In the last week or so, the issues surrounding equality seem to be rearing their head again. The fact that they have to infuriates me, but I’ll leave the reasons and reasoning for later perhaps.
For now, let’s centre on the reason for this post. Selfridges, as part of their rather brilliant Beauty Project, organised a selection of talks, discussing our conception of beauty, challenging it, or perhaps reaffirming what we already believe.
There were two talks I wanted to attend specifically. The first looked at age and beauty, but unfortunately I was already booked. The second, was a discussion on gender and beauty, entitled We’re Born Naked, The Rest is Drag; Identity, Fantasy and Beauty Beyond Gender.
Why this talk? Simple. I’m very, very lucky to have been brought up by parents who were accepting, non-judgemental and open. It means that, somehow, I’ve never seen boy or girl, more a person. I’ve never felt that if I’d chosen a particularly ‘male’ career I’d be defined by it, or if I acted in a particular ‘female’ way they would have either praised or punished me for it.
In truth, as a child (probably relatively rare in the late 1970s, but I’m sure you’ll correct me if I’m wrong) I played with toy cars as much as I did Sindy. I climbed trees, played rugby with my best friend’s dad and her brother. I loved make up and playing hairdresser with my friends and annoying my mum by taking the belt from my party dress and wearing it in my hair. Never once was any of this behaviour treated with anything but acceptance (and maybe a bit annoyance for ruining a perfectly good belt).
But I recognise that not everyone is that lucky, even now some 30+ years later, girls are still being put into pink dresses, boys into t-shirts with cars and trucks on them.
Because here’s the thing. Gender is learned. Yes, at birth we have one specific sex – male or female. They’re just body parts. BUT feminine and masculine aren’t ingrained. Those, rightly or wrongly, we learn from society, from our parents, from the world around us. It’s noted what sex we are and we are placed in that box.
Society likes boxes.
The talk was to be introduced by Katie Popperwell and three speakers were to give their insight into the discussion. From the University of Leeds, Dr Sally Hines, Associate Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies. From Manchester, we had Grace Oni Smith, make up artist and drag artist and Cheddar Gorgeous, drag artist, visual artist and academic.
Sally began the discussion. An academic looking at the cultural, sociological and legal movements around gender and transgender specifically, she began by asking the audience if we had heard of Judith Butler. Judith Butler is very well known for her own work surrounding gender and in her book Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, she theorizes the idea of gender as a series of repetitive acts done by each of us to maintain the appearance of our gender, male or female. The idea that each of us does stuff every day to appear feminine or masculine. That repeated behaviour creates and reinforces your gender.
Drag is, in effect an exaggeration of these acts, often done in parody and irony to resist these gender norms, the idea that we have to be one way or another. Sex, gender and stereotypes and the social constructions of gender are challenged. And sometimes these parodies can do as much harm as good.
The second presentation was from Grace. Grace was able to discuss gender from a different angle, that of a transgender woman. Setting the scene, she showed us some of her stunning make up artistry,
Speaking more of her experiences, she told us that when she was very young, she hadn’t really considered there to be any differences, her mum was supportive of her, whatever she had chosen to do and it was only when attending school in rural Cumbria that she experienced difficulties.
Growing up in the 1970s/80s she had found inspiration in the physical expressions of pop artists – using make up and clothing to present themselves to the world as ‘they are’. She found influences in the appearances of artists, in particular Siouxsie Sioux, but also David Bowie, Pete Burns and Boy George. And whilst emulating this it simultaneously drew attention, but also offered an armour, a shield against being viewed as different. I hope Grace won’t mind if I translate that that the physical appearance was hiding her inner turmoil at who she was, and offered almost a reason for her to be different, away from that. A distraction.
Leaving the north behind, it was in London that Grace found others just like her. Who may or may not have been experiencing the same questions around gender, but more, were using make up and clothing as a form of expression. Over time, Grace found her male gender more and more of an act.
After this realisation, she recognised it was time to seek help to make the transition. And drag helped her deal with it.
As transgender, she stated that you were always more self critical and drag could be used as a way of drawing attention to those flaws, to exorcise the demons, the feelings you contain as you try to deal with the changes involved. Both expose those flaws and to let them go. Catharsis.
Finally, Cheddar spoke of his experiences. Having started his career as a mainstream drag act, he now prefers to play with the concept of gender and transformation from one to the other. To ‘trouble’ people’s perceptions and the differences between the two.
Ahead of the talk, Cheddar used Google to search for images of beauty. Beauty and women produced search results depicting images of cosmetics, what our automatic thoughts are when we consider beauty.
The search completed for men and beauty, on the other hand simply depicted (aside from one or two images as seen below) showing any form of beauty enhancements. Aside from a gym visits, and a shave, there’s no make up, no lash extensions, no false nails, no fake boobs… etc etc etc.
It’s this disparity that engenders a cynicism about the way gender is viewed.
Moving onto drag, Cheddar mentioned the source of the title of this talk, RuPaul and RuPaul’s Drag Race. The drag Race is formatted very much more towards the ‘passing as a woman’ sort of role, which can be very limiting, whereas Cheddar’s own performances, and preferences cover all ranges of gender exploration, men as women, women as men, women as drag women. Cheddar enjoys the confusion, the illusion that can be created using layers of stereotypical gender traits.
Towards the end of his talk, Cheddar also mentioned a project by a local photographer, Lauren Jo Kelly, entitled Life’s a Drag, where she worked with Drag Queens to be transformed herself into them, including Cheddar. Sneakily, I’ve found a YouTube video of this transformation which I’ve linked to below. I think you’ll agree, it’s pretty incredible.
Of course discussion afterwards had to include the recent Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst and the groups trying to ‘own’ both her and the win. Winning was seen as a political gesture, very much an anti-Russian gesture, but interestingly (and from my own experiences) it was perhaps the beard that proved the issue with many viewers of the show. The beard was perceived as ‘confrontational’ and certainly some people I spoke to didn’t understand why it was there.
Finally, the question was asked, is there more acceptance of drag now than in the past and sadly the agreement was, that whilst there’s perhaps more acceptance, it’s still seen as a novelty. This is true of transgender too, though more is known and day to day there is more perceived acceptance, still personalities on television and in the media are few and far between.
Perhaps this is one of the things that should come out of the whole discussion. Drag isn’t something to be scared of. Neither is playing with your appearance, even with the concept of gender. How many girls have slapped on a fake moustache on a hen do? And how many chaps use a fancy dress party as an excuse to throw on a dress?
Playing with gender isn’t about sexual preference, it’s about expression, freedom and toying with your idea of self.
As I say, I just see people.
With huge thanks to Selfridges, the panel and the fantastic San Carlo Bottega for the nibbles and wine consumed during the evening. Ideal to lubricate the discussion.
And finally to Crank Photo for the images – stunning!
One thought on “We’re Born Naked, The Rest is Drag”