The Art of Performance, Parody, and Gender
Drag is a multifaceted art form centered on the performance of gender. It typically involves a person—of any gender—using costuming, makeup, and performance to embody a heightened, stylized, and often theatrical version of femininity (a drag queen) or masculinity (a drag king). The performance itself can encompass a wide range of talents, including lip-syncing, live singing, dancing, comedy, and acting. At its core, drag is an art form that explores, celebrates, and often critiques societal constructs of gender.
Cinema has had a long and storied relationship with drag, reflecting society’s evolving understanding and appreciation of the art form:
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Early Comedic Cross-Dressing: From the silent era through the Golden Age, men dressing as women was a common comedic trope in films like Some Like It Hot (1959), using cross-dressing for laughs and plot complications.
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Underground and Queer Cinema: In the 1960s and 70s, drag moved from a comedic device to a central element of identity in queer and cult cinema. The drag queen Divine, the muse of director John Waters, became an international counter-culture icon in films like Pink Flamingos (1972) and Hairspray (1988).
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Mainstream Breakthrough: Films like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), and The Birdcage (1996) brought authentic drag stories to mainstream audiences, celebrating drag artists as protagonists.
In the 21st century, the explosive popularity of the reality competition show RuPaul’s Drag Race has made drag a global cultural force. The show is itself a constant celebration of film, with its challenges frequently referencing or parodying iconic movie scenes, characters, and genres.