Drag Queens

At this point, I just have to offer my two cents worth about drag queens. Don’t you wonder why the far-right Republicans are only now getting so riled up about drag queens? They have been around forever and we’re learning that some Republicans who now attack them used to have (and maybe still do have) drag queens for friends. So, why now? And why are they presenting drag queens and gays as pedophiles?

According to Jamey Heron-Waterhouse, “The concept of drag can be traced back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries, as women were not allowed to perform on stage, thus, male actors had to dress like women to perform female roles. The term ‘drag’ itself is even thought to have originated from the dresses of the male actors ‘dragging’ along the floor.”

Eventually, of course, drag morphed into what we see today where mostly gay, but occasionally heterosexual, men dress and perform as outlandish women who wear bright colors, big wigs, and amazing makeup. They usually lip-sync songs and sometimes remove parts of their long dresses to reveal rather skimpy glitzy outfits as they dance across the stage in high heels and even do the splits. Truly, they are amazing performers which is part of why so many people enjoy a drag show. Drag is an art form.

Some women, called drag kings, dress as men and then sing, dance, or perform standup comedy. It’s interesting that drag kings are not getting the focus of hatred as the queens are. But, then, it really isn’t a surprise since women are seen as less important in our culture. This could be one of the reasons so many men object deeply to men dressing as woman. “How dare they denigrate men by looking like and performing as women!” Some heterosexual men object because they find themselves attracted to the drag queens. This attraction makes then doubt their own masculinity: “How can I feel attraction to a man dressed as a woman? Am I gay? Oh, no, that would be a fate worse than death.”

In any event, this faux hatred in the name of Christianity serves mostly as a distraction. While the far-righters point to drag queens and say “Look over there. Aren’t they terrible? We must denounce them in the name of Jesus,” they are doing their best to pass legislation that helps big corporations and hurts regular people like you and me. The more we hear about drag queens, the more we should look at what the Republicans are doing all day.

Here’s what drag kings and queens do. They play with the concept of gender. They show us the various ways each gender can present itself. This is done in such a manner that we can’t look away; we don’t want to look away because we’re intrigued, entertained, educated and, sometimes, attracted. Truly, only people who have issues with their own gender will be upset by a drag show. When a man is comfortable with his masculinity, he can see other men dress as women and appreciate the talent it takes to be a drag queen.

As Wayne Dyer said one time, speaking to the men in his audience. “If a gay bar moves into your neighborhood, don’t protest it. Throw on a bra, go there and find out what it’s all about.”

If you can, watch the show on HBO called We’re Here. You can watch the trailer for Season 3 here even without a subscription to HBO. Not only will you learn a lot about some of the people who are drag queens, you will also learn about the deep struggle faced by many gay men and woman who are experiencing incredible negative press these days. If you’re “straight,” you might be drawn to become a supportive of the LGBTQ community like a straight man who did drag on this past Sunday’s show. As he said, “I’m straight and that will never change. But I want to support the LGBTQ community by experiencing some of what they experience.” He made an excellent drag queen and said he was deeply touched.

At the level of soul, we’re neither male nor female. When we incarnate, we choose to live as male or female for reasons personal to each of us. Let’e celebrate both genders as well as people who see themselves as non-binary - neither male nor female and maybe  both or neither at the same time. This can be confusing, but it is also very liberating. People are people here to have various experiences. Let’s celebrate one another, learn about each other, and if a gay bar moves into your neighborhood, throw on a bra and go check it out.

Living in grace and ease,

Krysta