BODY POLITIX: QTIBPOC/NB Drag Revolutions in Vancouver

The rise of QTBIPOC drag queens, kings, and things are pushing the boundaries of the drag world. With a focus on Vancouver, QTBIPOC drag artists are not only growing, but thriving; in clubs, warehouse parties, stages, and reaching an international audience via social media platforms. Their performances and actions become not only meaningful to the communities they serve; it contributes alternative narratives to drag’s history. In interviews from a sample of Vancouver QTBIPOC drag artists, and research of drag culture and history, the dominant narrative of drag comes into contention; not as a counter-culture, but a push towards inclusivity and unapologetic representation. The insights from these drag artists help re-think drag’s definition, influence, and the potential political platform it presents. From “lewks” that disrupts binary gender expression to performances that elude to illicit action and advocacy, these performances become the building block of not only collective memory for those at a drag show, but a “theirstory” in the making for those within the QTBIPOC community.