Poli%cs  of  Representa%on  Drag  Queens  and  Hyper-­‐Femininity  at  

the  Queer  Stage  

Case  Study:  RuPaul  Drag  Race  •  For  this  module  we  will  be  analyzing  RuPaul  Drag  Race  and  the  space  of  queer  pageantry.    – Watch  the  following  trailer  of  the  show.    

•  Do  you  see  how  the  interesec%onality  of  the  axis  of  sex,  gender,  class,  race,  body  image  and  place  took  center  stage  in  the  narra%ve?    •  How  different  and/or  similar  is  to  tradi%onal  pageants?  

What  is  the  queer  space?    •  Social  spaces  (not  always  physical)  with  tolerance  for   difference   and   ambiguity.   These   are   the  cracks   in   the   social   system  where   new   styles   of  dressing  and  living  become  possible.  In  Deleuzian  terms  these  are  spaces  where  deterritorializa%on  occurs.  We   bring   out   queerness   in   a   place   at   a  certain   %me   by   manifes%ng   our   difference   and  suppor%ng   the   queerness   of   others   or   simply  accep%ng  it.    – Queer   space   is   a   rip   in   the   dominant   social   fabric  where   I   allow  myself   to   be   “Other”   or   queer   and   to  explore  and  create  a  new  self.  

The   interes%ng   element   about   drag   queen’s  pageant   circuits   is   that   it   blatantly   reveal   how  specific  gender    performances  are   illusions  that  require  %me  and  effort  to  produce.      – While   it   is  easy  to    dismiss  drag  shows  as  farcical  entertainment,   what     is   conveyed   through  comedic    expression  is  oSen  poli%cal,  may  be  used  as  social  cri%que,  and  can  be   indica%ve  of     social  values.  

Drag   queens   emp loy   f emin ine   body  technologies   in   order   to   achieve     their   looks.    They   used   feminine   clothing,   makeup,     wigs,  pantyhose,   girdles,   pushup   bras,     jewelry,   nail  polish,  and  breast  implants  to  achieve  the  image  of  “female.”  

The  goal  for  this  module  is  to  go  beyond  the  tradi%onal  understanding  of  drag  queens  posi%on  within  dichotomous  American  concep%ons  of    sexuality  and  gender.  Some  of  the  ques%ons  I  want  you  to  tackle  are:  •  How  does    RuPaul’s  Drag  Race  relate  to  hegemonic  and  oppressive  

stereotypes   and   roles   associated   with   gender   iden%ty,   sexual  orienta%on,     size,   class,   race   and   ethnicity?  Does   it   challenge     or  reinforce    such    hegemonies?    

•  How    does    RuPaul’s  Drag  Race  portray  fat  and  thin  contestants?      •  How   do   contestants’   socioeconomic   backgrounds   fit   into   their  

portrayals  on  the  show?    •  How    does    RuPaul’s    Drag  Race  portray    queer  cultures  ,  and  are  

these  portrayals  stereotypical?      •  How  is  race    represented  on  the  show;  do  racial  stereotypes  come  

into  play?