"Onstage identity" : physical and social boundaries of Hong Kong local drag queens

Abstract

Tongzhi (同志), a term that describes the LGBT+ population in Hong Kong, has built up its politics and identity in Hong Kong since the 1990s, and different related groups have developed from there ever since. Drag queens, a group of male cross-dressing artists in gay circles, are one of them. They appear onstage as glamorous women, which contradict the super-macho aesthetic in the modern gay scene. Due to the nature of the groups and the local environment, Hong Kong local drag queens have to devote lots of time, money and effort to keep performing and maintaining their identities. They receive negativity both from the gay scene and from mainstream society and have a strong devotion to their drag identity. Yet, they do not seem to make strong identity statements towards the public and the LGBT+ community. This study aims to explore the lack of identity struggle among Hong Kong local drag queens through an ethnographic approach. The research started from following a group of local drag queens to observe their performances, rehearsals and daily activities. At the same time, it recorded different drag performances in Hong Kong, with supplementary research on foreign drag queens in Hong Kong. The thesis describes drag queens’ lives in terms of each as an individual, a stage performer and a member of the Tongzhi/LGBT+ community. I would argue that “stage” is one of the most important symbols of the drag queen community, in that drag queens put a lot of focus on maintaining their performing opportunities, searching for new stages, and devoting themselves to the intense preparation work. Also, their political demands duplicate to a high degree those of the mainstream LGBT+ culture, so they have less incentive to define themselves and expand their reputations outside their usual performing areas.

Date of Award	2020
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology