What first struck me when I was reading Susan Sontag's essay "Notes on Camp" was this sentence: "It is not a natural mode of sensibility." This defines not only people's views on camp, but also on the nature of homosexuality. By saying it is not natural, the author immediately (and perhaps unintentionally) makes readers biased. After reading that sentence, we already consider camp to be unusual and abnormal, and thus not fully acceptable in mainstream society. This idea that there are some lifestyles that are simply unnatural is the driving idea behind anti-homosexuality. Those against homosexuality support their intolerant views by saying that it is an unnatural choice that people make against the laws of nature and God, and it is this continuing view that "unnatural" modes of living exist that keeps anti-LGBT movements alive.
Though in the Drag Race Episode "Jocks in Frocks" the drag queens work on "transforming" a typical jock male into a drag queen, there remains the underlying notion that the whole idea of drag queens and gay men is unnatural. This is evident in the obvious "campiness" (as described by Sontag) that defines the show as a whole and the unspoken thought that everything is just a big, fun, over-the-top joke.
I think the show gives off the impression that it's supposed to be funny and crazy, but I think this is meant to sell the show to its audience. Drag queens obviously have over-the-top personalities and can be very humorous, but they definitely don't take their sexual orientation as as big of a joke as they make it seem. I feel like it's one of those things where it's fine to make fun of yourself but not so much so when others make fun of it. When it comes down to it, as is apparent from the "Jocks in Frocks" episode, the drag queens get serious about their stuff and in the case of the contest, want to win by creating the best drag queen out there, because they're proud of who they are.
ReplyDelete-Bella Narvaez
I agree with Bella that although the show may fail to remain serious because of the natural essence of a drag queen, it is only funny and crazy because we (the audience) think of it in that way. Looking beyond the fact that people will be amused by the exaggerated characters and challenges assigned, I think that the show acknowledges that people may be able to relate to the idea of embracing one's being. One specific quote that I liked from the Drag Race show was when one of the contestants said to the jocks, "So You're straight. It's okay, nobody's perfect." This may seem comical to some, and even the person who said it knows this, but the underlying fact is that he truly believes that nobody can be perfect and he is okay with sharing it with such a critical audience.
ReplyDelete