We’re All Born Naked and the Rest is Drag

If you haven’t already gotten on board to the most colorful show on TV, I don’t know what you’re doing. That’s right, this blog post is dedicated to Rupaul’s Drag Race. 

I was introduced to Rupaul’s Drag Race at the hormonal age of twelve. I was sitting in bed with my friend, as we sat gossiping and skimming through shows on demand. We both decided on this odd show that didn’t appear to have any point. In one scene the drag queens were creating their own advertisements for Absolute Vodka, in another scene the drag queens were sewing their own gowns for the runway. The show didn’t immediately appear to have any linear plot or purpose, but we also could not stop watching.

The show is structured around Rupaul’s chosen fourteen drag queens who come from all walks  of life to compete for the crown of America’s Next Drag Superstar. Each episode consists of a mini-challenge, week long challenge, runway look, and finally a lipsync dual. The queens are evaluated on their execution of these three components, and at the final fifteen minutes of the episode are judged on the main stage to determine the week’s winner. Each episode is uniquely constructed, with only a few recurring challenges.

The drag queens compete for the chance to win material prizes, but they also compete to advance and present life stories that they would otherwise never get the platform to express. Stories of homelessness, abandonment, abuse, and mental health all come to forefront to offer the audience a clearer vision of the  reality of being gay in America. Overall, this show is great not for the great fun and comedy that it offers, but more its relatable quality. Any person watching the show will inevitably relate and empathize with at least one figure on the show. This show has a great way of elevating human beings away from all of the depressing aspects of bigotry and hate, and creates a colorful competition that allows for every human being to express their best selves. The show is about human dignity, individuality, expression and friendship. In the words of Rupaul, “We’re all born naked and the rest is drag.”

-Justine