Behind the Makeup
The world of Drag is steeped in jargon that might confuse people not familiar with the culture. Here is a quick guide to some of the popular terms.
Drag queen: a biological man dressed and performing as a woman. Drag queens often live their daily lives as men, and only dress as women when they perform.
Transvestite: a person who lives his or her life as the gender opposite their biological gender. Not to be confused with transgendered — a person who has undergone a surgical sex change — a man becoming a woman or a woman becoming a man. Transvestites live every day in the gender they identify with.
Cross dresser: someone who dresses as the opposite sex but does not necessarily have a sex change.
Drag king: A biological woman dressing as a man
Padding: using materials like foam to build up hips, and chest to make their bodies look like a females
Pumping parties: Pressured to look more like biological women, some drag queens participate in "pumping parties," where typically unlicensed people peform cosmetic operations to "pump up" body areas such as breasts, lips, and buttocks. They can use sillicone, or a potentially dangerous combination of construction calk and baby oil. There are many risks, including death.
Tucking: The practice of a male concealing his penis while dressed in drag clothing. It can be done with duct tape and spray adhensive aids.
Fish: Being "fish" or "fishy" describes how closely a drag queen resembles a biological woman. Many drag queens desire to be very "fish," and do their hair, makeup, clothing, and padding to appear to be as close to a biological female as possible.
Contouring: Many drag queens get the appearance of more defined cheekbones, and a more feminine face by contouring with theatrical makeup. It involves using three shades of foundation, and blending them to create the appearance of cheekbones, and a generally more defined face.
Painting: What drag queens call their make up process. It is usually very heavy and dramatic, similar to stage makeup.
Skivies: A predominately gay club in Topeka, Kan. Drag shows are held every Thursday and Sunday evenings.
Painting: The makeup a drag queen puts on, usually very heavy and dramatic, similar to stage makeup
Stonewall riots: On June 27, 1969 the police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village. Patrons were asked for I.D, and several were detained inside the bar. When the bar staff and three drag queen patrons were ordered into a police van, the bar was trashed, and the raid sparked a larger, peaceful protest the following day. Later that summer, the Gay Liberation Front was formed. Many see the Stonewall Riots as a catalyst for this and other action; the seed from which GLBTIQ rights organizations grew.