Drag King Tom From Accounting explained, ”Drag for almost everyone in the [drag] community is expression, art, resistance. It’s a means of sharing a love for ourselves to the world in a way that works for us. Many of the reasons others claim that drag is inappropriate for individuals, and especially children, is based on views and perspectives that do not come from actually understanding what we do.” 

Performers and artists in drag would like the reader to know that drag is often misjudged. These misconceptions lead to drag and the performers receiving a relative amount of criticism and hate due to certain ways of thinking, lack of information, and misrepresentation of drag and its artists. “People are stuck in their old ways of tradition either with political views or religious views if they don’t want to progress in being more open-minded in their traditions and belief systems,” commented Drag Queen Lucid Dreams.

Drag Queen Kara-Mel added, “Drag is a flexible art form, and it can be misunderstood. Many people think drag queens are deviant or predators. But the truth is that just like movies, you can have rated E drag and some rated X drag, and some people think that all drag is rated X drag. There’s just a lack of representation in the media.” 

According to some local drag performers, it’s not just the media and sections of the public that have a lack of knowledge of drag performers, it’s politicians as well that are misjudging the performers and the art itself. Kara-Mel explained, “I am infuriated by the lack of research, the lack of proper representation, and the lack of common sense from our government. The anti-trans bills that are being proposed and passed in many states are an outright attack on trans individuals for no other reason than the complete eradication of trans people. 

“I am disgusted by what’s happening in this country and the fact that human rights are being judged by people who invalidate an entire minority even though there is so much science and culture and belief to back them up… right now it is really scary to be a queer individual in America. I think the drag ban is just a spit in the face from our lawmakers,” laments Kara-Mel. 

Because there are so many concerns about the intentions of drag and its performers, it has led Idaho lawmakers to introduce a ban on public drag. House Bill 265, sponsored by Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, would have prohibited drag shows in public spaces and would have required private promoters and performers to restrict minors’ access to any shows that contain any type of “sexual conduct”, of which proponents of the bill believe that all drag performances are sexual in nature. The bill passed in the Idaho House but did not make it to the Idaho Senate floor during the 2023 session.

“I have so many thoughts, and most of them are just wondering why it matters to our lawmakers what we do with our lives. Drag for almost everyone in the community is expression, art, and resistance. It’s a means of sharing a love for ourselves to the world in a way that works for us,” expressed Tom From Accounting.

“Many of the reasons they claim that drag is inappropriate for individuals, and especially children, are based on views and perspectives that do not come from actually understanding what we do. The idea of people wanting to ban something that they don’t actually understand, simply out of fear or ignorance, is almost always the wrong choice. Drag performers are people. We have lives, hobbies, and feelings. We take so much pride in our performance, and being drag performers is the epitome of providing love and community.”

Being a drag queen is more than just putting on a wig and makeup and lip syncing to a song on stage. Each artist has their own story, sense of style, and reason for doing drag. “I do drag because it is so much fun. It’s also a really good way for me to connect with my community because normally I feel like such an outsider looking in, but when I’m in drag, I really feel like a member that’s contributing with my art,” said Kara-Mel. 

Queen Amelia Blayke performs drag to “feel pretty and sparkly.” Drag performers have so many different reasons for  why they perform and what they gain from it. Blayke performs drag to “process emotions and try to express and lay them all out on stage…I get to express myself while providing a safe space for the queer community to come together.”

Queen Camilla Chu believes that drag performances can have such a positive impact on LGBTQ+ communities and those around it by explaining drag is “an expression of art, and it’s sort of like seeing a character that is larger than life. My goal is to inspire and bring joy to others.” 

“Drag can help them be confident in themselves and in their performances. Drag shows can bring out a fun and entertaining environment. I do drag because I enjoy the performance and bringing a fun, accepting atmosphere to wherever I go,” declared Camilla Chu.