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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder if a lot of people are still against drag ?

743 replies

INXS998 · 12/02/2020 21:41

Shows like Drag Race have become incredibly popular. I have tickets to see the live show in May, and I think drag culture is amazing. It shows how far we have come that such a show is so popular on TV, and I think it should be celebrated.
I asked some friends if they wanted to come to the show with me and they very firmly and quickly told me that they were not fans of that sort of stuff.
When I was a teenager, I used to think Drag Queens were just some middle-aged men on Canal street with a blonde wig and high heels, and I was quite intimidated and scared of them in a way. I wonder if some people still feel that way, and don't judge them for it, just curious.

OP posts:
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Pootlepootlepootle · 13/02/2020 11:02

I have seen female drag queens too... and drag kings...

AutumnRose1 · 13/02/2020 11:03

Pootle I thought you were going to say it's not your responsibility to educate me ;)

I cba looking it up.

but I'll keep an eye on the thread for anyone explaining how they think "drag" celebrates women. I completely "got" Dan Leno in the Limehouse Golem but that was a totally different thing in a different era.

FredaFrogspawn · 13/02/2020 11:03

I’m surprised that transgender women want to be under the same trans umbrella as drag queens, as surely they don’t want to be seen as a clown-like parody of women? Isn’t that the absolute antithesis of how they would like to be perceived? I would have thought drag queens add to the mockery of all trans women.

Pootlepootlepootle · 13/02/2020 11:04

This is interesting for anyone wondering why the heck anyone bother with it...

www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/all-things-lgbtq/201801/the-psychology-drag

Wolfff · 13/02/2020 11:06

I didn't know people were 'against' drag. I have only seen one once at a gay pub years ago with a gay friend. I was the only woman in the pub and I felt the performer was trying to intimidate me as he kept staring at me. Made me rather uncomfortable.

Personally I find it a horrible parody of women, a bit like pantomime dames which also piss me off and Mrs Brown's boys on TV which makes me want to smash the TV.

AngelsSins · 13/02/2020 11:08

What info do you want?? That was directed at the poster comparing drag to blackface

Google history of drag if you want more info... personally I think it's dying a death now straight people are paying attention

Google the history of women’s oppression and educate yourself on why it’s offensive for god sake.
We were the property of a man with no rights of our own, we couldn’t own property, patents, jobs, money, bank accounts, our husbands could rape and beat us legally. We had zero power. Oh and we also couldn’t even play ourselves onstage, men would dress up as women and play female characters.

So tell me, WHY IS BLACKFACE DIFFERENT?

namechanger2019 · 13/02/2020 11:08

Men dressing up as horrible stereotypes of women to mock them for cheap laughs. I think it is misogynistic personally, names like Cheryl Hole for example are dehumanising and frankly gross. For some reason society has deemed it ok as it is gay men doing it.

Thelnebriati · 13/02/2020 11:15

Only a short time ago drag acts didn't used to play to audiences of women, and they weren't just for gay clubs either. They were a regular act in many men's clubs. If they had wanted to see a celebration of women they would have had a female act.
Suddenly drag is being aimed at women.

Its interesting how women have to embrace their discomfort, get over themselves, and be in favour of so many things that men want.

Pootlepootlepootle · 13/02/2020 11:16

'Only a short time ago drag acts didn't used to play to audiences of women, and they weren't just for gay clubs either. '

They did play to women, gay women. Gay women in gay clubs/bars. All the gay places I used to go to were mixed, sometimes more men than women or vice versa but mixed.

Hullygully · 13/02/2020 11:21

womanface

SerenDippitty · 13/02/2020 11:23

Do Barry Humphries and Paul O’Grady count as drag queens?

Pootlepootlepootle · 13/02/2020 11:26

'womanface'
good grief.

Thelnebriati · 13/02/2020 11:29

Pootlepootlepootle You've just misinterpreted what I said; I said that drag acts payed to gay clubs and straight mens clubs, but not to straight womens clubs.

