Question about Drag Queens

[Kfox]

100 years ago, when actors freeman Gosden and Charles Correll put on black makeup, an afro wig, ragged clothes and did a caricature of their interpretation of black people for entertainment purposes, they called those Minstrel Shows, and eventually black people found these acts offensive, and today Minstrel shows are no more, they have been regulated to the long list of shameful examples of America’s dark, racist, past.

Today we have men putting on female makeup, female wigs, female clothes doing a caricature of their interpretation of women for entertainment purposes and we call them Drag Shows; yet nobody complains! Why? How is this different? Why aren’t feminists finding these acts offensive and complaining about it? Why are Minstrel shows offensive, but Drag shows are not?

 

[We Never Know]

100 years ago, when actors freeman Gosden and Charles Correll put on black makeup, an afro wig, ragged clothes and did a caricature of their interpretation of black people for entertainment purposes, they called those Minstrel Shows, and eventually black people found these acts offensive, and today Minstrel shows are no more, they have been regulated to the long list of shameful examples of America’s dark, racist, past.

Today we have men putting on female makeup, female wigs, female clothes doing a caricature of their interpretation of women for entertainment purposes and we call them Drag Shows; yet nobody complains! Why? How is this different? Why aren’t feminists finding these acts offensive and complaining about it? Why are Minstrel shows offensive, but Drag shows are not?

Do you ever look back in history at how men dressed and think wtf?

Complete with wigs, make-up, hosiery, and heels.

 

[Kfox]

Do you ever look back in history at how men dressed and think wtf?

Complete with wigs, make-up, hosiery, and heels.

View attachment 95196

No; that was popular back then; not today.

 

[Viker]

Some misconceptions that need to be cleared up right away. Not everyone that performs in drag is a born male.

Understanding Drag | A4TE.

And black face/minstrel shows were from a time when white audiences did not want to see actual black people performing anything in public. So the whole black face/minstrel thing was from the time of segregation and discrimination against blacks in many entertainment venues. It's incomparable as anyone can be a drag performer. It's not a male only club and many women due similar performances and have become famous, mostly Madonna and Lady Gaga. Their entire gimmick/schtick was influenced by drag shows. Madonna's dance routines were originally from gay/drag clubs.

 

[Soandso]

Minstrel shows were designed to make fun of people for their race. The whole point was to be done as a mockery and was done to fuel white people's sense of superiority based on stereotypes white people had of black people

Drag queens have different aims with different kinds of queens trying to achieve different goals. Comedy queens put together drag ensembles that seek to make people laugh. Pageant queens try to create the most convincing feminine illusions. Camp queens seek to create the most over the top and eye catching costumes you can imagine. The list goes on

No queens seek to make women look bad and only seek to honor and celebrate women. Many seek to perfect impersonations of specific celebrities, and none of those celebrities have felt offended that a drag queen has used them as inspiration for their drag - unless of course the queen was criticizing them as a person rather than because they are a woman

There's more than just drag queens though, there's also drag kings. Do you feel insulted that drag kings impersonate men? Do you think that's on the same level as minstrel shows as well?

 

[Viker]

No; that was popular back then; not today.

So this is all just about what's supposed to be popular now? Why the fuss?

 

[Viker]

Minstrel shows were designed to make fun of people for their race. The whole point was to be done as a mockery and was done to fuel white people's sense of superiority based on stereotypes white people had of black people

Drag queens have different aims with different kinds of queens trying to achieve different goals. Comedy queens put together drag ensembles that seek to make people laugh. Pageant queens try to create the most convincing feminine illusions. Camp queens seek to create the most over the top and eye catching costumes you can imagine. The list goes on

No queens seek to make women look bad and only seek to honor and celebrate women. Many seek to perfect impersonations of specific celebrities, and none of those celebrities have felt offended that a drag queen has used them as inspiration for their drag - unless of course the queen was criticizing them as a person rather than because they are a woman

There's more than just drag queens though, there's also drag kings. Do you feel insulted that drag kings impersonate men? Do you think that's on the same level as minstrel shows as well?

This, too.

 

[Viker]

Another misconception needs to be cleared up. Drag queen is not the same thing as transgender. They can be related to one another but on their own they're different things going on.

 

[Argentbear]

Drag is making fun of gender stereotypes and mocking fashion tends. It's not the same as blackface which is meant to be derogatory towards black people.

