FROM THE FRINGES TO THE SPOTLIGHT: THE ART OF NYC DRAG By Vivian Stockley Contributing Writer
Drag queens were some of Andy Warhol’s favorite muses. According to him, drag queens used to be “on the fringes” of heteronormative American society, but when the sexual liberation movement gained traction in 1968, more people started to appreciate the eclectic world of drag performance. In 1990, “Paris is Burning” documented the inclusion of transgender people and people of color in 1980s New York City drag ball culture and received critical acclaim. Today, drag is even more mainstream thanks to the worldwide success of drag performers and trailblazing shows such as “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” For some NYU students, drag has kickstarted their journeys towards self-acceptance.
Gallatin sophomore Gary — who requested that only his first name be used — performs in drag with the alias MS Paint. Gary, who hails from North Carolina, attended a drag show after moving to New York City and was instantly drawn to the artistry of the performances and the feeling of togetherness. “[Drag] has shown me that there’s a lot more to being a queer person than just sexual and political identity, that there’s a lot of community and culture around it,” Gary said. Performing in drag has helped Gary accentuate aspects of his identity and personality that he isn’t comfortable expressing in his everyday life. “[A lot of friends who come to my shows] see a much different side of me when I’m in drag than when I’m out of drag, just the way that I interact with people and carry myself,” he said. “I feel like, in a way, it’s a little more genuine, just because I don’t have to mask anything.” Despite the fact that drag has provided a creative outlet for introspection in Gary’s life, it has also bridged a gap between Gary and his friends. “I feel like they understand me a little better, understand a little more where I’m coming from as an artist, but also as a queer person in that sort of environment, assuming this character of myself,” he said.
After seeing his first drag show in New York, Gary began performing in drag himself as a creative outlet. Photo by Sofia Lopez Arredondo
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