In the 1960's to 1980's you would not have seen a drag act playing to a women's club such as the WI or Young Wives. It wasn't intended for that audience.

Pootlepootlepootle · 13/02/2020 11:29

Still, glad to hear that Jameela Jamil is queer, my massive crush on her feels validated...

SpamChaudFroid · 13/02/2020 11:31

Threads like these always remind me that I don't know one single woman who finds Mrs. Browns Boys funny. Men on the other hand...

I don't want to see a shitty parody of womanhood by men. Why would I?

LonginesPrime · 13/02/2020 11:34

But I defy anyone watching Pose or Everyone's taking about Jamie to find anything offensive. The message is about equality and oppression and being yourself

...if you're male. And if you're female, you're a prop in a man's story about him being himself.

I do find Everyone's Talking About Jamie offensive, actually.

All of the female characters are demeaning caricatures of women (women aren't capable of putting the bins out and need a man for that, girls just want to look pretty, women's only priorities are their children or relationships with men, etc).

And while it was great to have a female Muslim character as the best friend, when she tries to talk about her issues (the abuse she receives as a Muslim for having a Hindu name), it's dismissed as unimportant compared to Jamie's issue of not being able to wear a dress to prom. I know this was a joke but why use a Muslim woman's problem as the butt of the joke? They could have used almost anything to get the point across that Jamie is self-centred and overly dramatic- why deliberately choose to shit on marginalised women?

Given that it's written by three gay men who are obviously fans of drag, it's not a surprise that the female characters were one-dimensional (I did wonder whether any of them had ever met a real-life woman), but I thought it was absolutely tone-dead on gender.

There was even a bit where the audience was supposed to laugh at teenage boys talking about how they were going to 'drill' the girls at prom - I found the trivialising of sexual violence against girls offensive too, but perhaps I'm just a prude. Hmm

Pootlepootlepootle · 13/02/2020 11:34

'In the 1960's to 1980's you would not have seen a drag act playing to a women's club such as the WI or Young Wives. It wasn't intended for that audience.'

I don't feel like I need schooled in LGBTQ+ culture or history given I am an actual gay and well aware of what is was like back in the day but I am learning that drag acts go to the WI now??

Lordfrontpaw · 13/02/2020 11:39

Lilly Savage began life as a drag double act in the Vauxhall Tavern, didn't he? That must have been from the 80s.

Pootlepootlepootle · 13/02/2020 11:41

I saw Lily back in the day, absolutely brilliant and hilarious. Not what you got on the tv version at all for obvious reasons...

Zurina · 13/02/2020 11:41

There was even a bit where the audience was supposed to laugh at teenage boys talking about how they were going to 'drill' the girls at prom - I found the trivialising of sexual violence against girls offensive too, but perhaps I'm just a prude. hmm

Um, that's not sexual violence ffs.

Lordfrontpaw · 13/02/2020 11:42

My sister was a regular and used to perform too. There was a whole gang of guys and gals who did back then, none of this modern gender hogwash either.

Pootlepootlepootle · 13/02/2020 11:43

So given some of the opinions on here - would you consider this drag? And would you take your kids?

www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/137458-duckie-2020

peachescariad · 13/02/2020 11:44

I don't believe it's mocking women, I think it's celebrating them. WTAF??

Misogynistic, sexist shit....why any woman would want to pay and go see this offensive crap I don't know Angry

MimiLaRue · 13/02/2020 11:50

I don't believe it's mocking women, I think it's celebrating them

Absolute BS. Portraying "women" as caricatures, with ridiculous wigs, clown style makeup and high heels and using bitchy language and attitudes- how is that "celebrating" women? Are women defined by their makeup and heels and being bitchy? Is that what comes to mind with the word "woman"? No?- well why does drag adopt that form then? If those things dont represent "women"- why are they doing it?

Its not a celebration of me and I reject that idea completely.

CoolcoolcoolcoolcoolNoDoubt · 13/02/2020 11:52

I have no interest in watching stuff like Drag Race whatsoever.