March 16th 2024.
As a drag artist, I have been fortunate enough to have been a part of the industry before RuPaul's Drag Race made its way to the UK. I remember the days when I and my fellow artists were paid the same amount, regardless of our gender expression. But now, things have changed. I recently received a voice note from a producer, informing me that the show I was set to star in had been cancelled. What hurt the most was not the cancellation itself, but the fact that my co-star, who had been on RuPaul's Drag Race, was being paid a whopping £60,000 while I was only receiving £3,000. It was a painful reminder of the disparities within the drag industry and the limited opportunities for artists like myself to make a decent living.
I have been a drag artist for seven years, and I am one of the few full-time drag kings in the UK. Each drag artist has their own unique gender expression, but unfortunately, the industry only seems to celebrate and reward certain types of performers. This is not a reflection of my talent, but rather a harsh reality of the gender pay gap within the drag community. It's disheartening to see that even in an industry that prides itself on breaking gender norms, there is still discrimination and inequality.
With the commercialization of drag, the target audience has shifted to mainly cisgender heterosexual women who have recently discovered drag due to the popularity of RPDR. These audiences expect and demand what they are familiar with, which often means drag queens. As a result, drag kings like myself are often overlooked and undervalued, leading to a vicious cycle of being booked less and paid less. This not only perpetuates the gender pay gap but also highlights the internalized misogyny within the drag industry.
The rise of drag brunches and the influx of straight female audiences has changed the landscape of the drag scene. But with this comes the pressure to conform and perform in a way that is easily recognizable and profitable. Drag kings, who do not fit the traditional mold of drag, are often left out and marginalized. We are just as talented as our drag queen colleagues, but we are constantly overlooked and undervalued.
It's disheartening to see that even within the world of drag, there is a lack of understanding and acceptance of different gender expressions. As a trans man, I am often perceived as a woman doing male illusion, and it's frustrating to have to constantly explain my identity to audiences. Drag is not limited to men imitating women, and there is a whole spectrum of gender expression and performance within the community. We need to break away from these narrow stereotypes and celebrate the diversity within the drag industry.
One of the saddest things about shows like RPDR is not just the gender pay gap, but the perpetuated idea that drag is limited to men imitating women. This not only erases the existence of drag kings and other gender expressions but also reinforces the patriarchal structure within the industry. It's time for change, and it starts with recognizing and addressing the gender pay gap and challenging the norms within the drag community.
We need to push for a future where all bodies and gender expressions are normalized and paid according to their talent, rather than their presumed sex or gender. In the German franchise of RPDR, a cis woman was recently crowned the winner, but it's important to note that the final top three in the UK franchise were all cis white men. We cannot ignore the fact that the drag industry, like any other, is still controlled by patriarchy, and this has an impact on the wider drag economy.
It's time for us to have more open and honest conversations about the gender pay gap in the drag industry. We need to continue to push for diversity and inclusivity, not just on stage but behind the scenes as well. Let's make space for drag kings and other underrepresented gender expressions in drag shows, and let's pay them what they deserve. It's time to dismantle the gender pay gap in the world of drag and create a more equitable and inclusive community. After all, it's still a man's world, even if their wigs are fabulous.
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