Can the drag queen turn back time to give advice to her younger self?

Abstract

This article explores the dynamics of inter-generational conversations between queer and trans youth and queer and trans adults through an analysis of a routine segment on the reality show, RuPaul’s Drag Race. At the end of each season, the drag queen contestants are asked to give a piece of advice to photos of their younger selves and, by proxy, the young people who may be watching the show from home. This article positions this segment as a pedagogical moment where the queens are forced into the role of teacher. However, like the categories of child and youth, RuPaul’s request of the queens is not as innocent as it appears. In turning to address children directly, the queens must reckon with cis-heteronormative expectations of how adults can speak to children, about what topics can be discussed, and the tones such conversation must take. To explore these issues, the article examines this segment alongside scholarship about drag and ballroom cultures to place the show within larger contexts of queer and trans kinship structures. Then, turning to queer and trans studies in education and queer and trans childhood and youth studies, the essay examines the factors impacting how and when queer and trans youth and adults are allowed to be in conversation with youth, if at all.

Keywords:

• queer and trans youth studies
• drag culture
• advice giving
• queer pedagogy
• inter-generational conversations

Notes

1 We use both he and she pronouns interchangeably when referring to RuPaul, as is common on the show. Though we do so while recognizing that Ru and the show previously faced criticism over the lack of inclusion of trans drag queens.

2 As of early 2023, the show was airing its 15th season of the US franchise.

3 It should be noted that the show has tweaked this verbiage as to not deadname or misgender trans contestants who remain in the contest at this stage, like Season 9’s Peppermint or Season 13’s Gottmik.

4 Drag Race now has spinoff series in over 10 countries and counting.

5 Ballroom culture and drag are often conflated in popular media. There is a significant historical and ongoing overlap between the two, though they are distinct art forms. Drag is a part of ballroom history, and we are interested in this relationship.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sam Stiegler

Sam Stiegler is a visiting assistant professor of Educational Studies at Colgate University. His research focuses on the everyday experiences of queer and trans youth. His work has been published in Qualitative Inquiry, Curriculum Inquiry, and Journal of Homosexuality.

LJ Slovin

LJ Slovin is an instructor with the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice at UBC and the Women’s Studies Department at Langara College. Their research examines the conditions that structure understandings of gender nonconformity within schools. Their work has been published in Curriculum Inquiry, Sex Education, and RERM.