Speaking Like A Queen

Google Images

Drag queens, like many other communities, use their own stylistic way of speaking to express themselves to members of their own community and those who are not. This unique set of words and phrases are a genre that they use frequently to set their drag persona apart from their everyday identity.

Learning From the Language

We can learn a lot about the drag community in general by observing their specific manners of speech. As Stephen L. Mann puts it, "Language is a vital cultural artifact; therefore, gaining an understanding of drag queens' use of language is crucial, if social scientists aim to explore the community, the culture, and the art of drag" (809). Though the average audience may not be social scientists, they can still learn vital information about the ideals and identity of the drag queen community and what it is that makes them special.

Bringing the Community Together

Another benefit of the use of an unique set of linguistics by the drag queen community is as a device to connect and unite the community together. It allows a member of the community to recognize another through shared ways of speaking. Groups that are marginalized like that of drag queens have these unique ways of using their language to create a sort of shared reality between them (Simmons 631). It allows each member to connect to each other in a greater way that makes them feel less alone and shows them that there are others nearby that share the same passion for drag that they do.