3 TIPS FOR NEW DRAG PERFORMERS

As a proud drag mother who is always happy to give a helping hand to new performers, Gender shares three pieces of a dvice:

1 BE AUTHENTICALLY YOU

“The number-one thing is to live authentically to who you are and what you want out of your life and your drag. That authenticity makes a world of difference. When you’re trying to keep up with the Joneses, it doesn’t always land. And it doesn’t always bring the happiness that you really should be getting from drag.”

2 DON’T FORGET THAT DRAG STARTED WITH ACTIVISM

“Drag is partially for yourself, but it’s also for your community. Drag isn’t just about makeup and diamonds. It’s also about community building and activism, because that’s where drag started. [That] can easily get lost, because we see drag under a very different lens now.”

3 DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK

“What one of my drag daughters learned from me is to always ask. When she does a show, event or brand deal, she always asks about further opportunities. You could email the brand to let them know how much fun you had working with them and ask them to keep you in mind [in the future]. I always do that. The worst they could say is no, but the best thing they could say is, ‘Yes, I’ll hire you again next year!’ There’s no harm in just asking for the opportunities you want.”