See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/359921730

The Drag Race Phenomenon and its cultural effects on Filipino Drag Subculture

Article · May 2021

CITATIONS READS
0 4,037

1 author:

Heaven Madrangca
University of the Philippines Cebu
3 PUBLICATIONS 4 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Heaven Madrangca on 16 May 2023.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 University of the Philippines Cebu

The Drag Race Phenomenon

and its cultural effects on
Filipino Drag Subculture

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Subject

Comm 172 - Studies in Popular Culture

College of Communication, Art, and Design

BA Communication II

Heaven Madrangca

May 27, 2021

 AK to Babylon: The Drag Race Phenomenon and its cultural effects on Filipino
Drag Subculture

RuPaul’s Drag Race is an Emmy award-winning reality competition series, wherein each
season, a batch of drag queens compete in various challenges and fashion runways to be crowned
as ‘America’s next drag superstar’ (RuPaul's Drag Race, n.d.). As of writing, the show wrapped up
its 13th season, and the Drag Race franchise itself has several spinoffs, including international
seasons in 7 different countries across the world. The show’s campy humor, fun challenges,
stunning fashion, and a cast of unique personalities have made it extremely appealing to many
viewers all around the world. In the Philippines, there is a significant amount of drag race fans,
enough for ‘Werq The World’, a world tour featuring Drag Race contestants, to stop by in Manila
in 2020 (Rappler, 2019). Abraham (2019) referred to the show as “a sport for gay people” and
credited it for pushing drag culture to the mainstream.
Its recent rise in popularity is only the tip in the long history of drag culture. Many
associates drag with male crossdressers and female impersonations, although drag goes above and
beyond that—it is theatrical, exaggerated, and rooted in entertainment and art. The etymology of
“drag” is believed to be from a time when men had to play female characters in Shakespearean
theater, and their dresses would drag across the floor (The fabulous history of drag, n.d.).
Eventually, it became a form of expression amongst queer individuals and has become
synonymous with the LGBT community. Throughout history, drag has persisted and has been
present in the theater, vaudeville, and clandestine venues. Drag also became a form of protest,
especially during the LGBT rights movement from the 1960s until today—Marsha P. Johnson, a
gay liberation activist during the Stonewall Riots, was a drag queen and a prominent figure of the
movement. Drag represented the rebellion against a heteronormative society and an expression
of queerness.
The Filipino ‘Herstory’ of Drag
Drag is also part of Filipino culture. In pre-colonial times, Spanish conquistadors were
astonished at how crossdressing indios were not only tolerated but recognized as women, and
some were also hailed as Babaylans or spiritual leaders in their communities (Garcia, 2004).
These “gender crossers”, as Garcia describes it, were allowed to pursue heterosexual relationships,
and were treated like women, although there were limitations. Similarly, women transitioning to
a more masculine role was represented in the indigenous epic of Sugidanon, specifically when the
goddess Nagmalitong Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata transforms into a male warrior to fight (Gowey,
n.d).
It’s important to note that because of this unique history, how Filipinos address queerness
is different from the West. The word ‘bakla’ refers to a man who acts feminine and is considered
a third gender but is also an encompassing term for homosexual men. In the paper breaking down
the Sugidanon epic, Gowey (n.d) notes the portrayal of the transmasculine characters might be
reflective of the gender ideologies of ancient people. Femininity was associated with magic,
spirituality, and religion, while masculine characters are often warriors. Brewer (1999), as cited
by Gowey, talks about the Indonesian ‘Bissu’ priests and says, “it was the male shaman’s
identification with the feminine, either as temporary transvestism or as a more permanent
lifestyle choice, that reinforced the normative situation of female as shaman, and femininity as
the vehicle to the spirit world.” This is similar to transwomen as Babaylans. It seems that, in
ancient times, gender transcends one’s biological sex and is reflective of one’s behavior, status,
and function in society.
Unfortunately, Catholicism, colonization, and Spanish machismo erased the culture, and
the term ‘bakla’ or ‘bayot’ now carried a negative, cowardly connotation. Despite these
restrictions, homosexuality and cross-dressing never disappeared, even if records are little to
none. Throughout time, the Filipino LGBT community persisted. Under American rule, Crispulo
“Pulong” Luna was a crossdresser photographed wearing the traditional baro’t saya (Losa, 2019).
During the 1920s, throughout the Japanese occupation, Walter Dempster Jr., better known as
Walterina Markova, was a drag queen and burlesque performer that was suffered under the
Japanese as a ‘comfort gay’ (Klein, 2006). Post-colonial times, LGBT activities were
documented—secret beauty pageants in Tondo to Visayan homosexuals crossdressing in fiesta
dances (Foe, 2013).
Today, drag is intertwined with entertainment and bar cultures. Drag performers are often
seen in gay clubs such as Quezon City’s O Bar, BGC’s Nectar nightclub, and Makati’s 20:20 (Losa,
2019). In the Philippine media, TV5’s noontime variety show ‘Lunch Out Loud’ has a segment
called “Drag Queendom”, which features groups of local drag queens competing in a lipsync
competition similar to Drag Race.
Production Analysis of Drag Race
Perhaps one of the most integral parts of contemporary drag culture and RuPaul’s Drag
Race itself is the US’s underground ballroom scene in the 1920s. Also referred to as Ball culture,
it is an event where LGBTQ+ individuals would ‘walk’ (compete) in different categories to win
prizes. Its origins can be traced to discreet beauty pageants for male and female impersonators.
However, when queer African Americans and people of color started to participate, they were
discriminated against by their white counterparts. Even though the pageant itself was hosted by
queer people, the racism within the community pushed them to form their own subculture and go
underground (Walker, 2019). We can observe here the intersectionality of their experiences—
white people still hold privilege and power and can use it to exclude people of color, despite the
