RuPaul's Drag Race

[PinkMojito]

I am new to feminism, and while watching RuPaul's drag race, it struck me...I had always thought of it as just a bit of fun, but is this actually glorifying a grotesque characterisation of women? The overly done and exaggerated padding to make a cartoon-like female figure (not all, some use their natural bodies, but by and large), and the makeup (removal and redrawing on of eyebrows far above the natural line, to exaggerate a large and very unnatural eye size), huge lips, among others.

In writing this I found the article posted here:

www.feministcurrent.com/2014/04/25/why-has-drag-escaped-critique-from-feminists-and-the-lgbtq-community/

its not meant to be accurate of women though is it? thats not the point. Its entertainment/parody etc.

and your point about not many born women dressing like that tells me you have never watched an episode of the the kardashians! every bloody make up kit I see these days is for designed for contouring - that is the drag queen cover up makeup method.

I know, I know, I'll sod off now...

I think the trends re women are interesting in relation to drag actually! It’s true that they are becoming more and more extreme to the point that drag and women are closer together. I see that, through my lens as outlined before, as how good the satire was in extrapolating re gender performance at it’s extreme.

What is now becoming the norm for women re makeup is edging so close to stage make up of drag queens it is mad!

I love drag race though I think as a rad fem it's probably not the done thing.

I see drag as "performing femininity" and high camp. I don't see it as having much to do with being a woman.

I don't see why men shouldn't be free to perform feminity just as women are.

I don't understand the difference; I get other people do and I'd love to know why, exactly, pretending to be black for amusement is offensive, but pretending to be the opposite sex, for amusement, is not offensive.

Me too. I hate and avoid drag. It's offensive IMO but I think a lot of gay men have no interest in or empathy with women.

I read this article with Ru Paul and he said he wouldn't allow trans on the show only drag:
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/mar/03/rupaul-drag-race-big-f-you-to-male-dominated-culture

Having googled it for the link I think he got into trouble for it.

Personally, I love drag but I don't think they're trying to be women I think they're trying to be drag queens. I think queens parody femininity and I like that feminity is unlinked to females because of this. But i understand why some women find it offensive - I just don't.