Drag as Competition
Drag is not a contact sport, but should it be a competition? RuPaul's Drag Race is a TV phenomenon, bringing an underground art-form to the forefront of pop culture. Ru herself just won an Emmy, and is nominated for multiple MTV awards. On the show, Ru drives her queens (almost exclusively men dressing up as women) to compete for an ultimate crown of America's Next Drag Superstar. It's a cutthroat, high stakes, sometimes literal race that drives these queens (because there have never been drag kings on it **hint hint Ru**) to their limits, and to the constant critique and ridicule of the judges to fit a certain bill. But RuPaul's drag race is reality TV. Promo art for RuPaul's Drag Race (RuPaul pictured) Meanwhile, in my current home of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, a similar competition is taking place: Alberta's Next Drag Superstar (ANDS), totally not bridging on a copyright violation. Drag performers, not just drag queens (yes folks, Alberta is more ...