1. Hypothesis

With the modern rise of queer subcultures in the documentary Paris is Burning, Drag presented itself as method in identity construction that has since been refined by programs like RuPaul’s Drag Race. My hypothesis concurs Drag Culture is a community of practice that has formed a sociolect[1] through exposure in contemporary media and has further developed the conscious construction of queer identities through its ethnolinguistic vitality in queer vernacular. Although there is little to no sociolinguistic or social psychology research on this particular field, there are previous works that are integral in understanding my research approach and hypothesis. My research will focus on the 1987 documentary Paris Is Burning and television show RuPaul’s Drag Race (RPDR) as primary texts.

 

1. Literature Review

            Known for his research in queer speech and identity construction, Robert Podesva’s proposal for Three Sources of Stylistic Meaning at the Texas Linguistic Forum argues that social meaning is derived from linguistic style, specifically in his case study of a gay man. His methodology focuses on three sources, which are 1) assembling social meaning of their linguistic features, 2) contrasting with other linguistic styles, and 3) occurrence in specific interactional moments. My research reflects a similar initial model because I am looking at the specific influence of language in a growing community over thirty years, and Podesva’s takes into account the context of both the linguistic style and social meaning.

            Grosseck and Holotescu’s 2009 Proposal at the International Scientific Conference, Indicators For The Analysis of Learning and Practice Communities From the Perspective of Microblogging As A Provocative Sociolect In Virtual Space establishes virtual microblogging culture as a community of practice, and the microblogging language as a sociolect. They also describe a sociolect as a language of a certain group that uses specific terms/interactional dynamics, and is characterized by a private culture. This heavily parallels my establishment of Drag Culture as a community of practice in my hypothesis, and the language used in the community as a Drag Sociolect. Grosseck/Holotescu’s research examines the microblogging sociolect within the specific platforms of Twitter and Cirip.eu, as my research will examine Drag Sociolect’s exposure and proliferation in specific media programs (and through the program’s reception.)

            Martin Ehala’s paper, Ethnolinguistic Vitality and Intergroup Processes is additive to my research by taking Grosseck/Holotescu’s communities of practice on step further. Ehala defines ethnolinguistic vitality as the sustainability of a vernacular as defined by a specific groups cultural norms and values. I will be interpreting the Drag Sociolect in terms of its ethnolinguistic vitality through Ehala's four social psychological factors: perceived strength differential, intergroup distance, utilitarianism, and intergroup discordance.             Judith Butler’s chapter, Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion is most directly related to my research because she examines the nature of drag, the use of language, and the notion of subversion in relation to identity construction. Butler’s early analysis is mirrored in RuPaul’s ideology of ‘you’re born naked and the rest is drag,’ bringing forward the idea that all identity construction is a function of drag.

            Lauren Levitt provides an analytical media background for the correlations and contrasts between Paris Is Burning and RuPaul’s Drag Race in Reality Realness: Paris Is Burning and RuPaul’s Drag Race. Centered in her argument is the idea that Paris Is Burning is expositive in exploring the multiplicities of a constructionist concept of identity, where RPDR focuses on a very specific identity discussed in Paris Is Burning.

            Lastly, Ramey Moore’s article in the Journal of Research in Gender Studies, Everything Else Is Drag: Linguistic Drag and Genre Parody on RuPaul’s Drag Race provides critical analysis of how linguistic style is used to perform gender and identity. Moore examines performing inflections (she to he) and the act of nomenclature in RPDR, which I will interpret through my research as the development of gender identity.

MEDIA

Paris Is Burning (PIB) is a 1987 documentary focusing on the ball culture of NYC’s queer communities. The film subjects discuss the intersections of race, class, gender and sexuality that push them into the ball scene. Although the documentary has received significant criticism for notions of ethnocentrism and spectacle exploitation, it is the most successful contemporary documentary to feature drag queens and serves as the basis for this research.

RuPaul’s Drag Race (RPDR) began in 2009 on LogoTV Network with a minimal budget and twelve episodes. It would grow to include a grand prize of $100,000 and become the networks most watched program, spawning two spin-off programs. RPDR serves as the current contemporary rule for the Drag Sociolect, and is the premiere Drag entertainment reality program. For the purpose of this research, it will be examined in terms of language use and identity construction.

 

III. Research Design and Analysis

            The proposal at hand will be examined using sociohistoric media research and analysis of the 1987 documentary Paris Is Burning (PIB) and RuPauls Drag Race. As the researcher, I will analyze this brief timeline of contemporary of drag media by examining the early cultural definitions[2] of key terms and phrases within the drag community in PIB that create the Drag Sociolect, and track shifts, adaptations, and neological instances throughout RPDR as they relate to the construction of gender identity. The limitations of this research are objective viewership and critical reception. RPDR is a competition based reality show, so producers and editors expose the audience to a subjected version of the competition and contestants, which may not be completely reflective of the contestants true performance or expression.

 

1. Hypothesized Results

            My prediction is that sociohistoric research will show RuPauls Drag Race as the contemporary etymological point of reference for adopting the Drag Sociolect, and that its continued use has developed key lexical items that are influential in identity construction, specifically she/he, “Start your engines, and may the best woman- win!’ and realness, etc.

 

1. Results

            Drag Sociolect Ethnolingiustic Vitality

As determined by Ehala, the ethnolinguistic vitality of the Drag Sociolect is determined by factors maintained within the community.

• Perceived Strength Differential

While queer folk are often marginalized in regard to mainstream culture, the specific Ball scene in PIB represents the perceived strength differential as understood internally. The film explores the impact of ball culture within the queer community as a catalyst for contemporary identity politics, rooted in sociolinguistic practices. This has been proven and extrapolated upon to a certain degree of modernity as proven in the ‘Yass” Case Study.

