Drag Culture, Global Participation and RuPaul’s Drag Race

Abstract

Co-editors Brennan and Gudelunas introduce RuPaul’s Drag Race (RPDR) by considering its unique place and unexpected success in reality/competition television. The authors situate RPDR within a framework of gender/drag performativity (Butler 1990) and camp sensibility (Newton 1972). Following, they account for RPDR’s elevation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) visibility through public and private queer histories. The authors discuss how RPDR has captivated American and global viewers – LGBTQ and straight – by portraying drag as art and profession via multiple un/official broadcast and digital spaces. They consider feminist/oppositional readings of RPDR, noting the fluidity of queer discourse in the current political landscape. Finally, they outline the main themes of the volume: representation and the boundaries of drag identity; drag, community and belonging; and drag, globalization and the social media landscape.