There’s an interesting cultural conversation fomenting around drag. On the one hand, some drag performers have become the pinnacle of popular culture — like RuPaul or Milwaukee’s own Trixie Mattel. On the other hand, states throughout the country are banning drag performances, claiming they’re a form of grooming children.
But this contrast of high praise and criminalization has been a part of drag from its very beginning, as authors Michail Takach and BJ Daniels can tell you. Their book, A History of Milwaukee Drag, explores the roots and evolution of drag in Milwaukee, and how current conversations echo what was seen in the past.
As Takach details, drag performances became popular toward the end of the American Civil War. Francis and Kelly performed the first known instance of drag in Milwaukee in 1884.
"At a time when, you know, Milwaukee didn't have paved streets, most homes didn't have indoor plumbing, but they had drag shows. And they were seen as a sign that Milwaukee was maturing and becoming more sophisticated and really not just this rough neck pioneer town anymore, but that we had arts and culture," says Takach.
Despite enjoying these minstrel drag shows, diverse gender expression was not widely accepted in every day life, even among gay communities. It wasn't until around the late 1970s and '80s that civil rights efforts began to embrace drag as a part of the LGBTQ community. As Daniels explains, the breakout of AIDS also motivated the LGBTQ+ community to come together.
Today, drag performers have benefited from the popularity of the TV show, RuPaul's Drag Race. Daniels says, "All of a sudden, I think honestly, the show became a phenomenon because it was so accessible to like the general public."
Milwaukee drag performers have at times dominated the competition show. Wisconsin native, Trixie Mattel, is widely considered one of the most famous drag queens in the world. Jaida Essence Hall is another well-known winner from Milwaukee, and Jaymes Mansfield, who was featured on the current season of All Stars, has made a name for herself through her persona and her wig styling.
Daniels says, "I think Milwaukee has always had a really big creative community, and I think RuPaul's Drag Race kind of pushed it forward."
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