two groups being queer and marginalized. The underground ball culture provided a space for
LGBTQ+ people of color to express themselves safely and fostered a unique community with their
own system, expression, and identity.
Drag Race echoes these influences loudly, incorporating their language, judging style, and
challenges. As wonderful as it is for a mainstream TV show to celebrate a marginalized culture, it
is not exempt from critiques.
RuPaul’s Drag Race, as a television show, must gain and maintain a massive audience for
it to be profitable. To do this, the show must continuously outdo itself and make the stakes higher
to prevent stagnation—and it has. The runway segment of the show, for example, is the highlight
of an episode and has increasingly become more elaborate and grander. This gives queens an
incentive to hire designers for their runway looks, which adds to their expenses. In the YouTube
video titled “Exposing the True Cost of Rupaul’s Drag Race” by Bussy Queen (2021), it is
estimated that the average amount spent on Drag Race could be between $5,000 to $46,000 or
more—an extremely hefty amount for their profession. Even though not all winners spend an
extravagant amount of money on their outfits for the show, there is immense pressure to do so.
Drag artists are essentially freelancers, depending on performances and gigs for income.
In the USA, local drag artists have $30 to $60 dollars as a flat rate when performing in clubs, and
the rest of their earnings come from audiences tipping them (Chapman, 2018). Even though they
could feasibly earn thousands in a single performance, expenses such as makeup, wigs, and
costumes take a sizeable amount. While it could become a sustainable career, their income is not
enough to finance a collection of grand runway outfits for the television show. This creates an
aesthetic divide between the advantaged and the disadvantaged drag queens—which is,
essentially, a form of class distinction.
Storey (2010) talks about the “illusion of natural distinction” and how the patterns of
consumption of the dominant class are used to impose social power over the working class. This
pattern lends itself to the concept of taste, and how it is not merely about aesthetic preference but
is also rooted in one’s economic and social status. In RuPaul’s Drag Race’s case, in its more recent
seasons, contestants with more extravagant designer runways are judged favorably, while others,
though performing well in challenges, are at a disadvantage. Just recently, RuPaul criticized a
Drag Race UK Season 2 contestant, Joe Black, for wearing clothing from H&M on the runway
(Giardina, 2021). It’s worth mentioning that half of season 2 was filmed during the COVID-19
pandemic, when Joe Black and their fellow contestants lost job opportunities due to public
establishments closing.
This pressures future contestants to spend more, and with the nature of their occupation,
it might not be a financially feasible option for a lot of local performers. Thus, the future of drag
race might be kept to the elites, the well-connected, and the wealthy, depriving it of those who
need the opportunity the most.
Another critique is, ironically, Drag Race’s lack of diversity and its mistreatment of people
of color, particularly black queens, and the lack of transgender representation.
Until recently, transgender contestants could not compete in the show, and most
transwomen contestants only publicly come out after their season aired. RuPaul has stated before
that he does not want transwomen and cis women competing in the show, which led to backlash
from fans and trans contestants alike (Framke, 2018). Drag Race has since taken steps to be more
inclusive: on Season 13, Gottmik is cast as the first transgender man on the show, and in the same
year, the All Stars Season 6 included Kylie Sonique Love and Jiggly Caliente, two transgender
women who have transitioned after their original seasons. So far, as of writing, there are no cis
women drag artists who have been cast.
Most egregious of all is how they portray contestants who are black or a person of color
(POC). Though Drag Race presents itself as a reality TV show, the show is consciously produced,
edited, and approved. While the producers have no control over the contestants’ actions while
shooting, they do choose which moments they show or don’t show on TV. Due to Drag Race’s
worldwide reach and popularity, its producers have control over the audience’s perceptions of the
contestants themselves, as well as enforce unhealthy stereotypes.
The term ‘villain edit’ is used to describe a contestant who is portrayed as antagonistic and
spiteful, and throughout the years, this role has been mostly ‘designated’ to black and POC drag
queens. In the article ‘A Drag Race Editor Says the Villain Edit Doesn't Exist. Fans of Color Know
Better’, Matthew Rodriguez (2020) states that the US media has a long history of giving
marginalized people the villain role. In Drag Race’s case, it is especially harmful since the
contestants are subjected to harsh online hate and bullying by fans. Brita Filter, a drag queen of
Polynesian descent from season 12, has spoken out about how the bullying and death threats they
have received affected them severely (Singh, 2020). Some contestants have even quit their drag
careers due to the extent of the online hatred, most notably Jaremi Carey (formerly ‘Phi Phi
O’Hara’, who is of Filipino descent) and James Ross IV (formerly ‘Tyra Sanchez’, who is black).
Harassment and bullying of POC queens are so prevalent that in 2020, POC Drag Race queens
released a PSA video addressing the racism and hate within the fandom (Oganesyan, 2020).
Of course, RuPaul’s Drag Race has brought a positive impact on its community. The show
puts a spotlight on queer voices and queer performers, giving them opportunities and highlighting
LGBT stories. Queer people being visible, especially on television, can help queer youth find role
models and come to terms with their identity and sexuality (Damshenas, 2018). It has also
launched its contestants’ careers and has encouraged the interest of the drag community, giving a
once niche career path more opportunities. RuPaul’s Drag Race is a rare queer-centric media
occupying the mainstream space.
With all these influences in mind, Drag Race’s impact on a global level is undeniable, even
in the Philippines. In this paper, through cultural analysis, I will be examining the effects of the
Drag Race franchise on the local Filipino drag scene from the perspective of Filipino audiences
and Filipino drag artists.