• Utilitarianism

The size of the ball community and its function at the interplay of innovation and tradition (Ehala) represent it as a minority utilitarian community more disposed to language and identity shift. RPDR is an example of both shifts.

 

            Interpellation

Although neither military nor governmental, RuPaul represents a certain authoritarian figure both as host and producer of RPDR. RuPaul’s quote ‘start your engines and may the best woman- win!” is used before the contestants begin each main challenge, and its repeated use is designed to control the subjects performance. The slippage of gentleman-woman[3] designates to the contestants that they are subjects who are intended to perform a certain type of identity, which is that of a woman. It is also used to motivate the contestants, and inspire them to be the best entertainers they are capable of being within their identity.

            She/He

The use of pronouns on RPDR can be confusing to outside viewers, because the drag queen are only allowed to use their drag names on the show and the pronoun ‘she,’ both in and out of drag. While the limitations of this project recognize that this may be a production choice intended for viewers to become more familiarize with the drag characters, its consequence is the melding of identities within the performer. As many drag queens express that they identify as gender non-conforming, the implication of drag as a function of identity construction (and not solely an imitation or illusion) is reinforced from both Butler and RuPaul’s ideologies.

            Realness

The origin of Realness in the Drag Sociolect (PIB) refers to being passable as an individual who is not queer. Specifically, it was born as a function of being undetectable, which is defined in PIB as being able to return home from the ball with no clothes on your blood- a harsh reality and necessity for the safety of many queer individuals. On RPDR, Realness has proven to be the most influential category maintained from PIB. The penultimate episode of each RPDR season features a Ball in which the contestants are to serve a variety of looks, each emphasizing realness (e.g.: Banji Girl Realness, Executive Realness.) These balls are instrumental in aiding the judge’s abilities to examine the contestant’s ability to adapt their drag identity into incredulous versions of everyday life.

            Authenticity and Identity

Laganja Estranja proved to be one of the most controversial queens in Drag Race Herstory specifically for her use of language in reference to identity construction. During Season six of RPDR, Laganja became disliked by the other contestants and judges for her seemingly exaggerated use of the Drag Sociolect in and out of drag. The conflict intensified when Laganja was addressed by RuPaul and the judging panel for being inauthentic in her language use, however she maintained that it is her own voice that is representative of her as a performer. After the episode aired, Laganja reunited with a former close friend and competitor to explain that she was trying to create a character with her language use, but maintains that it is authentic. The issue highlights a particular discourse of Style as indicated by Podesva (2009) in which the social meaning of the words that Laganja used was lost in her oversaturation, and, subsequently, created a confused identity.

            RuPaul’s Drag Race

            Although not a lexical item, it is important to examine RPDR’s growth in this research. After four seasons it quickly picked up a budget that has grown to support 100 contestants and over half a million dollars in prize money. With the increased popularity and budget, the show began to develop use of the Drag Sociolect as it found its footing. Equally important to note is the shows problematic language use, such as ‘She-Mail,’ which has since been corrected but reflects an older, grittier era in queer history. The program also specializes in female impersonation, but has seen many contestants who challenge the mainstream idea of drag and push the boundaries of drag back into place[4].

            The findings of this research can best conclude that language use in the queer community is undeniably and subtly linked to identity construction. What remains unclear is at which point the relationship between building an identity and using specific language begins and ends- while we know definitions from PIB, did the drag queen come first, or did ‘she’?

 

 

Works Cited /References

 

Butler, 122 Judith. "GENDER IS BURNING: QUESTIONS OF APPROPRIATION AND SUBVERSION." PICA (n.d.): n. pag. PICA, 1997. Web. 3 May 2016.

 

Ehala, Martin. "Ethnolinguistic Vitality and Intergroup Processes."Academia.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2016.

 

Grosseck, Gabriela, and Carmen Holotescu. "INDICATORS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF LEARNING AND PRACTICE COMMUNITIES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MICROBLOGGING AS A PROVOCATIVE SOCIOLECT IN VIRTUAL SPACE." The 5th International Scientific Conference ( ELearning and Software for Education (n.d.): n. pag. ELSE, 9 Apr. 2009. Web. 3 May 2016.

 

Jones, Elton. "The Book Is in the Tablet 2." : Drag Queen’s English. N.p., 16 Nov. 2012. Web. 03 May 2016.

 

Levitt, Lauren. "Reality Realness: Paris Is Burning and RuPaul's Drag Race."Interventions Journal. Columbia Univeristy Online, 07 Nov. 2013. Web. 03 May 2016.

 

Moore, Ramey. "Everything Else Is Drag: Linguistic Drag and Gender Parody in 'RuPaul's Drag Race'" Academia.edu. Addelton Academic Publishers New York, 1 July 2013. Web. 03 May 2016.

 

Podesva, Robert J. 2008 Three sources of stylistic meaning. Texas Linguistic Forum (Proceedings of the Symposium About Language and Society – Austin 15) 51: 134-143.

 

"RuPaul's Drag Race Dictionary." RuPaul's Drag Race Wiki. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2016.

 

"RuPaul's Drag Race | Season 8 Episodes (TV Series) | LOGOtv.com." Logo TV. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2016.

 

 

 

[1]   Sociolect is defined for the purpose of this paper as a language variant that does not necessarily have structural or syntactic differences that the language from which it varies.

[2] For the purpose of this research, Cultural Definition refers to the meaning of a word as interpreted within the context of its cultural interpretations.

[3] Moore, Everything Else is Drag

[4] ‘Back into place’ is referenced because drag is used in this research not to identify female impersonation or subversion, but precisely identity construction (see also Butler)