Violet Chachki the winner of Season 7 (I think) of Ru Paul';s Drag Race said: "I don't dress like a woman. Have you ever seen a woman dressed like this? I dress like a cartoon of a woman."

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Many seek to perfect impersonations of specific celebrities, and none of those celebrities have felt offended that a drag queen has used them as inspiration for their drag

Dolly Parton is ok with it.

 

[crossfire]

100 years ago, when actors freeman Gosden and Charles Correll put on black makeup, an afro wig, ragged clothes and did a caricature of their interpretation of black people for entertainment purposes, they called those Minstrel Shows, and eventually black people found these acts offensive, and today Minstrel shows are no more, they have been regulated to the long list of shameful examples of America’s dark, racist, past.

Today we have men putting on female makeup, female wigs, female clothes doing a caricature of their interpretation of women for entertainment purposes and we call them Drag Shows; yet nobody complains! Why? How is this different? Why aren’t feminists finding these acts offensive and complaining about it? Why are Minstrel shows offensive, but Drag shows are not?

It seems you are asking the wrong question. It seems that it is the non-feminists or even anti-feminists, not the feminists, who get offended by drag queens. Perhaps you should ask why the non-feminists are getting offended, and compare those reasons to the reasons why blacks get offended by minstrel shows. Don't be afraid to do some deep thinking on it.

 

[Kfox]

Some misconceptions that need to be cleared up right away. Not everyone that performs in drag is a born male.

Understanding Drag | A4TE.

And black face/minstrel shows were from a time when white audiences did not want to see actual black people performing anything in public. So the whole black face/minstrel thing was from the time of segregation and discrimination against blacks in many entertainment venues. It's incomparable as anyone can be a drag performer. It's not a male only club and many women due similar performances and have become famous,

It would be a mistake to assume only white actors did minstrel shows; there were plenty of black actors who did it as well; anyone could perform in a minstrel show.

 

[Kfox]

Minstrel shows were designed to make fun of people for their race. The whole point was to be done as a mockery and was done to fuel white people's sense of superiority based on stereotypes white people had of black people

Drag queens have different aims with different kinds of queens trying to achieve different goals. Comedy queens put together drag ensembles that seek to make people laugh. Pageant queens try to create the most convincing feminine illusions. Camp queens seek to create the most over the top and eye catching costumes you can imagine. The list goes on

No queens seek to make women look bad and only seek to honor and celebrate women. Many seek to perfect impersonations of specific celebrities, and none of those celebrities have felt offended that a drag queen has used them as inspiration for their drag - unless of course the queen was criticizing them as a person rather than because they are a woman

There's more than just drag queens though, there's also drag kings. Do you feel insulted that drag kings impersonate men? Do you think that's on the same level as minstrel shows as well?

Originally the white actors putting on black face were to represent slaves. They weren't always insulting the slaves, they were just a part of the act. Today even if they aren't insulting black people, it is still considered offensive for a white person to put on black face for entertainment purposes.

 

[Kfox]

So this is all just about what's supposed to be popular now? Why the fuss?

Why is one okay, but not the other?

 

[Kfox]

opps

 

[Kfox]

It seems you are asking the wrong question. It seems that it is the non-feminists or even anti-feminists, not the feminists, who get offended by drag queens.

I don't see either of them getting offended by them.

Perhaps you should ask why the non-feminists are getting offended, and compare those reasons to the reasons why blacks get offended by minstrel shows.

If I'm gonna ask the non-feminist, I should ask the non-blacks as well; don't cha think?

 

[Soandso]

Originally the white actors putting on black face were to represent slaves. They weren't always insulting the slaves, they were just a part of the act. Today even if they aren't insulting black people, it is still considered offensive for a white person to put on black face for entertainment purposes.

I mean, sure. If you aren't insulting anyone by wearing a swastika or kkk T-shirt for entertainment purposes people still might get offended too. Speech is free to do, but it's not free from the consequences of doing it

 

[Argentbear]

Why is one okay, but not the other?

the motivation of each

 

[The Hammer]

Why is one okay, but not the other?

Intent

 

[crossfire]

I don't see either of them getting offended by them.

If I'm gonna ask the non-feminist, I should ask the non-blacks as well; don't cha think?

It's your journey of discovery.