Analysis of the Filipino Drag Race Fandom

To reach Drag Race viewers, I made an online survey through Google Forms and posted it
on Twitter, where there is an active community of Drag Race fans. It had 100 responses.

Prefer not to
say/Others
LGBTQ+
Members
Unspecificied (42%)
Female
(47%)

Genderfluid
Transgender

Nonbinary
Heterosexual
Male
(12%)
Figure 1. A chart of the respondents’ sexuality. Figure 2. A chart of the respondents’ gender identity.

Most of the respondents who disclosed their sexual orientations are part of the LGBTQ+
community.
For 62% of the respondents, Drag Race was their first exposure to drag culture. The impact
of the show was evident—all of them said the show impacted them positively. Their perspective
on the LGBTQ+ community has deepened, as the show has touched on Queer history and issues
through contestants’ stories and even through challenges. For the LGBTQ+ respondents, Drag
Race helped them in accepting their identity and encourage self-expression.
 Number of years of watching Drag Race

7% 17% 12% 23% 20% 21%

0 years 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5+ years

Figure 3. A graph of the length of the respondents’ viewership for RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Most of the respondents have been fans of Drag Race for years, suggesting that the fans
are loyal and avid watchers of the show. When asked about why the show was appealing to them,
the responses were similar, ranging from the fashion, artistry, creativity, the comedy, the
challenges, the ‘Lipsync For Your Life’ segment, and the queens’ personalities and stories.
Despite this patronage of the show, the energy is not the same for the local drag scene.
Only 28% of respondents claim to be aware of the Philippine drag, while 55% only responded with
‘a little’. 60% have not supported local drag performers, but 87% are willing to support them in
bars and shows after the pandemic. This correlates to the interviewees’ statements about drag
race fans—that they are fans of the franchise and not the queens. Viewership of Drag Race does
not indicate support towards the local community.

From the Drag artists’ perspectives

Three Filipino drag artists agreed to participate and share their perspectives on the topic. They
are Inah Demons, ØV CÜNT, and Tita Baby. The three artists have varying degrees of years and
styles in drag. In this paper, I will be referring to them using they/them pronouns.

