"drag kings are boring, they just look like normal guys." this is not true for all drag kings, but it is only boring to you because you have failed to realize that manhood and masculinity also require constant over-performance around the clock, especially with strangers you don't even plan on getting to know.
these things look "normal and dull" to certain folks because they haven't had to live through what it's like to have to literally perform manhood for every single person you meet, because it's expected of you to be stoic, strong, and "manly," and a lot of that is reflected in clothing and personal grooming as well. our society has such a rigid view of manhood that there is basically no wiggle room for personal expression in interests and activities that are not traditionally "manly". men are told they are not men if they do not uphold these traits.
this is a performance.
gender is a performance no matter what you identify as. men and mascs have to over-perform manhood as well, just as women have to, trans or cis.
Before Lady Gaga’s brief and short king alter-ego, Jo Calderone, was made famous for performing Yoü and I at the 2011 MTV music video awards, he made his public debut in the “Elegant Mechanics” feature Vogue Hommes Japan just a year before, shot by Nick Knight. Here we learn the little origin story of this humble car mechanic from Sicily, who loves Frank Sinatra and working for his dad’s business, when he’s not getting busted for pissing in public. Wonder what he’s up to now? We miss him. Thx to ladygaga.fandom.com for the scans.
thing is, there are some drag shows that kids shouldn’t be at. hell, I’ve performed in some drag shows that specifically didn’t allow anyone under 19 (usually in bars). and that’s ok. drag is a wide spectrum of art and sometimes the performances are fun and colourful and designed to be appropriate for kids (like drag story time, which I’ve also done) and sometimes they are meant to only be seen by adults. that doesn’t make them inherently harmful to children any more than other art forms. movies, music, shows, books, all of these things have similar kid-friendly and not-kid-friendly designations. the fact that they are being attacked is simply due to homophobia and transphobia, and nothing else.
Caption: [Audio from "Supermodel (You Better Work)" by RuPaul plays. It starts with the spoken words "I have one thing to say. You better work, bitch".]
i just lose my mind every time someone insinuates women or "women" wearing pants or w/e is a masculine thing. Like I would agree the acceptable range of fashion for ppl perceived as women is more lenient than of ppl perceived as men, but ultimately that just means those articles of clothing are acceptably feminine enough!!!! Most of the time that acceptability comes with cuts designed to fit feminine fashion standards; and like, a woman wearing a MEN'S suit is treated very differently than a woman wearing a suit designed for women's fashion.
Drag king Stormé DeLarverie was considered the mother of New York’s queer community for many decades. They continued to work as a bouncer at lesbian bars well into their 80s.
If you want to learn more about Stormé, check out our podcast!
Quote source: Leslie Feinberg’s Transgender warriors: making history from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman p.153
Image description: Image of Storme DeLarverie, an older mixed-race butch woman; text reads '“It really doesn’t matter whether you’re male, female, gay, straight - whatever you want your identity to be — no one has the right to try to take your life or to beat you down for it. They do not have the right.” - Storme Delarverie'