The Herstory of DRAG
“Drag for me has always been my superhero costume,” says Drag icon RuPaul in their book GuRu. Today Drag is an integral part of LGBTQ+ culture, providing humorous entertainment in bars, theatres and on television. But the history of Drag reveals it has always been more than that. It is the history of a counter-cultural art form. The history of a medium that gave a voice to countless LGBTQ+ individuals victimised by strict laws.
But before beginning on our journey through the world of Drag, one important note is that when dealing with historical Drag performers it is sometimes impossible to know if they themselves would have chosen to identify that way. However, the individuals here are featured due to their importance to Drag culture and (unless we are aware of their preference) neutral pronouns have been used.
The tradition of Drag (though not in the form we now understand it) can be traced back to Shakespearean times. During the 17th century only men were allowed to take part in theatrical productions and so it was necessary for the female roles to be played by male actors in female costume. Some suspect that the term drag originated here, with male performers complaining how the dresses would ‘drag’ along the floor, though this may only be theatrical legend. The reason why it was necessary for men to play these roles was due to the extensive social restrictions and the strict gender norms of the time. Indeed, during or Rosalind in
