“Wait for the conference”, they said. Well I say, get fucked

Actually no fuck that, I’ve learned a lot about queer Spanish history and culture just from their Drag Race alone. It can be done while also remaining very entertaining!

Oh definitely, and it’s something I can relate to as a POC myself. What we see on this show very much feels like what we experience in any workplace; we have to work that much harder and face different standards which our white colleagues don’t have to meet

Aye, I know this is just a reality show, not a historical documentary, but still.

UK queer history only gets mentioned in passing during chats in the Werk Room, and this history never goes beyond that aside from the occasional runway look. This show is meant to ‘celebrate’ UK drag, but as we’ve known for a long time, it doesn’t, because of the RuMichelle chokehold on this show.

Tayris this year mentioned a few times she was in Brighton’s ball scene. The UK has had a vibrant ballroom culture since the 80s too, but I think this was maybe the first time (in 7 seasons!) where any mention of it was made? And we never got any other historical context on that (not Tayris’ fault)

Aye, it’s great the soaps, panto, and Brit girl groups have been themes for the challenges, but that’s it. Where’s the Oscar Wilde acting challenge? Or Shakespeare, even!? A Polari reading challenge? A makeover challenge where queens base their looks on veteran queens who fought against Section 28?

España has the same diversity issue as DRUK. The few POC queens face harsher critiques (Inti and Clover Bish come to mind), something they really need to work on too. But I still enjoy their Drag Race far more than most of the others as it really leans into its queer history. DRUK should take notes

One of those veterans said something during that finale to the finalists which really stuck with me: “our bruises and wounds from yesterday became the make up you wear today”. Really hitting home the theme for last season which was basically “celebrate our past, it really wasn’t that long ago”

In last year’s makeover challenge, the remaining queens had to base their looks on the guest veteran Spanish drag queens they were paired with. Those same veteran drag queens, who were doing drag during and after the Franco era, were also guests in that year’s live finale

In España’s current and last season so much of the challenges and show really celebrated Spanish queer culture and history, even emphasising the point fascism won’t win. The musical challenge this year was based on a work by Lorca, a gay socialist playwright who was assassinated during the Civil War