Inah Demons ØV CÜNT Tita Baby

 All three know of drag culture before they saw RuPaul’s Drag Race through local show
segments, comedy bits, and local bars. However, Drag Race was usually cited as a starting point
for their pursuit of the art form. Inah Demons, the youngest of the interviewees, was a drag race
fan before doing drag 2-3 years ago. ØV CÜNT was inspired when they went out with their friends
(who were in drag) to see a performance by Adore Delano, a contestant from RuPaul’s Drag Race
season 6, in 2015. Tita Baby, though not an avid fan of the show, had a history of doing drag for
Halloween parties for more than 20 years and was convinced by their boyfriend, who is a fan of
Drag Race, to do drag more often.
Despite the Drag Race’s impact, their styles went beyond what was shown on the show.
Both Inah Demons and ØV CÜNT were inspired by the aesthetic of Club Kids, which were an
underground New York subculture characterized by its over-the-top, outrageous fashion (Rosen,
2019). This led to them having an alternative aesthetic and attracting a niche audience. Tita Baby
took inspiration from her own family members, specifically her aunts, giving a more comedic yet
grounded take to her character.
When asked about the effects of RuPaul’s Drag Race on their local community, all three
had similar observations. Drag Race opened the culture of drag to many, including heterosexuals,
sparking interest, understanding, and conversations surrounding drag performers and the
LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, more people are also encouraged to try drag—in fact, ØV
CÜNT calls it a “renaissance of drag in the Philippines”, as more people pursue drag around the
country during the pandemic.
However, they also have similar critiques on the effects of Drag Race, specifically on the
lack of diversity in the style of drag featured on the show—the most common drag-style featured
on the show is focused on feminine glamour, pageant beauty, and fashion. In an article by Milenka
Bermanova (2019), they critiqued Drag Race for this polished, mainstream style of drag by saying
that, by trying to make it palatable and inoffensive to the general public, it has removed it from its
roots, which is inherently political and to protest against normative expressions of gender.
Judging the contestants through their aesthetics sends a message that there is a “correct” way to
do drag, which harms drag performers and creates a rigid perception among its audiences.
Both ØV CÜNT and Tita Baby said that drag race fans are just fans of the show, and not
drag itself. Inah Demons notes that this has serious effects on alternative performers, as anyone
under that subcategory of drag may find it hard to get paid gigs. ØV CÜNT, an experienced
performer, talks about how hard it is to sell shows that feature their type of drag, to the point
where an organizer asked them to “tone it down” when they performed something outside the
typical. Tita Baby, who primarily does TikTok skits, said that fans of the show may sometimes
overstep boundaries with unsolicited comments and critiques due to what they’ve learned on the
TV show.
Connecting this to what was discussed in the production analysis, these troubles are
present because Drag Race actively creates the myth that drag is a monolith—the polished,
expensive portrayal of drag in the show has affected the audience’s perception of what drag is
‘supposed to be’. “Drag is about breaking norms. If the viewers or the show create a box, then
we have to break it again,” Tita Baby said.
The interviewees have their ways of keeping the Filipino drag community active and
visible. Tita Baby has the most reach, with over 38,2oo followers on TikTok who watch their short
video skits. Inah Demons is active on Twitter and Instagram, sharing makeup looks and video
content. ØV CÜNT, aside from posting photos and videos, frequently organizes virtual
performances with other Filipino drag artists, most notably, their virtual event ‘Dead Flies’, which
features other alternative performers.
When asked about the future of their drag and the community, all three share hopeful
sentiments. For Inah Demons, they desire diversity within the community, especially with more
alternative drag styles and acceptance of AFAB (Assigned Female at Birth) performers. Tita Baby
has already received offers to host in drag for corporate events and hopes that more drag artists
get the opportunity to make their careers financially feasible. ØV CÜNT wants to see drag beyond
the bar scene—they want drag to be seen as real, serious art, and expressed wanting to take it to
the Cultural Center of the Philippines or in the Metropolitan Theater in Manila. With such
passionate energy combined with the mainstream power that Drag Race has given to the drag
community, the Filipino drag scene will keep growing in the foreseeable future.

