Is drag sexism?

[ecclesvet]

With Halloween upcoming, I've read some stuff about blackface and dressing up as Native Americans, Mexicans, etc - the general consensus (which I agree with) is that this is racism. So why is drag not (or at least not treated as) sexism?

All the arguments that apply to blackface - that it's an privileged group mocking an underprivileged one; that it's lazy stereotyping; that it has roots in a time when the entertainment industry refused to employ said group - all apply to drag too.

So what do you propose as an antidote?
A general ban on men wearing makeup and pretty dresses? No pinstripes for women? (Sounds like rather a drag to me...)
How exactly are you defining 'drag' - any different from cross-dressing?
And why should transgender complicate the issue, if this is how you feel?

I think some people need to relax. It's fun. If you've ever been to a drag show you'll know that they're one of the best nights out you can get.

NO, Rational. Penis wielding oppressors must never relax. Neither must those who object to their taste in frocks.

Tchootnika

Anyway, Barbara Cartland aside, she's dead after all, when was the last time you actually saw a woman dressed like a drag queen? Drag queen's don't dress like women, they dress like drag queens.

It could be possible with the OP, SGM.
And I did try to ask you a serious question, actually.
I'll stop being silly, if you'll answer it, I promise.

I'm not sure how many times I have to make this statement but let's try again:

Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't mean they're wrong or pissing around. Maybe a healthy debate would be in order rather than immediately sniping.

drag artists really piss me off for some reason. (with the exception of the blokes on priscilla queen of the desert)

Have you seen the musical, south?
(Just trying to fill the awkward, po-faced silence, until SGM returns. Gawd, how tragic. I'll go and do the dishes instead. Bye now.)

Tchootnika

[tumbleweed]

Nope, never seen it, was it good?

[more tumbleweed]

no me neither. i did watch that party programme on cable the other night, where a couple of drag artists queens were trying to buy a large ice penis for their do

I couldn't stick it to the end, went to bed. The woman with the dogs put me off, she was the most annoying. They were all various degrees of annoying though.

Did they get their ice-penis?

we have to tune in next week to find out

Will you bother?

i kind of want to find out what happens to the poor boy with the clown and pirate

Lol, I must have missed that one. I might have a peek, you've got me curious.

I hate men dressing in drag, always have, even as a child I thought it was "wrong" , I never thought of it as a feminist issue until seeing other MN women with the same unease about it as me, I just assumed that I had peculiar issues about it.

They seem to want to look as hideous as possible, I see it as them mocking women/they are jealous of real women.

I think drag is the opposite of sexism. It's a celebration of the female form albeit in a writ large manner. Girls are 'allowed' to wear jeans and boots but men aren't allowed to wear any item of female clothing or they risk being ridiculed. Drag artists defy this and I for one rather like it. My ds who I am trying to bring up to be a feminist had to wear a dress for a school play one. He was asked to do it because he's popular and cool and immune to being teased about it. I think it did him good to be honest.

Know a few drag queens via DD's godfather. As a general rule they are incredibly misogynistic. For some reason performing as a parody of women makes them hate women jeven more than the average bloke.

In contrast, The transexuals I've encountered have, generally, been quite nice people.