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Real Beards, Fake breasts, and all the Rest
RuPaul’s Drag Race provides a platform for the queer community like never before, although not without its controversy.
Drag Race premiered on the second of February 2008, and right from the start the show was a hit among the queer community. It gained praise for the progressive platform it provides through its format but struggled to gain momentum throughout the general population. However, having once been considered a program too niche for pop culture, RuPaul’s Drag Racehas secured its spot in the reality TV lineup (Thomas 2018).
Despite the show’s rise in popularity, when one takes a closer look, the over the top, in your face, larger than life TV show isn’t all fun and games. Taken at face value, the show delivers big laughs, even bigger emotions, and a fashion show to boot, all whilst providing a fascinating insight into a queer subculture.
But does the use of humor in RuPaul’s Drag Race undermine its progressive nature? Can society have a ‘Runway’ style drag program that is free of the usual clichés that make up a classic reality show?
When watching Rupaul’s Drag Race, I can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief; I think to myself, “ahh…finally a show that provides some form of representation for the LGBTQ community.” Moments after that sigh, I find my stomach cleanching in skepticism. Isn’t this show supposed to uplift its contestants in a celebration of pride and unashamed visibility? If so, why are they cutting each other down, and why do the judges make snide comments and lowbrow puns? As I shake my head in confusion, I am reminded that RuPaul’s Drag Race is a reality TV show, and that drama is a key component to any good reality show. I begin to wrack my brain and ask if there is any way to have program that meets the reality show quota of expected drama, while still displaying the resound statement these queens are making in an uplifting way. In personal dismay I conclude that my utopian ideas of a perfect Reality show might be asking a little too much of society at this time.
RuPaul gives us an inch and the progressive’s try to take a mile. Though the show might not be perfect, it sure is entertaining. Drag Race successfully brought the wonderful world of drag queens into the public realm almost ten years ago, and perhaps RuPual knew that in 2009 the show needed to be packaged for consumption in a way that satisfied the public pallet. Whether or not 2018 is ready for a show that features untainted representation is a question open to interpretation. However, one thing can’t be denied, RuPaul’s Drag Race is a flashy and fun program that operates under the classic reality show format, whilst challenging gender and sexuality norms like no show has before it, and that’s pretty fab.