What drag teaches us about identity | Journee Lafond | TEDxPortsmouth

Key Concepts:

• Play and Pretend: As a tool for developing social skills, emotional regulation, and understanding of the world and oneself.
• Drag: Defined as performance art through an exaggerated persona, a daily activity for everyone.
• Looking-Glass Self: Our self-perception is formed through social interactions.
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Basic needs must be met before self-actualization.
• Self-Actualization: The process of realizing one's full potential, achievable through exploring identity.
• Identity Exploration: The process of experimenting with different aspects of identity to understand oneself.

Childhood Play and Identity

The speaker begins by recounting childhood memories of watching her mother prepare for social outings. This serves as an early introduction to the concept of transformation and the potential of outward presentation. The introduction of a drag queen into the speaker's childhood highlights the idea that adults, too, can engage in "dress up" and explore different identities.

• Key point: The speaker questions why adults abandon "pretend play" and suggests that this form of play is crucial for honing one's identity and understanding the world.
• Supporting evidence: Studies are cited that human play parallels animal play, serving to develop social skills and emotional regulation.

Drag as a Form of Adult Play

The speaker asserts that adults can tap into new experiences and emotions by embracing pretend play. She connects this to her own experiences as a drag performer and makes the surprising claim that "so are all of you."

• Definition of Drag: The speaker defines drag as "the process of performance art through the putting on of an exaggerated persona."
• Argument: The speaker argues that everyone engages in drag daily through choices about appearance, attire, and gender presentation. Examples provided include hair style, clothing choices (business, designer, creative), and adherence to or subversion of gender expectations (skirt vs. slacks).
• Personal anecdote: As a drag queen who was assigned female at birth, she uses drag to subvert gender expectations and connect with audiences.

The Looking-Glass Self and Performance

The speaker introduces the concept of the looking-glass self from social science, explaining that our self-perception is shaped by social interactions.

• Looking-Glass Self Explained: People perceive themselves based on how they believe others perceive them. For example, positive feedback during a job interview might lead one to perceive themselves as smart and capable.
• Manipulation of Perception: The speaker argues that people often try to manipulate these perceptions through their outward appearance, such as choosing clothing to appear wealthier or smarter.
• Example: The speaker cites her own choice of clothing reminiscent of John Leguisamo's drag character from "Tu Wong Fu" as an example of intentional performance.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Self-Actualization

The speaker connects drag to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, emphasizing the importance of meeting basic needs before achieving self-actualization.

• Maslow's Hierarchy: Basic needs (food, shelter, community, mental health) must be met before focusing on identity, values, and aspirations.
• Teenage Identity Exploration: Examples of moving through this process include teenagers changing their hair color or friend groups and adults changing careers or moving.
• Drag and Identity: Drag performance is presented as another form of experimenting with identity and working towards self-actualization.

The Importance of Identity Exploration and Queer Liberation

The speaker emphasizes that all interactions between human beings are a form of performance. She argues that the choices individuals make about their presentation are a form of drag, regardless of whether it's a "stay-at-home dad" or a "high-powered lawyer."

• Call to Action: The speaker addresses the current movement to eradicate drag performances and suppress the queer community.
• Argument: She argues that exploring one's identity is not criminal or immoral and that the LGBTQ+ community is at the forefront of the pursuit of identity and self-actualization.
• Evidence: Studies are cited showing the benefits of supportive communities for queer and trans youth, as well as the dangers of removing this support (homelessness, substance misuse, suicide).
• Statement: "When we defend our intrinsic need to explore identity and understand ourselves, we also defend our right to exist as human beings living in a global community."
• Entwined Liberation: The speaker urges the audience to challenge discriminatory legislation and recognize that their liberation is intertwined with the liberation of the queer community.

Conclusion

The speaker concludes by urging the audience to discover themselves, play, pretend, grow, and change. She encourages them to "find your drag" and embrace it, reminding them that "larger than life is just the right size."

• Final thought: The speaker encourages the audience to embrace the power of play and performance to explore their identities and achieve self-actualization.