“HOW DO YOU DEFINE ART?”: RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE’S INFLUENCE ON DRAG QUEEN IDENTITY AND GROUP CULTURE _______________ A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication University of Houston _______________ In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts _______________ By Megan Brann May 2017 “HOW DO YOU DEFINE ART?”: RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE’S INFLUENCE ON DRAG QUEEN IDENTITY AND GROUP CULTURE _______________ An Abstract of a Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication University of Houston _______________ In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts _______________ By Megan Brann May 2017 ABSTRACT This thesis provides insight into how the popular program RuPaul’s Drag Race affects drag identity and drag culture. This program sparks a contentious, but also thoughtful, narrative of how those who participate in Houston drag culture identify and define group culture. At the same time, the show creates a semiotic sphere to explore group identity with diverse audiences and participants. Through a photovoice approach and semi- structured interviews with 12 drag participants, I illustrate how drag queens feel the show widened drag audiences but created generational divisions and diluted drag styles. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am indebted to my wonderful committee members. First, I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Temple Northup, who always listened to my concerns with a patient smile and a nod. I would like to thank Dr. Jill Yamasaki, whose classes and teachings have forever shaped the way I read, write and learn. I would also like to thank Dr. Xavia Karner for taking on my project after simply reading my abstract in an anxious email. There are not enough words of gratitude for my family and friends. To my parents, thank you for instilling in me the drive to seek out answers and forge my own path. I am so grateful for the many dinners that landed in my fridge. They were the best meals I ate throughout my graduate career. To my sister, your patience with my ever- changing anxious state never went unappreciated. Thank you for making me laugh when I needed it most. To Wes, thank you for your constant support and your many questions. I do not know what I would do without you. To my dogs, Archie, Oliver, Nala and Winnie, thank you for the emotional support and compelling me to take a step into the fresh air after a long writing session. I would also like to thank the faculty and staff at the University of Houston’s Jack J. Valenti School of Communication. My graduate work has been the most challenging, fulfilling and enlightening experience. I would also like to thank Dr. Shayne Lee for his sociological teachings and critiques that helped guide this paper. And, finally, thank you to the drag community of Houston for welcoming an interested fan into your lives. You all inspire me with your creativity and boundlessness. Thank you for coloring my world. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I: Introduction ....................................................................................... 2 Chapter II: Literature Review ............................................................................. 9 Chapter III: Methodology .................................................................................... 20 Chapter IV: Results ............................................................................................. 30 Chapter V: Discussion ......................................................................................... 51 Appendices ......................................................................................................... 63 References .......................................................................................................... 71 DRAG QUEEN IDENTITY 1 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Participant’s demographic information ............................................... 26 Figure 2. Tatiana’s “glamedy queen” ................................................................. 31 Figure 3. Athena’s “out of my comfort zone” .................................................... 32 Figure 4. Estella’s “challenging my audience” .................................................. 33 Figure 5. KiKi’s “sexy queen” ........................................................................... 35 Figure 6. Kyla’s “hipster queen” ........................................................................ 36 Figure 7. Chloe’s “petty spaghetti” .................................................................... 37 Figure 8. Aracely’s “fishy” ................................................................................. 38 Figure 9. River’s “old world…drag” .................................................................. 39 Figure 10. Adeciya’s “diva” ............................................................................... 44 Figure 11. Cyn’s “I love this paint” .................................................................... 45 Figure 12. Lexus’ “I just like to wear it out” ...................................................... 46 Figure 13. Violet’s “crowned” ........................................................................... 47 DRAG QUEEN IDENTITY 2 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The twelve drag queens on season six of RuPaul’s Drag Race (RPDR) had received their challenge: make an outfit out of leftover theme party materials, from luau to toga party themes. All contestants had worked relatively free of drama on their runway outfit, but they were shocked with one contestant’s decision. Milk, a more androgynous drag queen on the show, chose white fabric to create a flowing toga with a headdress stretching almost down to the floor. Milk also donned a beard and exposed the chest for the theme. This was not a typical decision for drag queens on the show, especially for the first challenge. But Milk’s choices worked well for the competition. The judges were impressed with the aesthetic, gumption and individual style, despite some discomfort with the facial hair. And this was only the beginning of the season. Exploring juxtaposition on the show, drag queen Courtney Act was standing next to Milk during the judges’ deliberation. Courtney Act, whose party theme was a Republican party, chose to wear a blue bikini. The two, one covered in white with a small beard and the other clad only in a small bikini, epitomizes the conversation encircling drag styles. Milk did not win that challenge – neither did Courtney – but the performance sparked a conversation concerning drag style and what is deemed as “drag” (RuPaul's Big Opening Part Two, 2014). The narrative surrounding drag style definitions is just one of many generated by the show. RPDR is a popular American reality television series on Viacom’s LogoTV where drag queens compete to become “America’s next drag superstar” (Chernoff, 2014). DRAG QUEEN IDENTITY 3 The contestants have the potential to win a cash prize of $100,000 and cosmetics (RuPaul's Big Opening Part Two, 2014). RuPaul, the show’s host, is familiar with the spotlight. Quite possibly the most famous drag queen in American popular culture, RuPaul, or RuPaul Andre Charles, has featured his1 talents on MTV and VH1 (Schewe, 2009, p. 672). Models inspire RuPaul’s look, with a cinched waist and an iconic blonde wig (Schewe, 2009). However, critics have protested his “commercial” drag persona as a look “which presents a sanitized and desexualized queer subject for mass consumption” (Munoz, 1999, p. 99). There are, still, RuPaul performances that did not make it to television, however, dubbed as “not-yet- ready-for-MTV” theatrics (Schewe, 2009, p. 672). RuPaul has challenged the norms of drag, gender and sexuality through performance and expression throughout his career (Schewe, 2009). On his television show, RPDR, RuPaul has the power to choose who wins each round and the competition overall. He has the power to choose a winning style of drag queen and acts as a moderator of the standards of drag discussions. The show is still a competition reality program. RuPaul starts each competition with the well-known phrase, “Gentlemen, start your engines, and may the best woman win” (RuPaul's Big Opening Part Two, 2014). Any given episode will provide drama, cattiness and manipulation in order to win that competition. Not all feedback has been positive. The show has been criticized for its view of transgender inclusion (Chernoff, 2014). There are elements of misogyny and discrimination. Even still, the program has been celebrated for puncturing holes in the constructions and stereotypes of gender (Chernoff, 2014). 1 RuPaul accepts both male and female pronouns (Rogers, 2014). DRAG QUEEN IDENTITY 4 A diverse set of influences has the potential to be impactful on drag identity. Drag studies opens a unique avenue into studying how social boundaries of gender identity are crossed. By studying the exploration of such boundaries, drag perspectives can enlighten gender and identity studies. To do so, I will examine the societal influences on drag queens as they transform within and outside shared mindsets to obtain a greater understanding of self. Considering the importance of mediated interactions in the American way of life, it is vital to consider identity as part of media effects literature (Altheide, 2000). This thesis will explore how a mediated interaction with entertainment content assists in the defining process of drag identity. This study expands on previous drag studies to include the process of constructing