Drag has always been something that fascinated me. As a young person, I think people in drag appealed to me because they represented people who were different (read: queer) but also because they seemed both strange and confident; I had one side of the equation but not the other. They subverted gender norms and did it with a laugh. I have vague memories of seeing people in drag on television and in movies (Bugs Bunny and Benny Hill come to mind) but my first real memories are of the cover to the soundtrack for The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Divine, who became the first drag superstar.
Confident and brash, Frank. N. Furter looked larger than life. It would be at least a decade before I saw the movie, but I was already fascinated. Fast forward a few decades and I had the pleasure to meet Tim Curry, debilitated by illness but still classy and charming.
Divine on the other hand, was mesmerizing in a whole different way. He was like everyone’s debauched aunt who drank too much at a wedding: wig askew, makeup painted to high heaven, and singing with abandon.
In their own ways, each of these drag artists gave me something that I needed, when I needed it. Not long after, the same can be said of Annie Lennox, who took apart what it meant to be a female pop star by combining short hair and men’s suits. She was like a reverse-gendered David Bowie, another huge inspiration for me. Her confidence, talent, and artistry continue to be an inspiration. Call me up if you’re ever in Guelph, Annie!
RuPaul was the first drag queen I remember who spoke politically, not just for camp or entertainment. I remember seeing her speak at a 1993 rally in Washington and thinking, “Wow! She is really something!” Little did I know then that RuPaul’s Drag Race would come to define drag for over a decade.
You could be forgiven for thinking that the Monty Python troupe had used up all of the humour to be found in a man in a dress, but Canada’s own Kids in the Hall brought drag humour back to the mainstream in hilarious fashion. The standout player for me was Scott Thompson (second from the right, at back) the first unabashedly gay man I remember on Canadian TV. His outlandish characters such as Buddy the socialite definitely inspired my work while I was in art school.
Finally, I want to speak about the Fay and Fluffy, the Toronto-based performing drag duo who have been slaying audiences both young and old for some years now. I can’t say how much it meant to me that I was able to book them at my library because, first, they put on a great show, but, also, I wanted to be able to tell the world that it’s not only ok to be different, but you can have fun doing it! We know that a little support can make a huge difference in the lives of LGBTQ+ young people, and I want to do my part to help. They were so wonderful and I can’t wait to have them back.
It seems like life has given me the drag performers I needed, when I needed them. Thanks to you all.