Conclusion
The impact of RuPaul’s Drag Race and its extensions are undeniable and apparent. From
its underground beginnings to its mainstream success, the show and its franchise will continue to
grow, and so will the drag community in the Philippines. The TV show itself has many problems—
its narrow presentation of drag culture, the mistreatment of black and POC performers, and its
slowness to represent transgender people and women—but steps and progress are made to
improve. The most important thing is that Drag Race has provided a space where LGBT+ figures
are visible to queer audiences and given them a platform to tell their stories of triumphs and
hardships. In the Philippines, viewers of Drag Race might be small, but it is a loyal and vocal
subculture.
Though the pandemic spelled an end to public and bar performances, social media has
brought Filipino drag artists together, fostering a community with a promising future. Drag Race
viewers need to bring their attention to the local scene and help it grow.
To end, when asked about the future of drag in the Philippines, ØV CÜNT passionately
states, “The future of drag is ongoing right now. It’s forever growing, hindi siya titigil, and
personally, hindi ako titigil hanggang di tayo nasa tuktok. People see drag queens as clowns…
[but I hope] in the future, ‘di lang tayo ang ugly gay bestfriend, di lang tayo yung comedy for
commercials. I think we deserve more than that. The future of drag is big, and it’s happening
right now.”
References

Abraham, A. (2019, August 10). 'Finally! A Sports for us gay people': how drag went
mainstream. Retrieved from The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/aug/10/how-drag-went-
mainstreamrupaul-karen-from-finance-drag-sos
Bermanova, M. (2019, February). Drag Race Culture. Retrieved from NYU Gallatin:
https://confluence.gallatin.nyu.edu/context/first-year-writing-seminar/drag-
raceculture
Chapman, S. (2018, September). Local Drag Performers Often Don't Get Paid Enough to Even
Cover the Cost of Their Outfit. Retrieved from The Stranger:
https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2018/09/21/32646576/tip-your-local-drag-
queensthey-need-it
Damshenas, S. (2018). RuPaul’s Drag Race is the most important queer TV show in HERstory,
and here’s why. Retrieved from Gay Times:
https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/rupauls-drag-race-is-the-most-important-queertv-
show-in-herstory-and-heres-why/
Foe, J. (2013). Tolerated, if Discreet: 1960s Filipino Gays. The Asian Conference on Cultural
Studies. Osaka, Japan.
Framke, C. (2018, March). How RuPaul’s comments on trans women led to a Drag Race revolt
— and a rare apology. Retrieved from Vox:
https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/3/6/17085244/rupaul-trans-women-drag-
queensinterview-controversy
Garcia, J. N. (2004). Male Homosexuality in the Philippines: a short history. 13.
Giardina, H. (2021, February). RuPaul Roasts Drag Race U.K. Contestant for Wearing H&M,
Breaks Internet. Retrieved from Them: https://www.them.us/story/rupaul-roasts-
dragrace-uk-contestant-joe-black
Gowey, D. (n.d). "Change me into a Chieftain": Resistance and Persistence in Upward Panay,
Philippines.
Klein, R. (2006). http://intersections.anu.edu.au/issue13/klein_interview.html. Intersections:
Gender, History and Culture in the Asian Context.
Losa, R. (2019). Queens of the night: A herstory of Filipino drag culture. Retrieved from Scout
Magazine: https://www.scoutmag.ph/lifestyle/a-herstory-of-filipino-drag-cultureroginl-
20181011
Oganesyan, N. (2020, September). ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Contestants Address Racism Within
Fandom in PSA. Retrieved from Variety:
https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/rupaulsdrag-race-anti-racism-psa-
1234779281/m/2020/tv/news/rupauls-drag-race-antiracism-psa-1234779281/
 Rappler. (2019, September 14). These 'Drag Race' queens are bringing the 'Werq the World'
tour to Manila. Retrieved from Rappler:
https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/rupauls-drag-race-werq-the-world-tourmanila
Rodriguez, M. (2020, September). A Drag Race Editor Says the Villain Edit Doesn't Exist. Fans
of Color Know Better. Retrieved from Them.: https://www.them.us/story/rupauls-
dragrace-villain-edit
Rosen, M. (2019, September). Remembering the Club Kids, the Last Subculture of the Analogue
Age. Retrieved from Another Man:
https://www.anothermanmag.com/lifeculture/10936/the-club-kids-the-last-subculture-
of-the-analogue-age-walt-cassidy
RuPaul's Drag Race. (n.d.). Retrieved from VH1: http://www.vh1.com/shows/rupauls-dragrace
Singh, R. (2020, October). Drag Race star Brita Filter ‘tried to hurt herself’ after toxic, racist
bullying from so-called fans became ‘too much to bear. Retrieved from Pink News:
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/10/22/brita-filter-drag-race-bullying-
overdoseracist-toxic/
The fabulous history of drag. (n.d.). Retrieved from BBC:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbkmkmn
Walker, R. (2019, May). Culture is a Drag. North Carolina.

View publication stats