Legendary Dress: Iconic Histories of Drag Performance
"Fabulous Finocchio's," 1960-1970 / THF708323
Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye lip-syncing “Sisters” in White Christmas…is drag.
Bugs Bunny dressed up as Lady Bunny to escape Elmer Fudd…is drag.
Robin Williams disguised as the nanny Mrs. Doubtfire…is drag.
Melissa McCarthy parodying Sean Spicer on Saturday Night Live…is drag.
Examples of drag performance in mainstream media are everywhere. For as long as society has reinforced ideas of gender norms, people have found humor and joy in playfully rejecting them.
Drag is a form of theater. Drag performers adopt personas and dress in over-the-top outfits to poke fun at the way society perceives masculinity and femininity. Drag holds a mirror to society. Although it has been a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community, drag is for everyone.
These topics are explored in a new temporary exhibit, Legendary Dress: Iconic Histories of Drag Performance, on view September 28 through October 31, 2023 in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Placed in historical lineage, the story of drag — and its performers — relates to the themes of identity and community that connect to The Henry Ford’s Social Transformation collections.
Images of Legendary Dress pop-up exhibit at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, September 2023.
Drag’s First Megastars: The Theater & Vaudeville
Wearing clothing assigned to a different gender has been common throughout history — especially on the stage. In ancient Greece, women were prohibited from acting, so men performed as female characters. Today, both men and women perform in roles that differ from their gender identity — to explore, for convenience and for comedy.
British playwright William Shakespeare famously explored gender fluidity in his plays through cross-dressing, notably in Twelfth Night and As You Like It.
Vaudeville was a genre of comedy entertainment popular from the 1880s into the early 1930s that was considered wholesome. “Impersonators” (actors or actresses dressed in drag) became celebrities for this craft. Impersonators did not always identify as queer, and their performances were not always meant to signal queerness to audiences.
Julian Eltinge was the most famous and highly paid female impersonator of the early 20th century. He embodied gaudy elegance, wore glamourous gowns and perfected female mannerisms. The 1910 musical comedy The Fascinating Widow was his first play to open on Broadway. A promotional image shows a manly Eltinge rowing a boat with four other versions of himself in drag — each a character from the play.
Julian Eltinge in "The Fascinating Widow" at Forrest Theatre, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 1912 / THF712153
Misunderstood Histories of Drag: The Cooper Do-nuts Riot
When people are forced to exist on the margins — especially because of legal or safety concerns — the truth behind their lived experiences can become muddled. Sometimes, important histories are lost, which is why many people in LGBTQ+ and drag communities fight to keep their stories alive by becoming their own archivists.
The Cooper Do-nuts Riot represents an inaccurate LGBTQ+-focused history that has become widespread. However, we recognize that stories sometimes take on a life of their own — and even when they are wrong, they still have the capacity to teach.
One night in May 1959, a group of patrons — including two drag queens — gathered at a 24-hour doughnut shop in Los Angeles. When police officers entered the building to harass them, a clash began: Doughnuts and coffee cups were thrown; arrests were made.
In his novel City of Night, John Rechy gave this account, repeated as fact. But there is little evidence that the Cooper Do-nuts Riot happened in the way described: no news reports, police reports or photographs exist.
What is true is that Cooper Do-nuts was a safe haven for LGBTQ+ people in the 1960s and continues to be an inclusive space today. In June 2023, the site of the first Cooper Do-nuts shop was marked as a historic landmark. During the plaque unveiling, the LAPD apologized for their documented violence toward LGBTQ+ Angelenos in the 1950s and '60s.
Image of Legendary Dress pop-up exhibit at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, September 2023.
Performance as Safe Space
Drag finds its fullest expression in community. But what happens when drag becomes villainized, forced to go underground? As an artistic expression, drag has endured for centuries because it has adapted to changing social and political pressures.
Drag king and queen competitions, coming-out parties and drag balls reigned supreme at nightclubs and queer spaces throughout the country in the second part of the 20th century. These events generally took place outside of the public sphere and became a safe space for the mostly LGBTQ+ community.
"Second Annual Mr. Drag King Philadelphia" Event Flier, October 19, 1996 / THF712087
An exception: Finocchio's nightclub opened in San Francisco and began featuring female impersonation shows just as the rest of the country turned away from them in the early 1930s. San Francisco’s laws against cross-dressing (in effect from 1863-1974) meant that the performers risked arrest if they stepped foot outside of the venue in drag. Finocchios closed in 1999 as the longest-running female impersonation show in the country.
"Finocchio's," 1960-1970 / THF708309
Recent Events: Sidetrack Bookshop
Sidetrack Bookshop is an independent bookstore located in downtown Royal Oak, Michigan. It is celebrated for its commitment to the LGBTQ+ community.
In March 2023, the store advertised a Drag Queen Storytime event for children and their families. Supporters of Drag Queen Story Hours see these events as education wrapped in entertainment — a place to promote inclusivity and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people from a young age.
A Michigan conservative group planned a protest, claiming the event was intended for “the grooming and sexualization of children.” The business held its ground, knowing that a demonstration would happen. Police provided crowd control for the 1,000 people that gathered outside of Sidetrack — the majority of whom were there to show support for the business and the rights of LGBTQ+ people of all ages.
Sidetrack Bookshop Drag Queen Storytime Event, March 11, 2023 / THF712149
Recent Events: Target & Pride
Target’s Drag Queen Bird figurine was launched as part of the company’s annual Pride-themed merchandise on May 1, 2023. After receiving viral attention on social media, a stock shortage caused this bird to become a collector’s item.
On May 24, 2023, Target issued a statement about its decision to move or remove Pride-themed merchandise in certain stores. The company cited safety concerns following backlash and vandalization by anti-LGBTQ+ activist groups.
Target’s decision received criticism from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups for what was perceived as a failure to stand with the community.
Pride Drag Queen Bird Figurine, 2023 / THF196639
Drag Queen Bingo
At the height of the AIDS epidemic, a Seattle nonprofit called Chicken Soup Brigade was founded to provide free meals and basic services to people living with AIDS. In the early 1990s, the organization held a fundraiser with the help of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of drag queens from San Francisco that dressed as Catholic nuns. This Gay Bingo, or what would later be called Drag Queen Bingo, was a huge success — standing room only!
Bingo continues to be a popular drag performance platform. FIVE15 in Royal Oak, Michigan opened in 2007 and has introduced many people to drag through drag queen bingo events that offer what the venue calls “side-splitting hilarity and gender-bending fun” — a key feature of these events that today take place all over the country.
Image of Legendary Dress pop-up exhibit at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, September 2023.
While this post replicates many of the selections in the Legendary Dress temporary exhibition, there are many additional items on view from September 28 through October 31, 2023. If you have interest in seeing this exhibition in person, head to the outside wall of the With Liberty and Justice for All exhibition near the Rosa Parks Bus entrance in the museum.
Kristen Gallerneaux, curator of communications & information technology at The Henry Ford, and Katherine White, curator of design at The Henry Ford, collaboratively produced this exhibit and blog.
