Maintaining safe spaces for marginalised communities – how academic research can support industry

Description

Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the integration of drag culture into mainstream society (Baxter et al., 2022). This art form, once exclusively for gay men, has exploded and gained undeniable acceptance and popularity, mainly due to RuPaul's Drag Race (Jordan, 2018). Drag events bring a diverse range of people together, including heterosexuals and can create a safe space for people from diverse backgrounds to celebrate and escape the realities of everyday life (Pritchard et al., 2000; Baxter et al., 2022). Recently the impact of heterosexuals infiltrating these LGBTQ+ spaces has been explored. This research presents the culmination of four years of studies into drag events, LGBTQ+ ‘safe’ spaces and the impacts this is now having on the communities they were once created to support.
Over the course of this research, online qualitative surveys (n=806) were conducted with those who have attended drag events and/or LGBTQ+ venues in the UK. Interviews were used to capture the views of drag performers and the critical incident technique (CIT) gathered a detailed understanding of lived experiences from some survey respondents.
The results indicate that drag events are considered, by attendees, as a safe space where they seek escapism from every day. Drag events have created spaces that positively affect attendees' mental and emotional well-being and provide an exciting, stimulating, and novel experience for self-expression, socialisation, fun, and acceptance. However, whilst RuPaul’s Drag Race has propelled drag culture into mainstream society, it has also narrowed the public perception of what 'drag' is. Performers have varying perceptions of this changing audience and what it means for the future of drag, the performers and drag events. Furthermore, the LGBTQ+ community has experienced an increase in fear because of heterosexuals infiltrating their ‘safe’ spaces. While these spaces have become more inclusive and diverse, it is questioning whether they serve the community they were originally established for. Specifically, participants have stated that there is a need for heterosexuals to understand better and be educated on the importance of these spaces for the LGBTQ+ community, which as event management educators, is something we need to consider. This research has made practical recommendations for those organising/managing LGBTQ+ events and venues.

Period	6 Jul 2023
Held at	University of Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
Degree of Recognition	National