Herstory and Culture of Drag, 2017

Partial Transcript: I guess I am going to get started then. Given the size of this group, I feel it would be way more productive to have it less like a lecture and more like a conversation, interactive thing...

Segment Synopsis: The panelists introduce the audience to the history of drag and provide basic terminology common throughout drag culture.

Keywords: drag; drag culture; drag history; drag terminology

Partial Transcript: So, I guess I want to say on that like I didn't learn how to do drag from anyone, I didn't have a mother that taught me how to do drag.

Segment Synopsis: Dharma talks about her history with drag, focusing on how she learned to be a drag performer and found/created community with other people involved in drag.

Keywords: communities; drag; drag family; performance

Partial Transcript: So then I think I'll go into the question, who are your favorite historical drag icons or really any past or present. Where do you see drag going in the future? How does the mainstreaming of drag (e.g. RuPaul's drag race) affect drag history and culture? How did we get where we are now?

Segment Synopsis: The panelists discuss some of the people that have influenced them as drag performers, the politics of drag performance, and techniques for binding.

Keywords: drag; gender; people of color; politics; race; sexuality; transgender people

Partial Transcript: We touched on this a couple times, what happens when we depoliticize drag? Is it always political? Should it be?

Segment Synopsis: The panelists talk about the inherently political nature of drag as it related to different sites of difference, such as gender, race, and sexuality.

Keywords: drag; gender; identities; laws; politics; race; safety; sexuality; surveillance; transphobia; violence

Partial Transcript: So, this next question, a little bit more of a heavier topic, how has the increase in non-queer and trans attendance at drag performances affected your performance and performing spaces, you know, where do you draw the line between sharing culture and violent appropriation?

Segment Synopsis: The panelists talk about the relationship between drag performance and queer and trans folks as well as what it means for cisgender and non-queer people to participate in or consume drag culture.

Keywords: Appropriation; boundaries; cisgender; gender; queer; sexuality; trans; voyeurism

Partial Transcript: How do we continue the centering of trans femme bodies of color and traditionally marginalized bodies in drag without exploitation, without that voyeuristic effect?

Segment Synopsis: The panelists discuss the importance of centering trans performers of color within drag culture, relating to histories of marginalization and vulnerability.

Keywords: class; drag; drag performance; gender; race; transgender

Partial Transcript: Has the history of violence, which can be used in multiple terms, has the history of violence affected you or your community? How have the spaces for drag changed over history and, specifically, if you'd like to add on, how has working in drug and alcohol heavy places affected drag culture?

Segment Synopsis: The panelists talk about violence against drag performers as well as the risk associated with drag performance spaces, often related to the proximity and easy access to drugs and alcohol in bars.

Keywords: addiction; alcohol; capitalism.; drag; drugs; gender; safety; sexuality; violence

Partial Transcript: What's Corvallis at large outside the world of this school like as a place for a drag community to live? How is it meeting or not meeting what you think is needed for that scene to thrive?

Segment Synopsis: The panelists talk amore about the drag community in Corvallis as well as how the city is supportive of and challenging for drag performers.

Keywords: Corvallis, OR; Dam Right Drag Night; bigotry; drag; drag communities; drag culture; gender; poverty; racism; sexuality; violence

Partial Transcript: So, we are getting close to the end. Does anyone else have questions?

Segment Synopsis: The panelists offer concluding remarks, including their social media handles and opportunities for communication.