BBC Three / World of WonderRuPaul's Drag Race UK quiz: How much drag queen slang do you know?
Will we be gagged by your skills? Or will we have to throw shade on your knowledge?
"I asked her to spill the tea but she didn't know a thing. I don't mean to throw shade at her, but if she doesn't beat her mug she's going to get read when she goes out there."
If all that made sense to you, then well done, you know your drag slang. And if it didn't, stick with us.
The first ever UK version of RuPaul's Drag Race airs on BBC One today — and the words and phrases used in the drag competition show are a massive part of the culture.
But do you know what they really mean? Put your drag slang to the test with our sickening quiz. We'll show you the correct answers and your own answers at the end.
A mini history of drag slang
Many of the expressions can be traced to the US ballroom scene of the early 20th century. At these balls – which are still popular today – black and Latino queer performers would compete in challenges based on things like dance, appearance and attitude. Later, the language used by people at these balls was immortalised in the 1991 documentary Paris Is Burning.
The popularity of drag slang is controversial, though. While some see the upside in normalising a culture that was one marginalised, others consider it to be a form of appropriation that doesn't benefit those who came up with the language in the first place.
You can watch the first episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK on Friday 10 January on BBC One at 11:25pm.
This article was first published on 3 October 2019.
