{"id":356900,"date":"2024-04-25T08:00:18","date_gmt":"2024-04-25T07:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/?p=356900"},"modified":"2025-01-29T14:02:04","modified_gmt":"2025-01-29T14:02:04","slug":"drag-kings-are-ready-for-their-reigning-era","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/drag\/drag-kings-are-ready-for-their-reigning-era\/","title":{"rendered":"Drag kings are ready for their reigning era"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get ready for our drag king takeover: a special digital feature photographed by Rebecca Thomas at London\u2019s iconic Bistrotheque. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>WORDS BY <strong>ZOYA RAZA-SHEIKH<\/strong><br \/>\nPHOTOGRAPHY BY <strong>REBECCA THOMAS<\/strong><br \/>\nFASHION BY <strong>UMAR SARWAR<\/strong><br \/>\nCREATIVE DIRECTION BY <strong>JULIA SALOTTI<\/strong><br \/>\nFASHION ASSISTANCE BY\u00a0<strong>PHEBE BARNUM-BOBB<\/strong>,\u00a0<b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">CALLUM MCKENZIE<\/b>\u00a0AND\u00a0<b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">CAMERON MCGIBBISON<\/b>PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANCE BY <strong>TYLER KENNET<\/strong><br \/>\nGROOMING BY <strong>SVEN BAYERBACH<\/strong> AT CAROL HAYES MANAGEMENT USING DRYBAR<br \/>\nHEADER DESIGN BY<strong> YOSEF PHELAN<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Rebecca-Zephyr-Thomas-Drag-King-header.png\" \/><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drag Kings haven\u2019t always been <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/drag\/drag-kings-on-fighting-for-the-spotlight\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">represented as much<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as they should be. In online and IRL spaces, we regularly hear about the thriving careers\u00a0 \u2013 and the cultural boom \u2013 of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/tag\/drag-queen\/\">drag queen<\/a> scene, a breakthrough subculture that has rightfully hit new heights. But, when will the same drag domination come for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/tag\/drag\/\">drag<\/a> kings? Whether a boding local drag king talent or a star with the potential to become an international icon, they deserve the mainstream spotlight just as much as any other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/tag\/LGBTQIA\/\">LGBTQIA+<\/a> acts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, as we reflect on the current culture of the drag king community, it\u2019s important to acknowledge the progress that came before our contemporaries. It\u2019s no secret that drag culture has long been around, dating <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/go.gale.com\/ps\/i.do?id=GALE%7CA19535167&amp;sid=googleScholar&amp;v=2.1&amp;it=r&amp;linkaccess=abs&amp;issn=10542043&amp;p=LitRC&amp;sw=w&amp;userGroupName=anon%7Ebbdb3e83&amp;aty=open-web-entry#:~:text=The%20earliest%20record%20of%20kunsheng,regime%20of%20the%20Yuan%20dynasty.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">back to the Tang Era Dynasty<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (617-908). So-called \u2018male impersonation\u2019 was common in Chinese theatre. Similarly, during the 1600s, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aphra Behn, an English playwright a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nd stage performer, was credited for creating on-stage male roles and characters for women to step into. Later, Matilda Alice Powles \u2013 known as Vesta Tilley by her drag king name \u2013 became a symbol during the Victorian era for challenging <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/tag\/gender\/\">gender<\/a> roles of that time. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elsewhere, outside of the UK, the development of drag king culture hit the US in the 1800s. Born in Maryland, singer Ella Shields became popular as a male impersonator during the late 1800s due to her music hall song <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2018Burlington Bertie from Bow\u2019. During the same time period, Gowongo Mohawk emerged as one of the first-known Indigenous male impersonators and toured throughout Europe and the US.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With drag culture beginning to take root during the 1800s and 1900s through music halls, theatre and vaudeville circuits, these figures feed into the evolution of today\u2019s drag king scene. But the story of drag kings isn&#8217;t just cultural, it&#8217;s political, too. Butch drag performer Storm\u00e9 DeLarverie, known for her gender-fluid style and sharp suits, performed as part of the Jewel Box Revue during the 1950 and 60s. Her influence as an LGBTQIA+ rights activist whose actions helped ignite the Stonewall uprising continues to be remembered and recognised. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ontemporary drag culture has continued to grow, allowing entertainers and creatives to reimagine how we present gender and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/tag\/identity\/\">identity<\/a> on and off the stage. While drag kings remain underrepresented in mass media, they are more than ready to rule, as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/landoncider\/?hl=en\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Landon Cider<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> proves. The American drag king, crowned winner of season 3 of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Boulet Brothers&#8217; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/tag\/Dragula\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dragula<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u00a0 has already proved that drag king domination is underway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, in the UK, kings are pushing to new heights in the LGBTQIA+ world. Taking over venues from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/tag\/london\/\">London<\/a> to Cardiff and from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/tag\/Brighton\/\">Brighton<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/tag\/Glasgow\/\">Glasgow<\/a>, the scene is diverse, multifaceted and continuing to grow in<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> popularity. To celebrate, we\u2019ve pulled together a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> selection of drag kings from across the UK who boldly represent the future of the drag community.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Against the off-beat backdrop of London\u2019s fabulous Bistrotheque, photographer Rebecca Thomas showcases the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.co.uk\/tag\/queer-joy\/\">queer joy<\/a> and glory of kings Crip Ladywood, Wet Mess, Don One, and Chiyo. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep reading to learn more about what the drag kings enjoy most about their art and the growth they hope to see within their community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Don-One-Rebecca-Thomas-01-1.png\" \/><\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Don-One-Rebecca-Thomas-02.png\" \/><\/p><p><em>Shirt: SERGIO TACCHINI | Jeans: TRUE RELIGION | Shoes: VAGABOND<\/em><\/p><h3><b>Don One (they\/them)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>A drag superstar in the making, Don One can do it all: West End productions, performing at Copenhagen Pride, and even working with British comedian Joe Lycett.\u00a0 Below they talk about their drag inspos and more.<\/p>\n<h4><b>What do you find most liberating about being a drag king?<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the reasons I became a drag king is because I constantly get misgendered. Performing as a drag king has helped me to own the fact that I don\u2019t like to conform with gender. I\u2019m non-binary, gender fluid, gender nonconforming, genderqueer, or whatever you want to call me. Performing in drag gives me the freedom to express my full identity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Who is your biggest drag-inspired inspiration and why?<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Storm\u00e9 DeLarverie because she was a butch lesbian who also performed as a drag king. She also had a similar background to me. She was a singer, MC, bouncer, bodyguard, and volunteer. If she was still alive today, I think we would be friends. She was also known as the Rosa Parks of the gay movement. What an iconic woman!<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h4><b>What do you want to see more of in the Drag King community?\u00a0<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More exposure, more visibility, and more shows that include drag kings. I\u2019ve been doing drag since 2015 and I\u2019m starting to feel like a broken record when I say that line-ups need to be spread out equally between kings and queens. Ignoring kings is misogynistic and it needs to stop now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Crip-Ladywood-Rebecca-Thomas-02.png\" \/><\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Crip-Ladywood-Rebecca-Thomas-01.png\" \/><\/p><p><em>T-shirt: SPORTS DIRECT | Jumper and scarf: ADAM JONES  | Trousers: BOOHOO | Trainers: REEBOK | Belt: VINTAG<\/em><\/p><h3>Crip Ladywood (he\/him)<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Birmingham, drag king Crip Ladywood has a running talent: scoring<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> second place at every contest he has entered, including the likes of Disabled, Queer and Hear Artist of the Year, West Midlands Drag Idol, and the Church of Yshee Lip-Sync Contest. One of the UK\u2019s only wheelchair drag artists, he hopes to share joy and positivity through his performances.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>What do you find most liberating about being a drag king?<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides the manspreading? It&#8217;s getting to be the representation I wished I had when I was younger. I get to explore both my masculinity and queer crip joy with my community. [Current] times are hard [so] being able to make people smile and dance is a gift.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Who is your biggest drag-inspired inspiration and why?<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Locally, it&#8217;s the wonderful Bl\u00fc Romantic. Nationally, it&#8217;s Don One, and, internationally, it&#8217;s got to be Tenderoni.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>What do you want to see more of in the drag king community?