Exploring RuPaul’s Drag Race as a platform for public debate: Conforming and resisting idealised notions of drag (commentary)

The performance of drag and drag queens has risen in popularity over the past decade, with RuPaul’s Drag Race (RPDR) being cited as one of the sources of this increasing popularity (Edgar, 2011). The premise of RPDR centres around pre-selected drag queens showing their talents in a variety of different challenges with the chance to win a cash prize and the series’ winner title. The show itself is in its 12th series, with five all-star series, as well as spin-offs in Thailand, Canada & the UK Both the host RuPaul Charles and the stars of the show themselves further their platform through TV appearances, live shows, and also large convention events. The exponential growth in popularity has not gone unnoticed, and here, we wanted to bring together thoughts on what RPDR has done for visibility, for community, and also for changes in the discourse that is produced around drag.