Two drag fans discuss how RuPaul's Drag Race professionalized the art form, creating a polished aesthetic that became the standard. One realizes they've become the gatekeepers they once criticized. Sewing challenges strip away polish to reveal a queen's actual conceptual thinking.
I just realized something that we just did. You know how I always complain that the RuPaul's Drag Race franchise has professionalized drag to a point that there is a certain polished professional look that is required? And I think I just— I'm guilty. I just did that right now with Siam. No, should I be?
I mean, well, you're clocking it, you're clocking it. You're very— you're being very metacognitive. You're thinking about the way that you critiqued. I think the, the thing is like, yes, there is a high level of drag that's expected. But I think the sewing challenges are the equalizers. Yeah. Because when you take away designers, when you take away Google, when you take away references, what can you show us as a drag queen or drag artist? Yeah, right. Yeah. Yeah. So I think this is— I think that's why it's so important to have these challenges because they can showcase how their mind thinks. Like, how do you think as a drag queen? How do you conceptualize a look? How does that go?
And on the flip side, also, if it's competition, what will you base your judgment off of? I guess, you know, execution is part of that. And that's why our eyes are trained to look at these small details. From the words of Bajaina herself, you know. Yes.
