Anthropology of Gender: An Ethnography of Drag Performance

Anthropology of Gender:
An Ethnography of Drag Performance
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December 3, 2020
Understanding the relationship between theatrical performances and its relationship with culture is essential for any anthropologist. It allows him to have a better understanding of how cultural factors shape these art forms as well as how the genre influences the perspectives of its audience. Accordingly, this ethnographic paper would focus on my work and analysis of the culture of drag performance in India. Drag performances have been around for several decades, yet its acceptance among the public has shifted depending on the societal and cultural circumstances around it. Thus, in the succeeding sections of this paper, I would like to discuss my observations and analysis about the artform in relation to the Indian culture.
Ethnographic Study
Drag performances have shifted its focus from a mere theatrical performance towards mainstream culture in the past decade. This is true, not only for the Western cultures but even for Eastern and Mediterranean cultures, like India. However, since most of my analysis focuses on an external and distant examination of the Indian drag culture, I supplemented it with a short interview with a former Indian Drag Queen named 'Ahana'.
Ahana is currently living in our neighborhood. During the interview, she told me how much the drag performances has changed in a couple of decades. As a drag performer for the past 27 years, Ahana has already performed in several countries like Japan, UK, France, and the United States. According to her, drag performances were only sought before as a specific niche that is a part of theatrical performances. Back then, there were only about 30 to 60 individuals who would pay for a drag performance, whether in theaters or in lounges. Nonetheless, during the early 2000s, the perception and demand for drag performances have significantly risen with more and more people looking at the performances as a form of 'mainstream entertainment' whether personally or digitally. However, she also noted that the drag culture in India has merely experienced this shift in the past few years, especially with the decriminalization of expressing one's sexual orientation and creation of the Bombay Ballroom.
Changes from Traditional to Secular
In line with the concepts discussed in class, I realized that the shift in the acceptance of drag performances in India could be an effect of the consistent globalization and dominance of social media that shifted its perspective from traditional to secular.
It must be noted that despite the abundance of homosexuality, recognit...