WATCH: A drag historian on why he documents the art form

For years, Joe E. Jeffreys has documented drag performances on video, intent on spotlighting the rich history of the art form and showing how its caretakers have built onto it.

The root of Jeffreys’ interest in drag goes back to the first time he ever went into a gay bar in North Carolina. He now teaches a course at The New School about the long-running drag show competition “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

“I try to explain to people that drag is a serious art form, that it takes many years of practice, that it takes great effort, that these are extremely talented individuals who are pursuing a passion,” the drag historian told the PBS NewsHour.

Although drag is an art form that dates back centuries — and even existed before the word “drag,” it has become a target of GOP-led attempts to limit queer expression in at least 14 states this year.

Drag’s history is long and varied — and as Jeffreys says, not necessarily linear. Drag has historical connections to theater and vaudeville; the audiences, too, have extended beyond queer and trans circles. These reminders show how “drag has always been a part of the cultural landscape,” he said.

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app

Find more from PBS NewsHour at

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Subscribe:

PBS NewsHour podcasts

Newsletters