Notable Members of the Drag Industry

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The drag industry has become big business over the past few years. As part of the entertainment industry overall, it consists of individuals who use dress and make-up of a sex different than their own along with a flamboyant exaggeration of their imitated personality. Drag shows usually include lip-syncing and dancing to popular music as well as stand-up comedy. Drag is considered an amplified expression of one's self on stage, open to all genders, races and ages.

There is a rich history to the drag industry. From ancient Greek and Roman cultures to Japan's Kabuki tradition, through to Shakespearean times, it was a common theatre practice for men to impersonate women on stage. This carried over into Opera in Europe. The rise of vaudeville and burlesque in the early 1900s introduced more women to the industry.

Many members of the LGBTQ community participate in the drag industry. In addition to drag queens and kings on stage and television, there are producers, club owners, writers, artists, and choreographers. In Mexico, there are professional wrestlers who perform in drag known as Lucha Libre ("free wrestling").

Perhaps the most famous and widely known drag star today is American RuPaul. He is the creator and host of the reality television show RuPaul's Drag Race and its spinoff shows. To date he has received eleven Emmy Awards. The show has created a multi-million dollar industry.

Popular drag stars are active in the LGBTQ community. Today, drag is important for its impact on human rights movements. Drag stars are prominent AIDS activists and rights advocates. Many have written books about their personal history, are active in social media, appear in DragCons, participate in travelling circuit shows and world tours, and have moved on to modelling. Advertising, theatre, the fashion industry, and film are eagerly signing up today's popular drag stars.

We have identified the following notable drag stars from the LGBTQ community. Simply click on their name to read their fascinating biographies.

Australia

Austria

Brazil

Cameroon

Canada

Germany

Great Britain

India

Ireland

Mexico

Puerto Rico

Romania

Spain

Sweden

Thailand

United States

Further Reading/Research


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