International influences and drag: just a case of tucking or binding?

Abstract

In mid-January 2017 Her Upstairs, a London drag bar, pays tribute to David Bowie.1 The lineup includes amongst others: Ruby Wednesday, a drag queen; Adam All, a drag king, tonight appearing with femme, female-identified singer Apple Derrieres; Pi The Mime, a performer working in boylesque cabaret with drag elements; Mynxie Munroe a burlesque performer, and Drastik Measures, another performer who uses drag elements in their act. Ruby Wednesday, who uses both lip synching and singing in their act and who works in both the drag and cabaret scene in the UK, emcees the evening. The bar is run by, amongst others, Meth, a very popular drag queen who has worked internationally, has a global fan base, and has featured in a fly on the wall documentary about drag queens in London, UK. The regular crowd in the venue reflect the range of the performers on stage. Often present are a mist of genders and sexualities (some cis, some trans, some straight, gay, queer, some wearing their identities, literally, on their sleeve) and there is regularly a smattering of drag in the audience. This is a queer crowd, mixed and only partly decipherable to normative looks. On stage, all the acts have their own distinct flavour in relation to gender, sex and sexuality, which is often at the centre of their performances. The acts' look different too and arouse diverse energies, yet despite the performance work appearing different in many ways, at some level, it speaks a similar lexicon. Many of these performers refer to their acts as drag, or burlesque or cabaret-and it is worth noting that the descriptions of the acts above describe the kinds of work present in the bar, rather than any classification the performers declare themselves, that is often more complex. Yet, it begs the question, given as the work and genders are diverse, what coheres the performances? Moreover, crucially, how can the work be spoken of and accounted for without crushing the diversity so vital to the heart of this work and community? The popularity of nights like the one at Her Upstairs is a sign that both kinging and queening have gained popularity in recent years. From worldwide television programmes such as Ru Paul's Drag Race (Logo TV), to mentions in recent national newspapers, international websites, blogs and youth programming on the BBC, the performance form appears to be more ever-present.2 As Senelick (2000) has described, drag has kept a presence in performance and popular culture for a very long time. The work of drag has maintained deep roots in popular culture and performance and, as this article notes, serves several functions for the communities in which it most often appears.

Southern African HIV Clinicians Society gender-affirming healthcare guideline for South Africa

“…86 The testicles are pushed into the inguinal canal, and the penis is taped between the legs. 87 Although this can be safely carried out, risks may include testicular and penile pain, and skin problems such as a rash and itching. 86 Recommend tucking for shorter periods or less tight tucking, and good skin hygiene is encouraged.…”

Eleventh-Century Drag Acts? Three Old English Poems at Exeter Cathedral

“…7 Focusing on drag in particular, Bourcier (2006) has emphasized the ways in which the form can be productive of subcultural counter-identity, for example in the drag king workshops organized in America in the 1990s by Diane Torr and Annie Sprinkle. Luca Greco (2012), considering Belgian drag king workshops, and Stephan Farrier (2016Farrier ( , 2017, considering British drag training and practice, likewise explore the local subcultures that drag supports even at a time when drag is achieving international fame through the mainstream success of RuPaul's Drag Race.…”