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Drag has taken the world by storm in recent years but it has a much longer history than most might give the art form credit for. In this thread I’m going to be exploring the history of drag in 10 objects for #LGBTHM21 
Are you ready for a deep dive?
#DragHistory
Are you ready for a deep dive?
#DragHistory
A note: for this thread, I’m thinking of drag as the art of using clothes and cosmetics to explore ideas around gender. Drag is a complex art with different nuances of meaning, which we won’t be able to explore fully here.
1st up: Elizabethan theatre; a popular origin for drag is that it meant Dressed Resembling A Girl, referring to male actors performing female roles. This backronym is a fun idea but not 
accurate.
I'm feeling playful so here's a @LEGO_Group bust of the bard from @SBTeducation
accurate. I'm feeling playful so here's a @LEGO_Group bust of the bard from @SBTeducation
Tracing the origins of a term can be tricky. Folk etymologies like above are compelling. Another way of tracing an origin is to look for the first recorded use of a term. For this, newspapers can often be a useful source.
Object 2 takes us to the archives, and all the way back to 1870, May 30th to be precise, to an article called The Men in Womens’ Clothes published in @thetimes . (Thanks @NCherryman for helping me find it!
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/archive/article/1870-05-30/13/1.html#start%3D1870-01-01%26end%3D1871-01-01%26terms%3Dthe%20men%20in%20womens%20clothes%26back%3D/tto/archive/find/the+men+in+womens+clothes/w:1870-01-01%7E1871-01-01/1%26prev%3D/tto/archive/frame/goto/the+men+in+womens+clothes/w:1870-01-01%7E1871-01-01/4%26next%3D/tto/archive/frame/goto/the+men+in+womens+clothes/w:1870-01-01%7E1871-01-01/6
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/archive/article/1870-05-30/13/1.html#start%3D1870-01-01%26end%3D1871-01-01%26terms%3Dthe%20men%20in%20womens%20clothes%26back%3D/tto/archive/find/the+men+in+womens+clothes/w:1870-01-01%7E1871-01-01/1%26prev%3D/tto/archive/frame/goto/the+men+in+womens+clothes/w:1870-01-01%7E1871-01-01/4%26next%3D/tto/archive/frame/goto/the+men+in+womens+clothes/w:1870-01-01%7E1871-01-01/6
The eagle-eyed among you will see that this is part of Fanny and Stella’s story. Look up Fanny and Stella – they have *quite* the history. #LGBTHM21
“I know what ‘in drag’ drag means; it is the slang for going about in women’s clothes,” says a witness in the article. Drag’s meaning is established already, at least colloquially, but this is the first time it is used in print. #LGBTHM21
You might have noticed that this is a court report. The defendant described "going about in drag" as perfectly harmless, and yet there’s still a criminal offence. Much of LGBTQ history is recorded explicitly and identifiably as such in court records and reportage. #LGBTHM21
We can see that folk have been going about in drag for a while, at least since the 1870s, but when did this mode of dressing become elevated to royal status? When do we start to see out first Drag Queens? Let’s see object 3.
Object 3 is about William Dorsey Swann is one of the first people recorded to describe themselves as a Queen of Drag. Archival evidence tells us they hosted drag balls and were an early LGBTQ activist. Read more about William here: …https://rediscovering-black-history.blogs.archives.gov/2020/06/29/william-dorsey-swann-the-queen-of-drag/
We can see joy in William's life, and we can see how they helped others too. Black Drag Queens were right there at the start, fighting for LGBTQ rights! Like with the newspaper article in object 2, we see a life recorded through crime reports.
But what about Drag Kings? When do we start to see them? Hatshepshut was an Egyptian pharaoh, who wore a beard as a symbol of power – is she serving us drag king realness? @NCherryman thinks so (and I agree!). Here she is in bearded glory @metmuseum.
More drag king history can be found here in the UK. The remarkable Vesta Tilley 1st appeared on stage in boy drag from the age of 6. Object 5 is a pair of her shoes which you can find in Weston Park Museum @chrismologos wrote about her for @NotchesBlog https://notchesblog.com/2020/01/28/following-in-vestas-footsteps-how-to-name-queerness-in-museums/
We're at the half way point! Thank you for bearing with!
Drag and performance for entertainment are deeply entwined, sometimes with surprising history. Object 6 is a soldier's helmet from WWI from @I_W_M . What’s the connection here? @JRBloomfield has been doing incredible work on wartime drag. #LGBTHM21 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30091017
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30091017
@JRBloomfield is researching Reg ‘Phil’ Stone and Hal ‘Splinter’ Jones who were part of a act called Les Rougues et Noirs who perfected their act performing for their fellow soldiers on the front line. They were still performing in drag well into the 30s.
Drag was an incredibly popular form of entertainment in the first half of the 1900s, much like it is today. Drag queens like @trixiemattel worked as make up artists, and Raven recently won an emmy for their make up skills on @RuPaulsDragRace . Which beings me nicely to...
Object 7 featuring Julian Eltinge, a popular female impersonator from the early 1900s. Julian would write make up advice columns for women - you can find this postcard @ExploreWellcome #LGBTHM21 #draghistory
#draghistory
Julian shows thats drag can spill over from the stage into realms of every day life. Object 8 is a photograph of artist Una Troubridge and writer Radclyffe Hall, who Simon Doonan, author of Drag: The Complete Story describes as using drag to be sartorially gender fluid.
Does the name Busty Ross mean anything to you? Perhaps you know their alter ego Gilbert Baker. Busty was inspired by Betsy Ross, who made the 1st American flag. So its fitting that Gilbert designed the first Pride flag in 1978. 
The Pride flag is Object 9.
The Pride flag is Object 9.
Drag queens have been ever present in the fight for LGBTQ rights!
Rounding out this list of 10 objects is the most beautiful woman in the world. Almost. The divine Divine. Actress, performer, disco queen, muse, Divine’s range and influence have been huge. Her look still influences drag queens today. 
This jumper, designed by James Long as an homage to his favourite queen can be found in @V_and_A . Oh, and she inspired Ursula the sea witch. We stan an icon.
Thanks for making it to the end! Drag history is fascinating; Drag performers are legendary. This thread barely covers all that needs to be said, so go off and do your own research! Start by following the folk I @’d and go from there!
If you'll excuse me, I'm going to lie down
If you'll excuse me, I'm going to lie down
