the stage, but I have always been struck by the confidence that radiates from drag queens and kings. How is it that people so “different” from the roles I grew up playing could be so full of life and happiness? As I got older, and learned more about myself, I came to not just envy their shining confidence, but to adore it. And now, as an out, young, queer person myself, drag is not only a fun and entertaining performance but also a brilliant representation of the community I’ve worked so hard to accept myself as a part of.
I will always love authentic and raw representations of LGBTQ+ life. From sapphic novels to the sweet sound of my favorite queer artist, myself and others alike are drawn to any piece of comfort we can find. However, it can feel rare to find joyful representations of queer life and love. And that is why, again and again, I will go back to drag and the drama of a drag race. While the sparkles, the lights, the music are far from our day-to-day life, I feel nothing but pride as fellow LGBTQ+ people wear their light and love on their sleeves. I hope one day, I can learn to hold myself with the same radiating confidence.
In the 1969 Stonewall Riots, Marsha P. Johnson, a trans woman and activist, was a brave leader in the retaliation against police brutality. She fought for her rights and the rights of those around her, and we should all thank her today, for without the historic event that was the Stonewall Riots, we wouldn’t have the pride parades we celebrate today. Queer liberation has always been about community. Drag has always been about freedom. Pride has always been a protest.
From supporting recently disowned youth and creating a safe space for creative self-expression to publicly challenging gender roles and expectations, drag is a method of liberation. Drag is a form of community. Drag is a place to learn and grow. Drag changes the world.
If we all practiced a similar level of compassion and humanity, imagine the place we would have in the world. Showing kindness to others should be the bare minimum and having an understanding that not all people can live the same life is essential to being a beneficial person in the world. Make it a safe place to learn and grow. Change the world.
To drag and their fabulous queens, I give five stars.
Works Cited
Bitesize, B. (2023, February 21). The history of drag and historical drag queens - BBC Bitesize. BBC Bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbkmkmn
Yuko, E., & Yuko, E. (2024, June 26). 9 Drag Queens who made history. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/news/drag-queens-who-made-history
Marsha P. Johnson. (n.d.). National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson
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