Introduction

  Critical studies of drag and masculinities are still relatively new. Historically, drag performers and communities have been perceived as deviant, marginal, outliers to all that was considered “normal” by both queer and heterosexual academics [1]. Meanwhile, because of its perceived normalcy and dominance, masculinity has long evaded critical academic analysis. Feminist, queer, and masculinity studies have accomplished much by turning an analytical eye on both the experiences of people in the margins as well as unmarked categories of dominance [2]. This project investigates the contemporary queering of drag and masculinities in Asheville, NC through a critical analysis of the changing sites, definitions, and manifestations of drag. First, a foundation in feminist, queer, and masculinity studies will be built to contextualize hegemonic and non-normative masculinities as well as drag. With this foundation, the focus will shift to the changing drag scene in Asheville followed by personal narratives of drag and masculinity by Asheville citizens. Situating the study in Asheville privileges the voices of a generation and population whose stories may not be articulated in academia. Certainly, the findings of this project are not singular to Asheville. This project hopes only to be, as Esther Newton termed Mother Camp, “at once photograph and X-ray” of a diverse population in the midst of historic changes [3].
For the sake of clarity, the key terms masculinity, drag, and queer will be explained. The theoretical framework will then explore the existing bodies of theory on drag queens, drag kings, and trans subjectivities. The methodology will explicate how the observation and narratives were gathered. Then the paper will investigate the changing sites of drag in Asheville. Lastly, the personal narratives of drag and masculinity in Asheville will be presented, followed by a reflection of the narratives’ key themes.


Notes


[1] Esther Newton, Mother Camp: Female Impersonators in America (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1972), xv.




[2] Judith Kegan Gardiner, “Introduction.” Masculinity Studies and Feminist Theory, ed. Judith Kegan Gardiner (New York: Columbia UP, 2002), 2-6.




[3] Ibid., xiv.