Thanks to the huge success of RuPaul's Drag Race, drag art is now featured and applauded on mainstream TV channels, movies, music concerts, magazine covers and all over the internet.
Drag queens have been performing on stages for a long time — the art itself is older than you might think. In Ancient Greece, circa 500 BCE, only men were allowed to play characters in theatres. Women were prohibited from being actresses.
Well, actors playing female characters because women were not allowed isn’t exactly what we call drag today, but it was a start.
It soon became a revolution where men and women were allowed to play, explore and express different sides of themselves in regard to sexuality, gender and LGBTQIA+ rights.
Drag queens have been standing against prejudice over the years and they still are today — from the Stonewall Riot of 1969 in New York to the right of reading books to children nowadays.
According to the Bahia Gay Group, the oldest LGBTQIA+ non- governmental organisation in Latin America, on average, every 34 hours a LGBTQIA+ individual loses their life to violence in Brazil, which makes the country one of the most dangerous to the community.
Australia is the country where I feel safe to be who I really am and I feel very grateful for thatDonatella Valentino
Vinicius Apollinarie, 27 anos, o criador da Drag Queen Donatella Valentino
"Drag is a brilliant art that allows you to transform yourself into a completely different person and often the best version of yourself.
"I love being on stage and interacting with people because I want to spread love in every performance. Furthermore, drag is an art form that anyone can do, no matter their gender, sexual orientation, physical size or ethnicity.
"We live in a world where being gay is a crime in more than 60 countries, so when I put on a wig, makeup, heels and perform publicly on a stage, I am promoting a message of social equality in which I exercise my right to expression and freedom to be whoever I want," said Vinicius.
My mother was my number one fan
"At first, I had to hide from my family that I was working as a drag queen in Brazil, especially from my mother, because it was just me and her at that time and I didn't know what her reaction would be.
"The art of drag was still a taboo in my family and was hardly promoted 10 years ago. I remember that I had to put myself in drag on the street several times, as this was a secret I was hiding from my family. Unfortunately, this was a reality for me, as I didn't feel safe telling my mother at that time. But when I finally shared that part of my life, to my surprise, she was super receptive and supported me a lot.
"She watched my career rise here in Australia and was thrilled with all my achievements. In fact, she called herself 'Donatella’s number one fan', and I can confirm that she really was.
"Unfortunately, she passed away last year, but I believe she is still rooting for me, wherever she is. When I miss her words, I read the beautiful messages she sent me after watching my performances and this is something really special for me," said Vinicius.
Donatella performing in Gold Coast
According to Vinicius "there is still prejudice in terms of romantic relationships, as some men do not like to have relationships with people who do drag. However, I feel that it depends on countries and cultures, as I can see that here in Australia most men are more accepting and open minded in comparison to Brazilian men".
Australia is the country where I feel safe to be who I really am
"Sometimes it's very difficult being a migrant, because it seems no matter how good you are, the Australian market still prefers to give visibility to local artists or someone with an already established name in the art industry.
"Furthermore, I also feel that there is a lot of resistance from a few Australian drag queens in wanting to meet and work with someone from a different culture than theirs.
"As an outsider, I love introducing a bit of my culture into my performances and I’d also love to learn from them different aspects of the drag art. I believe that together we all can achieve the best version of ourselves. Luckily, I feel the Brazilian community always supports each other, and I see that here in Adelaide I have received a lot of support from this community. On the other hand, it’s important to highlight that Australia is the country where I feel safe to be who I really am and I feel very grateful for that," said Vinicius.
Felipe Oliveira, 30, creator of Luna Sparks
Felipe Oliveira, 30 anos, o criador da Drag Queen Luna Sparks
"Since I was little, I have always liked to express myself and be the centre of attention. When I was 13, my parents put me in acting classes and then I also started taking jazz and ballet classes.
"When I moved to Australia in 2014, I didn't really know what the art of drag was until I started watching competitions at bars and nightclubs and also participating in two of them. But then my perception completely changed when I started watching RuPaul's Drag Race. The show helped me understand what it means to be a drag queen, and after watching all the seasons it was clear to me that this is what I wanted to do as an artist," said Felipe.
The drag art from my perspective
"For me, drag represents artistic freedom. It's an art where you can be whatever you want and express different talents at the same time. It doesn't matter your nationality, your physical appearance, or gender — anyone can create their own character to express themselves," he said.
Luna Sparks in Sydney
"I am very grateful to have an incredible family who currently offers me support and lots of love, regardless of my career. However, this process was not easy at the beginning, as most of the Brazilian families want their sons to become soccer players, doctors or lawyers. There's a little bit of pressure in our society and it’s tough.
"So, first you come out as gay to your parents and then you also say that you work as a drag queen. This process was a little difficult in that sense, as it's not a very easy thing for people from older generations to understand or accept. My family and I had a hard time in the beginning but, after some conversations, they understood, accepted me and started being very supportive," said Felipe.
Being a drag is not a crime. It’s art!
Felipe said he worked for the last few years as an early childhood educator in daycare centres in Sydney. "I have experience reading for children. I was invited to participate in the World Pride last year, along with Mardi Gras, reading children's books for them and their families. I can say that it was a magical moment," he said.
"I believe that no one is born with prejudice: this is something we learn throughout our lives as we grow. Therefore, it is very important that children have this contact and see the drag queen profession as an art, just like a clown, a magician, an actor or a dancer.
"Honestly, I think this situation we are living in today's world is very sad, where some countries are banning drag queens from working or reading books to children. It makes no sense! We are simply showing these children another part of life so they understand that there are other communities that need to be represented. Being a drag is not a crime. It’s art! I believe that no art should be banned," he said.
Luna Sparks was the face of last year's Drag Expo in Sydney
"Being a migrant is already very difficult and, when you combine this with creating a career as a drag queen in a new country, it gets really challenging. Not only for having English as a second language, but also because the drag life is very nocturnal and basically the opportunities are at parties and clubs over the night time — even during weekdays.
"Having to work early the next day to pay the bills, like your visa and school fees is a very demanding situation, but we do everything within our grasp to keep achieving our dreams and working with what we love," he said.
Donatella participou de um campeonato Drag na Austrália na qual ganhou 4 semanas consecutivas da competição, levando o troféu de melhor Drag Queen.
