Before we get into this article, I need to define some terminology:
Drag: Dressed resembling a girl (first coined by Shakespeare)
Drag Queen: Most communally known as a gay man dressed as a woman who performs at a nightclub
RuPaul’s Drag Race: A reality competition involving 14 queens competing to win the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar and $100,000. As of now, there are 9 regular seasons and 2 All-Star seasons available.
Untucked: A behind the scenes show airing right after Drag Race that shows the queens backstage during the judges’ deliberation.
I can’t pinpoint the moment when I first knew what drag was, but I remember when I first got into the world of RuPaul’s Drag Race. It was right at the end of my sophomore year and season 7 of Drag Race and Untucked were airing. I somehow started watching Untucked because it aired for free on YouTube. At that point, I death dropped down the rabbit hole.
At that time in my life, I had just gotten over a major concussion that led to some serious repercussions. I had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I had no self-confidence, and I cared what everyone thought of me so much so that I was stifling my own personality. I needed a change.Drag Race guided me to that change. I would never have guessed that a bunch of men in wigs could inspire me to the extent that they have. Immediately after diving into season 7, I wanted to watch all the other seasons, so I went to Amazon and bought them all, as one does. Going through the seasons, I became more and more immersed into this world. As a straight female, I always get weird looks when I express my love for drag, until I explain.
I see these men as the most confident people in the world. It is hard enough to be a gay man in this world, but to be a gay man who wears makeup and a wig for a living…ballsy. These men not only represent all types of women in their drag, but they represent themselves. Drag is their artistic and personal expression. Up until this point, I didn’t know how to be myself. Drag showed me how.
If these men can go out in the world with padded hips, makeup to die for and hair up to the heavens, I could be myself. Going down this road of drag, I have become a better me. I started to love myself for the first time. I stopped caring what everyone thought of me because you know what? IT DOESN’T MATTER! If you go out in the world with your head held high and work it, no one will ever get to you! At the end of every episode, RuPaul says, “If you can’t love yourself how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?” I took that to heart and ran, never looking back.
For my 18th birthday, I went to my first drag show in Columbus. It was probably one of the best birthdays I ever had. I continue to be inspired by these queens. I live every day as if I were a drag queen. It definitely makes life much more fun! You can watch seasons 7-9 of Untucked on YouTube. Season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars is premiering this winter on VH1. Now I must sashay away!