Drag

[Micah]

So for the second time in the past month I've been asked to do drag (dress up as a female) to support a particular event - and you know what? It's just not me!

First it was to support the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and hand out brochures, then it was to dress up for our Sexuality Week at uni to "expose" the heterosexuals to "gay culture".

Now one of my close friends does drag, and he is absolutely amazing at it. He performs at the local gay club each week and I love to watch his shows. But I personally don't think I could get a kick out of it (mind you I haven't tried it...maybe I should so I can get an idea before i knock it? )

What do you guys think? (keeping in mind that it's a popular activity and form of expression for gay people).

EDIT: Thread topic is "what do you think of drag?" not "do you think I should do drag?" :P sorry for confusion!

[CrimsonThunder]

I think getting asked to dress in drag to support a queer event is just stupid. It just makes people think thats all we do.

I would say the minority of gay people dress as girls, so why is it such a big thing? Shouldn't the event be about BEING YOURSELF so why don't you go dressed as you normally do.

[Jeimuzu]

If you want to do it, do it. Don't do it just for the sake of trying it, It's not something that you're better or worse for doing. I've never quite gotten it myself. I mean, if people want to do it, I'm not going to stop them or anything. However, boys look cuter as boys - not as burly women. :P

[Grof142007]

when i watch a drag show I'm down right mind blow I loved watching the one drag show i went to it was awesome i would love to watch more but to actually do it not for me. (unless it was Halloween then all bets are off LOL)

[CrimsonThunder]

I watched a drag show when i was in melbourne, it was entertaining and funny but nothing i'd go out of my way to watch again.

[Wander]

Really, it's more insulting to me than anything when a person believes that dressing in drag is part of our "culture" and that it will sway others to be more tolerant. Quite a shame.

[joeyconnick]

I think you'd do excellent drag, Micah... but I completely understand it not being "your thing."

I guess you could go by the "don't knock it till you've tried it" axiom but I don't think that holds in all cases.

Still, would help you when you next play "I never."

[joeyconnick]

Originally Posted by Wander

Really, it's more insulting to me than anything when a person believes that dressing in drag is part of our "culture" and that it will sway others to be more tolerant. Quite a shame.

Well inasmuch as queer people can be said to have a unified culture (and I think you can make the argument there is a distinct queer culture or history at least in Canada and the US), drag is totally and utterly part of the fabric of "our" history. I don't think that means we should all have to dress up in genderbending clothing/costumes but saying that drag isn't part of the gay rights movement is like saying Martin Luther King Jr. wasn't part of the civil rights movement.

And I don't think anyone thinks drag increases tolerance so much as it challenges preconceptions. If drag makes you somewhat uncomfortable, well... that's part of the idea. The other part is that drag queens are often hilarious and pick cool songs to "sing."

[Gerry]

If you really want to give it a try then go ahead. I think that there are other ways of expressing all those things without having to dress in drag. But if you want to, more power to you!

[ccdd]

My immediate instinct when reading this is to say that surely doing something you don't feel comfortable doing, or don't feel represents you, is not the best way to raise awareness and increase tolerance. Rather, to do so seems to be you conforming to what others feel you should be like, rather than what you are like. The way I see it, the LGBT community is as diverse as any other random group of people - some people like drag, others wouldn't go near it. Stereotypes and media representation aside, I'd say that both drag and no drag are equally valid as representations of the LGBT community, diverse as it is.

I'd just be yourself, and if you don't mind having a bit of fun, do it; but if it makes you feel uncomfortable, or you feel that you'd be misrepresenting yourself, then I'd be vocal about it.

[Micah]

I think you'd do excellent drag, Micah

Haha I'm not sure whether to take this as a compliment That being said I said no to doing drag. Maybe in the future, but right now I'll support the gay community by volunteering in areas where I can wear jeans. Oh - and to clarrify the point of this thread was not a "should i do drag?" topic, rather it was a "what do you think of drag?" topic.

and I think you can make the argument there is a distinct queer culture or history at least in Canada and the US

In Australia too. There was a huge gay culture in rural Australia in the 1950s based around drag.

[davo-man]

Originally Posted by Micah

In Australia too. There was a huge gay culture in rural Australia in the 1950s based around drag.

....Priscilla Queen of the Desert...oh I so totally feel like watching that movie now

Also, I personally think a drag show would be quite entertaining, and wouldn't mind going to see one at some point.

[divadarya]

*The Tranny Chimes in*
The history of drag is fascinating. I think gay men get insulted because they are expected to love drag, when being Queer is so incredibly complex. I get insulted too, when I'm told that I'm "in drag" when in truth, I live my life in "drag" as a man. I think drag is an expression of any kind of over-the-top sexuality/gender stereotyping done by anyone, straight, gay, lesbian, bi or trans....(Madonna and Cher are SUCH drag queens)
One of my favorite recent memories was watching my friend Kale perform at a showcase for Trans performers in L.A. called Trans/Giving. Kale was born in female body and is doing Hormone (Testosterone) therapy to become more masculine, which is how he feels. He normally has a beard and his arms are quite hairy, and his voice has dropped to a husky cuteness. For the show, he shaved, put on a blonde wig and makeup and performed three songs from Annie ("Tomorrow" brought down the house) in a blouse and a skirt. Now, THAT's Drag...spoofing your birth gender by performing in drag as a girl and sounding to all the world like a cute gay man!
When I go to the Goth clubs, I love to dress up and put on false eyelashes, wigs, and extreme makeup; however, I have nothing to prove, except that I like to travel in a different dimension and dance a lot.
Micah, you'd make an adorable girl, but if it makes you miserable, don't do it. The fun of drag is being someone else temporarily.
xo
Darya

I'd like to try it, if only for a day I would definitely not be comfortable like that though heh, it'd just be for fun or something ^_^

I like to take the 'don't knock it till you've tried it' approach.

[Psychedelic Bookmarks]

I think drag is pretty cool. I think that it should eventually help to show people that behaving unstereotypically for your gender is OK and even fun. But not when it makes it seem ridiculous, like some kind of panto dame. When men walk down the street in dresses and women in suits and nobody bats an eyelid, then I'll be really pleased.

[divadarya]

Originally Posted by Micah

First it was to support the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and hand out brochures, then it was to dress up for our Sexuality Week at uni to "expose" the heterosexuals to "gay culture".

EDIT: Thread topic is "what do you think of drag?" not "do you think I should do drag?" :P sorry for confusion!

Micah...another good topic might be what is Gay/Lesbian/Bi/Trans "culture".

[Micah]

Originally Posted by divadarya

Micah...another good topic might be what is Gay/Lesbian/Bi/Trans "culture".

That's actually a really good question and the thought of it blows my mind a bit because it's just such a huge thing. The GLBT community is so diverse =]

[dictionary]

hmmm.... i cant see me doing that...

But in saying that i go to an alboys school so during my scholing i have had to dress up as a girl many times for drama ect...

[CrimsonThunder]

Originally Posted by divadarya

Micah...another good topic might be what is Gay/Lesbian/Bi/Trans "culture".

Leather, drag, cupcakes and pedophiles. (you mean steriotypical culture? )

[byeee]

Well, for Glamour Day in a couple weeks I'll most likely drag as well- but hey! Everything's fun at least the first time you try it right?