WHEN: Saturday March 2, 2024, 1 – 4 PM
WHERE: Woodhaven Eco-Culture Centre (969 Raymer Rd)
WHAT: A Multispecies Drag workshop with Dr. & Drag King Laura McLauchlan! (as part of our Biodiversities of Gender Project)
An insight of drag is that there are otherly-gendered aspects of ourselves that we do not necessarily live out in our day to day life. Exploration of these parts of us might not just be entertaining, but an important mode of knowing both oneself and others more deeply. But are all of our inner beings human?
Starting with “classical” drag methods of experimenting with differently-gendered human personas, this workshop will then give space for exploration of multi-being/multispecies drag. Thinking with Vinciane Despret’s urging to be wary of claims of full empathy into the lives of others, this workshop will instead encourage participants to approach multispecies drag as thinking- and moving-with multibeing others, both within and without.
What to bring
Yourself! This is the only requirement
Other helpful (but not necessary) things:
- Make up if you have it (foundation and contour is great, also eye shadow, mascara and anything else you are drawn to). Any make up brushes or sponges you have would also be great to bring
- A mirror if you have a small portable one (we have a shortage at the Feeld Lab)
- Any item of clothing/accessories that helps you to get in touch with masc aspects of yourself and/or that help you feel connected to more-than-human beings.
- Other items of interesting costuming/textures/whatever that might inspire someone to connect with a masc and/or more-than-human part of themselves
All FEELed Lab events strive to be feminist, anticolonial, antiracist, queer and accessible spaces. Currently, participants must use a flight of stairs to access the premise.
FAQ
Click arrow for questions:
What do you mean by Drag Kings and Monarchs?
Drag has, of course, always messed with gender binaries. More recently, that has started to be recognized explicitly with some artists referring to themselves as “monarchs” rather than using the more binary term, “king”. You are welcome to use either term, or introduce something entirely new!
Will we be lip syncing?
Today’s workshop is based on experience in drag rather than performance, so there is no formal/scheduled lip sync element to the workshop. However, if your drag persona would like to develop a short performance, Laura will be happy to assist in part 3 of the workshop.
Do I have to be good at make up?
Not at all! Some great drag kings/monarchs use no make up at all, and others deliberately apply make up in messy and irreverent ways. You will be shown some basic masculinizing contours but how/whether you use these is up to you (Laura will teach some very basic techniques as part of the workshop and will also be happy to demonstrate various make-up techniques on individuals who request it)
Is drag about taking the piss?
Drag can be an expression of outrage, a mockery, or an exploration of elements of ourselves. All of course are entirely valid! I come from a tradition of drag that starts from the thought of drag as an expression of what is internal and seeks to make spaces that don’t reproduce toxic masculinities but, rather, that explore/find new ways of relating to the masculine (and finding it in our own bodies). However, even in this line of exploratory drag, fun and play remain important! Some of us may choose to gently explore aspects of masculinity that bring slight discomfort. Staying connected to play and fun (and stopping when/if a sense of play and fun leaves us) is a really important aspect of staying within our windows of tolerance. Laura will explain more about this in the workshop.
Does drag build empathy?
A great question. I’m not sure. In the workshop I will share some stories of my own and other drag king/monarch’s experiences in drag and the insights that has given us. While I am wary of claims that any of us have full insight/empathy into the lives of others, I do think that moving and thinking with others can offer some insight into other ways of being. There is, however, a danger of imagining that one can think/feel as the other by doing drag. Thinking with Vinciane Despret’s urging to be wary of claims of full empathy into the lives of others, this workshop encourages participants to approach multispecies drag as thinking- and moving-with multi-being others, both within and without.
Will this workshop help me to be able to perform in drag?
This workshop is intended to be a taster of ways of experiencing our own ability to connect with differently gendered and species others (and, potentially, to meet new aspects of ourselves). Rather than an all-encompassing guide to drag, I hope it will give you the confidence and community to continue to explore and play with the masculine in all of its
forms.
Do I need to know what my differently-gendered persona will be before coming?
Not at all! Some of us might have explored different drag personas and even come up with possible drag names, but others will be exploring these for the first time on the day. All are welcome! There are no externally-set end points to need to reach, it’s really about your own exploration.
Do I need to do drag as a gender different to the gender I identify with?
Not at all! Drag is all about gender exploration, so you are encouraged to explore gender in the way that you feel called to. My particular expertise is in masculinising drag, so that is what I will be demonstrating, but whatever your gender and whatever gender you are interested in exploring (and to whatever degree), you are very welcome! I am a cis-gendered woman, and my own drag takes me from female to male, so I will be speaking to that experience. However, many important drag performers’ work takes them in different directions and we will be covering some key performers in our intro session. In particular, I will also be highlighting both bio-drag (drag that takes one’s everyday gender presentation to a greater extreme) as well as the drag of a number of trans performers who have used the art form to (among other things) explore and reimagine their assigned genders. I look forward to seeing where you feel called to take your gender explorations.
The FEELed lab 