Why are male drag artistes referred to as 'she'?

[JellySlice]

Article about RuPaul's Drag Race UK https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-49498681

At one point a drag artiste's sexuality is mentioned, but at no point is anything mentioned about their gender identifications.

Are female pronouns being used because the article refers to the personas? Much like you might say "When Ada hoiks her bosom she is hilarious" or "When Les Dawson performs as Ada he is hilarious".

On the other hand, several of the artistes in the article speak about their own feelings, apparently in their own voices, therefore as males.

RuPaul is referred to as 'he', and is shown in masculine clothing. Would he be referred to as 'she' if he was photographed in drag?

It's a question of stage persona. Lilly Savage is 'she,' but Danny La Rue was 'he'.

Presumably as they identify as women when in drag?

I'd say it was because it's part of the act? As in, when they're dressed up and in character, the characters are female. So of course female pronouns will be used?
Or what Ringdonna said

Presumably as they identify as women when in drag?

I'm not sure that's true, as it's just a character. And the comedy of the performance comes from the fact that we all know that it's not really a woman, and the over-exaggerated costumes, make up and mannerisms.

The same reason Robert Downey Jr is referred to as “Tony Stark” in the Avengers movies and not “Robert”. It’s a character.

Sorry, *he/she is a character.

It's a persona thing, my general rule of thumb when i'm watching Rupaul and talking about it, if they're out of drag its he and if they're in drag its she because its the real life person and then its their character, obviously some people have preferred pronouns and etc but that's a case by case thing

It's a performance. Any male being referred to as 'she', it's because they're performing 'femininity', isn't it? I assume someone like 'pips' bunce swaps pronouns according to whether it's a Philip or a Phillipa day.

Good point! I've often wondered the same thing too. Same with transvestites who know they are male. It's all about capitulation and being forced to go along with the pretence. I absolutely cannot bear drag, don't find it in the least bit funny, think it is misogynistic as hell and do not understand why women think it is 'funny'

I absolutely cannot bear drag, don't find it in the least bit funny, think it is misogynistic as hell and do not understand why women think it is 'funny'

Yeah. It's a parody - drag is basically the Ugly Sisters sexed up.

A few years ago I was in London and we went to see The Importance of Being Earnest. It had David Suchet in it ... unfortunately playing Lady Bracknell. Afterwards you could hear people gushing, 'wasn't he marvellous' - well, no, actually he wasn't. He was a good actor in a frock playing one of those rare good roles for an older woman. Having a man playing the part didn't add anything to the production, in the way that opposite sex casting sometimes can achieve in Shakespeare plays.

The same reason Robert Downey Jr is referred to as “Tony Stark” in the Avengers movies and not “Robert”. It’s a character.

But an article about the Avengers films, quoting from an interview with the performer, would refer to Robert Downey Jr as Robert, not as 'Tony Stark'.

In the case of the interviews with the drag artistes, the article blurs performance and reality.

Drag = deeply unfunny, insulting, demeaning crap.

Referring to men as she is old-school gay behaviour though. The use of she was common in Polari-speakers.
Whether you might think that is still appropriate or not, there is a background to it.
And drag, love it or loathe it, is performance. A drag queen has little in common with an autogynephile.
Again, drag can be debated separately but the use of female pronouns is common.

Referring to men as she is old-school gay behaviour though.

As I recall (from my gay friends in uni and in my 20s) it was always disparaging. Referring to men as 'she' was nothing to do with treating them as women or as facsimiles of women.

I rather love drag because it reminds me that gender is performative! Drag characters are acting, not real people - and like a piece of live performance theatre the audience joins in and refers to "she" the character, rather than he the actor. I am a lesbian and I love drag (also love drag kings, by the way). I love how it mocks the extremes of gender nonsense and subverts it all. Some men are misogynistic, so some drag ends up reflecting that. But in my experience, in general, drag is subvertive, funny and satirical.

Like the pantomime dame & ugly sisters are she, it's theatre. When they take the costume off they're male actors and he.

All of my gay friends who are effeminate, refer to each other as she. It’s the bears that go by he. Drag queens, even back stage, are generally pretty effeminate so use she.

Some drag queens ID as female some say they are Gender fluid and others it is just a persona that is why the article is blurry lined. Ru paul says he is a man out of drag

And she when he is done up,

Effeminate gay men do the she amongst each other but never outside their circle in my limited experience of the few gay friends I have they have ordinary jobs and don't refer to themselves as she at work,

There does seem to be a deliberate blurring of boundaries
Remember Courtney Act in BB the fucking expert on feminist issues
Anne Widdecombe always referred to him as he because he knew he was a man yet he complained to other house mates about being misgendered

Shane whatshisface said he was a boy though he was bloody irritating and courtney act even more so

Remember Courtney Act in BB the fucking expert on feminist issues
Anne Widdecombe always referred to him as he because he knew he was a man yet he complained to other house mates about being misgendered

I think you might be confusing Courtney/Shane with India Willoughby. I didn't watch all of it but I don't recall Shane saying he was a woman or demanding "she".

I also don't recall Shane/Courtney presenting as an expert on feminist issues. He talked about gender and sexuality which is hardly surprising from a gay drag queen.

22:27MargueritaBlue
Well then we remember it differently. He complained to other housemates about AW calling him he when in drag and he set to educate the other men about feminist issues

Yes he insisted courtney act be known as she he was a total bellend who was as mysogonistic as that andrew brady he chummed up with !