Drag Show Etiquette — DRAG PRIDE (2024)

FAQs

Drag Show Etiquette — DRAG PRIDE? ›

Don't heckle the emcee, don't try to be funnier than the queens, and don't make a spectacle of yourself. Look, it might be your birthday/anniversary/bachelorette/divorce party/etc. Maybe the queen even sings happy birthday to you, bask in the moment, and then sit your ass down and enjoy the show like everyone else.

A button-up shirt and jeans is your go-to.

No matter if the drag event is at a club or just a daytime cafe, this simple outfit is sensible and comfortable.

“Tip your drag queen with ones, fives, 10s, 20s — if you see something you like, give them $1,” says Brita Filter, who hosts the drag brunch at the Flatiron location of NYC's Burger & Lobster. “If you see something you don't like, give them $5 and maybe they'll fix it,” she adds.

Patrons come from all walks of life, queer and straight, young and old. I even saw a toddler being lifted from his stroller into a high chair. I wonder what I'd be like if I'd grown up around drag queens.

REVISITING WHAT DRAG PRIDE MEANS

This was a way to engage the drag performers and drag lovers from every walk of life to share their passion for the art form. There is such a diversity amongst the LGBTQIA rainbow and their are many flags representing those groups.

The best policy is to just hand the performer your tips with your arm outstretched, or toss the money onstage if they're busy. Don't make them “work for it” by having them pull a bill out of your cleavage or from your mouth (which, BTW, could disrupt their entire routine.)

Tipping – There is a culture of tipping performers at drag shows, some say it is a nod to the underground traditions of drag that usually meant little (to no) pay for the performance. Do tip by placing the bill loosely in an outstretched hand for the performer to grab.

If you sit in the front row, you're in the Dollar Zone, so bring some dollars. This is non-negotiable. Drag is expensive and time-consuming, so when you bring your hot little self to the show and push your way to the front, tip appropriately.

Take money for tips, they will exchange for $1's or you can Venmo tips too.

Is drag considered burlesque? ›

It can be argued that drag began as a type of burlesque act, as the performers would often be mocking society's standards of women in comedic and often ridiculous ways, demonstrating the ridiculous expectations that were placed on women.

Typically, a drag show involves performers singing or lip-synching to songs while performing a pre-planned pantomime or dancing. There might also be some comedy, skits, and audience interaction.

“But drag brunch was largely about making queer performance accessible to straight audiences.” While hom*osexuality remained a criminal offence, and gay bars endured police raids and vandalism, drag dinners offered risque entertainment without risk.

An AFAB queen, diva queen or hyper queen is a drag queen who is a woman or a non-binary person who was assigned female at birth. These performers are generally indistinguishable from the more common male or transgender female drag queens in artistic style and techniques.

The word 'drag' is believed to have theatrical origins too. The dresses men wore to play female characters would drag along the floor. Actors playing female parts because there were no actresses around isn't exactly in the spirit of what we call drag today - but it was a start.

Drag kings often perform as exaggeratedly macho male characters, portray characters such as construction workers and rappers or they will impersonate male celebrities like Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Tim McGraw. Drag kings may also perform as personas that do not clearly align with the gender binary.

Drag dates back at least to Shakespearean theater, when only men were allowed to act and therefore had to play the roles of women. The term “drag” is likely an acronym for “dressed resembling a girl.”

Opt for light-colored clothing under your racing suit to reflect heat and help keep you cool. If you're drag racing in cooler weather, consider wearing layers under your race suit, which you can easily add or remove as needed. Don't forget about your hands and feet.

You can never go wrong with a classic drag queen look like a sequined jumpsuit or a sparkly dress. If you want to go all out, you can wear a full-body suit with a matching wig and accessories. You should also make sure to bring some comfortable shoes, as you'll be dancing and moving around a lot.

For the uninitiated, drag brunch is a midday entertainment in a restaurant or bar* featuring a succession of performers dressed in drag — so many sequins before 5:00 PM! — singing and/or lip-synching with big energy and commanding attention and Wigs of Breathtaking Self-Importance.