\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More accessible venues and stages for a start! I also want more proudly disabled people from diverse backgrounds on stages showing that there is way more to our lives and existence than tragic stories. Part of that is bookers (and audiences) confronting their internalised prejudices about visibly disabled performers and coming out to support us.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Chiyo-Rebecca-Thomas-01.png.png\" \/><\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Chiyo-Rebecca-Thomas-02.png.png\" \/><\/p><p><em>T-Shirt: UMBRO | Jeans: LEVI\u2019S | Shoes: DR MARTENS | Belt: VINTAGE<\/em><\/p><h3><b>Chiyo (he\/they)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>A former head chef, Chiyo is the latest drag king you need to know about. He&#8217;s made history as the first trans finalist for the Mr Gay England title and, now, he&#8217;s ready to share how Disney duo Miley Cryus and on-screen persona <em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hannah Montana\u00a0<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">inspired their art.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>What do you find most liberating about being a drag king?<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I love that kings aren\u2019t afraid to expand the gender expression they perform. Even within masculinity, or performing masculinity, we\u2019re not afraid to be femme, to perform female artists, to find ways to make commentaries on masculinity outside the narrative of the heteronormative world!<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Who is your biggest drag-inspired inspiration and why?<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honestly, <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hannah Montana<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">! I can\u2019t say I have too many fond memories of my childhood, but whacking on Disney Channel and watching <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hannah Montana<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was my first exposure to drag &#8211; she was literally using disguises to perform a character &#8211; so camp! Also, no one can tell me that Miley Cyrus in her <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bangerz<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> phase is not drag.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>What do you want to see more of in the drag king community?\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I genuinely believe we\u2019re doing all that we can. What we need is more opportunities amongst us. There needs to be room for kings to thrive at the same rate as queens, and we need to challenge the platforms gatekeeping that.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Wet-Mess-Rebecca-Thomas-02-1.png\" \/><\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Wet-Mess-Rebecca-Thomas-01-1.png\" \/><\/p><p><em>Shirt: POCHO | Jacket: ADAM JONES JACKET | Shorts: TRUE RELIGION | Trousers: ADAM JONES | Shoes: ADAM JONES <\/em><\/p><h3><b>Wet Mess (they\/them)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wet Mess is a self-labelled \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prince\/alien baby\u201d. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Based between London and Glasgow, their eclectic style and on-stage presence will leave you never quite knowing what to expect!<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>What do you find most liberating about being a drag king\/thing?<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It feels good to shift the focus onto the absurd crumbling sexy confused thing that is masculinity and to become a balding white man\/pussy prince\/alien baby with a &#8216;tash &#8216;n&#8217; a lash, a sideburn and a heel who is horny for your confusion.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Who is your biggest drag-inspired inspiration and why?<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Britain&#8217;s Got Talent<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Jim Carrey in <em>The Mask<\/em>, Kobudai trans fish, Adrian Street the glam wrestler, carbs and strippers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>What do you want to see more of in the drag community?\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More drag objects, more accessible venues, more sober spaces, more ways to get into performing that are not competitive. More kings and things getting bigger stages and getting the recognition they deserve!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Quotes have been edited for clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Get ready for our drag king takeover: a special digital feature photographed by Rebecca Thomas at London\u2019s iconic Bistrotheque. &nbsp; WORDS BY ZOYA RAZA-SHEIKH PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA THOMAS FASHION BY\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7082,"featured_media":356913,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"templates\/feature.php","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21108,557],"tags":[684,19357,5012,3921,11377],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Drag Kings are ready for their reigning era<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Get ready for our drag king takeover: a special 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