Why is drag so popular now?

[Nothingcomesforfree]

Genuine question. I have seen lots of posts on a Facebook this morning about attending some drag queen event. Mostly women and several bringing their teens ( both sexes)

It seems really popular but I have no idea why or what people going get out of it? Is it comedic or fashion or something else.

It’s near the knuckle humour, which most humour is these days. I watched a programme about a working-class comedian a weeks ago and he told a joke to some student union officers about disability. We found it hilarious. The student union officers sat stony faced. I don’t find drag funny or even entertaining and I see misogyny everywhere in daily life and it upsets and angers me. I just don’t find drag something that upsets me.

I have also just read that Cheryl Cole is one of the guest judges in this year’s RuPaul Drag Race so I am guessing she isn’t at all offended either.

So she is playing the ‘straight man’. Like ulrika Johnson? Not funny just the but of the jokes.

“he told a joke to some student union officers about disability. We found it hilarious. The student union officers sat stony faced”

Who do you think was right?

Nobody is right or wrong. We found it funny they didn’t. DP found it the funniest and he’s disabled. It was funny because it was true.

It was on a programme called ‘How the Middle-Class Ruined Britain’ if you are interested in watching it.

Interesting that you found the joke about Tourette’s funny *Bertrand.’ How do you square this particular circle...

“Interesting that you found the joke about Tourette’s funny *Bertrand.’ How do you square this particular circle...”

I don’t see why it’s a circle that needs to be squared. Offensive, cruel and bad taste things can be funny. That doesn’t make them OK.

Cheryl’s not the brightest though is she? Watched her who do you think you are programme. Dear god imagine being stuck next to her at a dinner party.

I hate this assumption that working class people can’t be thoughtful, sensitive or care about people’s feelings.

That’s not what I have said or would ever say, being working -class myself. We can be broad minded and take the piss out of ourselves though

Look at the dynamic between women and gay men and men and lesbians as well.

Women are often quite keen to have a 'gay best friend', be a 'fag hag' (is that still a thing these days?), invite their GBF on their hen parties and girls nights out. But it's all coming from the women and there is rarely any sexual element to it. It feels like it's the same for drag queens, lots of female fans, women will be part of the act, allow themselves to be mocked in public, because its drag and its so artistic.

Contrast that with men and lesbians. Generally men are only interested in lesbians (and only 'good looking' ones at that) in the context of 'watching them making out' and the lesbians doing something for them by giving the man the pleasure of getting off on their sexuality. You very rarely get a straight man with a lesbian BFF who comes on all the lads nights out. And can you imagine a drag King act where a man gets up on stage and allows a woman dressed as a bloke to absolutely rip the piss out of them? Because I can't...

Obviously I'm generalising here, but this thread has given me a lot of food for thought.

Came across a trailer for a US podcast, Mob Queens, about a mafia wife who (reportedly) testified against her H, became a powerful criminal in her own right and ran some of the first drag clubs. Origins: the mob!

Taking the piss out of ourselves is a very different thing to taking the piss out of other people.

The woman was called Anna Genovese.

I was very active in women’s rights in the 1970s. As gay rights became more of a “thing” women were very easily drawn into it- we became note takers and tea makers to gay men (not gay women, obviously). And then HIV/AIDs happened. Suddenly all the energy went into gay men’s rights. Gay men had just as much of a sense of entitlement and feeling that they had the right to women’s work as straight men but with additional political power. All very depressing. Women have always enabled men in all sorts of ways and for all sorts of reasons. When it’s gay men they can do it while feeling cool and justified. It’s all just enabling misogyny whatever the men are doing.

I have also just read that Cheryl Cole is one of the guest judges in this year’s RuPaul Drag Race so I am guessing she isn’t at all offended either

Just because Love Thy Neighbour/On The Buses/Mind Your Language etc in the 70s starred black/female/Indian etc actors doesn't mean those shows were not sexist or racist. Whether the actors in question were 'offended' by their roles or not.

It’s absolutely heartbreaking that Cheryl Cole has to pretend to be happy with this. It is impossible that she is not remotely upset by a Cheryl Hole. Impossible.

She must be very keen to try anything popular to kickstart her career though. Sad really.

She probably thinks it’s a hoot.