With RuPaul’s Drag Race finally making it to UK screens on BBC Three you can imagine the excitement and buzz it brings to the nation. The US-reality show watches drag queens compete in entertainment-themed challenges and runway looks to be crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar.
Unfortunately, no Scottish queens were invited to compete for the crown on the UK edition. The lack of representation might lead you to believe that Scotland’s drag scene is not worth the screen time, however that is far from the truth.
In the past few years drag in Scotland has gone from a handful of queens to a movement sweeping the kingdom.
One Scottish drag queen talks about how disappointed she is to see the lack of representation in Drag Race, especially when the show taught him to be his true self throughout his drag childhood.
Conor MacDonald grew up in the Isle of Bute but he was never truly content there.
“There wasn’t any other gay people or queer people on the island. Literally I felt so alone to the point of I only thought there was like two other gay people in the world one of them being John Barrowman.”
Growing up on the island meant that everyone knew almost everything about anyone. He had to lock his drag persona, Chanel O’Conor, in the closet and avoid suspicion from the other islanders.
“For a while I used to do drag so secretly to the point where I would only ever practise makeup at 2 o’clock in the morning when I knew my whole family were dead asleep.
“If I was ever buying make-up, I would get all of my girl pals to buy it for me.”
Eventually Conor grew the confidence to tell his parents, in particular his mum about his well-kept secret and received the best support and love he could have ever hoped for.
“With her showing support I could show support and love back, to the point I could be open and honest with her about what Chanel’s up to, what shows she would be performing and what she would be wearing.”
Conor began doing stand-up gigs and Edinburgh Fringe shows as Chanel.
“The reason I do drag is because I have so much creativity that I feel like I have honed into this one being and entity that is Chanel O’ Conor.
“You hear these stories of queer people or people who just don’t follow paths that their parents and the people supporting them lay out for them.
“In order to fulfil your potential, you need to let go of your fears.”
Last year BBC announced the UK version of the popular show with chatty man Alan Carr, Strictly’s Michelle Visage, Graham Norton and Ru Paul himself as the judges.
Conor was worried that the show would bring back negativity toward drag queen’s and force them to return to where they all began before being accepted as performers.
“The announcement of RuPaul UK sent worry waves through the drag community, and the worry has only heightened since the show airing because drags queen in the UK simply just didn’t know what reaction to expect.”
It was also confirmed that RuPaul picked the contestants himself.
When talking about the show Chanel said: “The cast is full of CIS male drags which is utterly unrepresentative of where the best drag in Britain exists.”
“There are so many forms of drag in the UK from alternative, characters, creatures. It is just annoying when people are asked to name locations in the UK they can only think of London or Manchester…ummm… hello you are missing the best country… Scotland!”
The heart of UK drag is not about polish perfect runway looks. It is mainly about entertainment by challenging the system around us through controversial topics such as punk politics and gender subversion.
“Drag in Scotland is the driving force behind a lot of cultural changes that are going on right now. We are trying our best to allow all walks of life and be multicultural, but yet in some rural place drag queens are still hiding because of the fear of not being accepted.
When asked about why he watched the US-version of RuPaul as a child he said: “That show taught me to love myself regardless of what anyone thinks. When I was scared of telling people I knew in the back of my mind that I had a drag family out there and I needed to find them.”
RuPaul get your act together and let the Scottish queens be heard.
Photo credits: chanel_o_conor on Instagram
