Performing Resistance: Queer Embodiment, Subversive Humor, and Political Protest in Contemporary Drag Culture Across Global Contexts

Nivedita Sen, Dr. Hari Priya
Department of English and Cultural Studies
Christ University

Abstract

Drag culture has transitioned from being a niche performance art to becoming a globally acknowledged platform for queer resistance, integrating both artistic innovation and political discourse. This paper explores modern drag performances as a means of resistance, emphasizing the convergence of queer expression, subversive humor, and political activism in various global settings. Utilizing ethnographic research, performance theory, and queer theory, this study examines how drag artists maneuver through sociopolitical limitations while confronting conventional norms of gender, sexuality, and culture. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, incorporating performance content analysis, interviews with drag performers, and case studies from regions such as the United States, Europe, and Asia. The results indicate that drag serves as both entertainment and a medium for political critique, using humor, parody, and spectacle to challenge oppressive social systems. This article enhances the understanding of drag not just as a form of performance art but as a deliberate strategy of queer resistance that balances visibility, empowerment, and community formation within varied sociopolitical environments.

Keywords

Cultural expressions of drag, the embodiment of queerness, acts of political dissent, humor that challenges norms, studies of performance, worldwide resistance by queer communities, and the performative nature of gender