Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2023
Abstract
I asked a 7-year-old his definition of a ‘drag kid’ and he responded with “a boy who wears sparkly and rainbow clothing, high heels and beautiful makeup” (Appendix A, Q3, 2023). 9-year-old Nemis (Queen Lactatia) describes a drag kid as “a [boy] who puts on a feminine persona (Wennberg, 2019). It seems straightforward and simple, yet the public discourse surrounding drag kids is complex and controversial. As I researched the world of drag kids, unexpected themes emerged, especially related to child advocacy and social change. There were many parallels between the most prolific drag kid, Desmond Napoles and perhaps the most famous environmental child activist Greta Thunberg. What insights can we learn by studying the similarities between these two youth? A young boy dressing not only in feminine clothing but embodying the most extreme hyper-feminine styles can be perceived as an act of courage in our current society. How do ideas of participation and protection relate to the self-expression of drag kids? Our current culture attributes characteristics to things such as colours, where pink often represents “girlish sensitivity, grace and homosexuality” (Vänskä, 2019, p. 303). How do drag kids challenge common gender stereotypes and why does this matter? Finally, this paper will discuss some limitations in the current research of children. Are younger children often excluded from participating in research, or are their voices deemed less influential and important? What are the benefits of more participatory research with children experiencing unique lifeworlds, such as those who identify as drag kids?