eBar.com – by Jim Provenzano
“You’re born naked, and the rest is all drag,” sayeth the indomitable RuPaul.
With so many drag shows to see in the Bay Area, it’s amusing to compare the styles available. With the film version of the musical Hairspray, John Waters’ homage to retro TV dance shows now in theatres, and star John Travolta having claimed that his appearance as Edna Turnblatt is “not gay,” it’s high time to reclaim the role originated by drag queen extraordinaire Divine, and drag in particular, as a very gay cultural phenomenon, thank you very much.
Crossdressers have a rich varied history here in San Francisco, according to Nan Alamilla Boyd’s fascinating book Wide Open Town: a History of Queer San Francisco to 1965. Did you know that “gender-transgressive entertainments existed alongside other Barbary Coast attractions” as early as 1890? Boyd’s book recounts these and other compelling facts which prove the rich history of drag in our culture. This week, plenty of contemporary shows continue this illustrious wig-laden legacy.