RuPaul and the History of Drag

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the cultural influence of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race has just wrapped its thirteenth season. Niki and Natalia drew on Simon Doonan’s book Drag: The Complete Story. Natalia also referred to this Vulture article on the history of drag and this New Yorker profile of “female impersonator” Joseph Touchette. She also discussed the episode of Worn Stories featuring Doonan discussing his 1980s aerobics spandex. 

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the ill-fated Chippendales skit, “The Politician,” viewable on her Instagram account.
• Neil shared Peter Knegt’s Canadian Broadcast Corporation column, “The Fruit Machine: Why Every Canadian Should Know About This Country’s Gay Purge.”
• Niki recommended the “Pets Are People” episode of This Day Pod, featuring Anne-Helen Peterson.