In honor of the triumphant return of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” which began its seventh season last Monday, I think it’s finally time to educate you all on the mystifying world of drag and how far it’s come.
According to RuPaul, the art of drag is in its golden age. Over the course of seven seasons, RuPaul has given 87 drag queens a spotlight and a chance at success. Some drag queens are using their newly found fame to bring drag to the next level, just as RuPaul did in the 1990s, rising to become a household name.
These new queens are coming into the public eye and American mainstream. From appearances in New York Fashion Week runway shows to advertising campaigns for MAC Cosmetics and American Apparel, queens are making their marks. In the world of gay culture, you can’t blink without a drag queen releasing a new single. And these queens are beginning to introduce new concepts that the larger community failed to previously consider, most notably “kai kai” and the “tuck.”
To be a drag queen in the first place is a very difficult, painful and time-consuming career. One of the most difficult tasks is the “tuck.” The “tuck” is exactly what it sounds like. A man takes his penis and pulls it back in between his cheeks. With the use of a lot of duct tape, he pushes his testicles up into the cavities at the base of the pelvic bone. This is all done to create the illusion of a woman’s vagina.
First, imagine having to walk around with this tape monstrosity in between your legs. Now imagine trying to have sex in this compromised state. When two drag queens have sex, it’s called a “kai kai.” With eight-inch heels on, enough makeup so the back row can see the queens’ performance and a wig through the roof, sex isn’t easy. Many queens choose to opt out of sex in drag but those who embrace the “kai kai” challenge realize how fun it can be.
Like sex between any other pair, there are countless options for positions and maneuvers. “Kai kai” is such an exciting concept because it opens up room for gender fluidity. This pairing opens up the threshold of almost every known gender expression.
In season five of “Drag Race,” RuPaul stated that anyone, regardless of gender, can become a drag queen. All you need to be is fierce! Later in an emotional twist, contestant Monica Beverly Hillz, “ruvealed” that she was transitioning from male to female. Hillz was the first contestant in the show’s history to reveal this information on air. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is unique in providing a public avenue for free gender expression.
The world exists beyond the confines of gender. In 2015, shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” give me hope that people will finally be able to express their sexuality and gender freely. Even if you don’t want to present as the opposite gender, watching “Drag Race” can teach you the vast spectrum beyond heteronormative, traditional gender roles.