‘Drag terrorist’ Christeene hits out at TV reality shows for ‘homogenising’ drag culture
"Many of these shows create boundaries, but there are no boundaries."
By Will Stroude
Words: Will Stroude
Christeene is known for her politically-charged, queer-punk work, but the US performance artist says popular reality shows celebrating drag culture have left the scene “homogenised”.
The self-proclaimed ‘drag terrorist’, real name Paul Soileau, says programmes like RuPaul’s Drag Race have created boundaries of acceptability in an artform traditionally rooted in upsetting the norm.
“The word ‘drag’ itself is so homogenised now, I don’t really care to associate with it the way it is represented today,” Christeene says in the January issue of Attitude – available to download and to order globally.
Photography: Francisco Gomez de Villaboa
“I dig drag, I’m from the lineage of it, but fuck these labels an’ what y’all got to call me to make yourselves feel good.”
“Many of these shows create boundaries, but there are no boundaries. That is the beauty of this form.
“It’s very shitty when rules are created. That’s the opposite of what you should do.”
She adds: “I ain’t pushing boundaries – I don’t have boundaries. I never have”.
Read Christeene’s alternative Christmas message in the January issue of Attitude, out now.
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