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Why Shanghai Needs Drag Queens

2017-12-09 Claire L. Squire ShanghaiWOWeng

If you have never met a drag queen, you have never lived. There is nothing more amazing that sitting in a darkened bar with a six-foot man flashing his eye lashes at you and handing you a vodka while dressed head to toe in a sequined cat suit. 


Fantasia Valentina (left) and Miss Wuwuyuan preparing for the show


I first became aware of drag queens when I was living in London. One of my best friends was a trans woman heavily involved in the UK queer community. We were hanging out one night when we ended up in G-A-Y Late, a notorious gay bar in the centre of SoHo, London’s favorite queer area. This is where I met my first drag queen, we then rolled on to Heaven, the biggest gay bar in Europe, and we partied. I hung out with a six-foot man in heels who could twerk like you wouldn’t believe. I was in love.


Fantasia Valentina


I think my fascination with drag came from the hyper feminine nature of it, drag is like a giant middle finger to gender norms. It’s like taking a girl, jacking her up on steroids, giving her a good shake and then dropping her on stage with a banana tucked between her legs and telling her to go wild. Imagine watching that on a Saturday, pissed with your mates. It’s excellent.


Alexia Flyer and back-up dancers


When I first moved to China there was no way I ever thought I would find myself sitting in a bar watching a drag show surrounded by foreigners and Chinese people alike, all of us watching one of the best drags shows I have ever seen. But there I was two Saturdays ago at Candor, watching their most popular night.


An excited crowd watching Alexia flyer (center stage) perform her opening number


If you have never been to a drag show before you’re seriously missing out. Let me talk through what you can expect to see. Singing, lip syncing (miming to songs) dancing, high leg kicks, the splits, incredible costume changes, big hair, jokes and a whole lot of sass.


Generally speaking, and this is the case with the Shanghai queens I met, these are men who have full time jobs, (teachers and office workers) and drag is a hobby they peruse. They don’t live their lives as women. It is an act, an alter-ego, and it’s a performance.


Mo Meaux rocking the stage in a sequin cat suit


I think, right now, there is no art form more important to Shanghai. Every time there’s a drag show the boundaries of gender are being pushed. It’s telling people to be bigger than life and to not let gender form their identity, and in a society that has strong gender roles and a strict patriarchal system, what could be more valuable? 


It may seem like being a drag queen is a huge step away from regular life, and I was curious about how these regular guys with regular jobs got into drag. I spoke to one of the queens about how they started performing. 


Kimberly Kumswell the host of the evening warming up the crowd


Me: So Sam, or should I say Miss Kumswell, how did you first become interested in Drag?


Kimberly Kumswell: I’ve been interested in drag my entire life, I’ve always loved costumes, dresses, hair, makeup, and performing. The first time I really did drag when I was in university, I got cast in a play as a female villain which was a dream role for me and also totally unexpected... I had auditioned to be the comic sidekick. I had so much fun doing this production that I kept exploring drag performance and did a few more plays performing in drag. After I graduated I moved to New York City and I started doing drag... until I came to China. I took a little break in Shenzhen because there weren’t many opportunities until my friend Shane started the SaturGAYs party. Once I had an opportunity to start performing again, I started doing drag regularly again.


Kimberly Kumswell performing ‘I’m just a girl who can’t say no.’


Me: Who would you say is your biggest inspiration?


Kimberly Kumswell: I draw inspiration from everywhere… I love listening to pop music and I always check what new music is coming out but I also explore older music and artists that I stumbled across or are recommended to me. I also love watching movies, I really like older movies, especially comedies, anything John Water. I’m also a podcast junkie, one of my favorites is “You Must Remember This” it covers different stories and profiles figures all from Hollywood’s first generation. I really like learning about stars like Joan Crawford, Veronica Lake, Bette Davis, and Jean Seberg. I’m always looking around for inspiration, you never know where the next big idea might come from.


From left to right Mo Meaux, Alexia Flyer, Kimberly Kumswell, Fantasia Valentina, Miss wuwuyuan performing The Cell Block Tango from Chicago.


Me: Does anything to do with drag frighten you, what would you say is your biggest fear?


Kimberly Kumswell: I’m most afraid of fear, which probably sounds corny, but doing drag is a big balancing act in my eyes because there’s just so much to do. So much thought and attention goes into all every detail of drag, and sometimes fear can stop you from growing or trying new things in your performance, or wearing a different color wig, or drawing on your eyebrow at a different angle… so it’s important for me to always recognize the fear and fight it so that I can try new things and evolve. But fear is scary when it’s left unexamined or unquestioned.


When I spoke to the group about what advice they would give to people thinking about getting into drag the responses were as follows:


Mo Meaux


Mo Meaux: GO FOR IT. It’s life changing whether you purse it professionally or just do it for fun. You can learn so much about yourself.


Fantasia Valentina


Fantasia Valentina: Don’t think about it, just do it.


From left to right Mo Meaux, Alexia Flyer, Kimberly Kumswell, Fantasia Valentina, Miss wuwuyuan


Kimberly Kumswell: Do it!! Drag is so fun. I know I just said it’s so hard and time consuming and makes me crazy sometimes, but drag, dressing up as anything is so much fun. It’s liberating in a weird way and completely changes the way people interact with you when you’re dressed up... I highly recommend trying it.


From left to right Miss Wuwuyuan, Mo Meaux, Fantasia Valentina, Me, Alexia Flyer, Kimberly Kumswell


So if you’re thinking of taking up a new hobby, why not take up drag? Why not give a giant F U to gender stereotypes and go get a wig on. And drag isn’t just for men, women can become drag kings, draw on a mustache and get a sock in your pants. Get liberated! If making the step to performing is not for you, then get down to Candor and take in a show. You are guaranteed to leave happy, tipsy and inspired.


WE ARE HIRING


Video Host

 

Looking for an enthusiastic and bilingual, on-camera personality to host a new video series for top restaurants, hotels and bars around the city. Get your passport ready, as there will opportunities for international travel.

 

We are also looking for a skilled videographer and director

 

All interested applicants please send your resume and show reel to jobs@shanghaiwow.com

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