For nine seasons (eleven if you count All Stars,) RuPaul’s Drag Race has been the eye-opening and awe-inspiring reality competition show that has exposed a nation to the nuances and artistry of drag. As new sets of queens enter the competition, and as the audience becomes more familiar with this subculture, new lessons are taught and new identities for the show are cultivated.
And each season – unique in its own way – has represented specific values and facets of the show, and of drag in general.
Here are 9 lessons of Drag Race…
Season 1
Exposure to Different Styles of Drag
Typically in the first season of a competition show, the contestants play things safe, as no bar has yet been set and they’re not aware of how far the show will allow them to take their craft. But season 1 of RuPaul’s Drag Race premiered with guns blazing with some really eccentric and unique queens who were like nothing else the bulk of the viewers were likely to have seen before.
While some of the queens focused on how passable they looked as women, standouts Nina Flowers and Ongina threw caution to the winds of femininity with their glamorous androgyny – still untouched to this day in the competition – and Shannel gave you opulence with her immaculate showgirl costumes, proving to a pre-Drag Race audience that this was a serious art form and something that deep pride is taken in.
Finally, winner Bebe Zahara-Benet, immersing drag in her culture and Cameroon background, showcased drag’s international appeal and applications. It’s obvious why Ru chose these queens to represent most people’s first time being exposed to drag: She wanted to open up our minds immediately to all of the possibilities. And these girls did not let us down.
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