Queering the Classroom: The Lived Experiences of Drag Queens in a Public Educational Space

Abstract

Drag performance, while often seen as entertainment, serves as a transformative and political act within academic settings. This study investigates the lived experiences of drag queens in a public university, focusing on the socio-educational effects of their visibility. Grounded in Queer Theory, the research explores how drag intersects with identity formation, resistance against institutional norms, political expression, and the need for community and institutional support. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive-phenomenological method and online written interviews, four major themes emerged: engaging in drag for personal development, challenging restrictive academic structures, using drag for cultural and political advocacy, and seeking peer and institutional support. Drag is more than performance as it is a tool for empowerment, activism, and educational inclusion. This research highlights the need for academic institutions to move more than just symbolic gestures toward genuine structural change. When drag is embraced within educational institution, it transforms schools into inclusive spaces that affirm gender diversity and challenge oppressive norms. The literature to date offers a start, but strong evidence is required for a full understanding. This research gap calls for an in-depth study to fill the absence of empirical data and the population gap in this field. The specific lives of drag queens demand in-depth research to appreciate their challenges and contributions to society properly.