The History of Drag
How 19th-Century Drag Balls Evolved into House Balls, Birthplace of Voguing - HISTORY
Harlem drag balls thrived during the post-Civil War era, creating a space where trans and queer people of color later broke out to develop House Ballroom.
Many queer youth join balls at a young age, and sometimes live with their houses if they cannot safely live with their biological family. These alternative families are led by "mothers," who are mostly butch queens (gay men) or femme queens (transgender women) or "fathers," who are mostly butch queens or butches (transgender men).
With this new realm of ball culture came the development of competition. The competitions consist of an entire language of concepts, categories, dances, and slang that are unique to the subculture (Phillips II, Peterson, Binson, Hidalgo, and Magnus 2011:517).Participants "walk" or "compete" on a stage or runway for prizes, displaying their outfit along with their persona for different ...
In order to understand the importance of drag culture, it's helpful to first know what it is. Drag is a theatrical form, according to Joe E. Jeffreys, a drag historian and professor of theater studies at New York University, states in an interview with TIME.
The history of drag queens is an evolution from a common theater practice to an award-winning form of entertainment that has gained legitimacy both on a national and international stage.
The category is vaudeville. As time went on, drag became more about the individual and the queens built up their own fanbases. One of the biggest stars of the earliest 20th century was Julian Eltinge.