Queens of Drag: A Multidimensional Perspective on Core Stigma

This paper critically assesses RuPaul’s Drag Race as a stigmatized organization which has built its success on the active spectacularization of its core stigma, through the showcasing of specific organizational discourses and transgressions. Drag Race is an interesting case as the organization does not conceal stigma; on the contrary, it leverages the transgressions associated with the social deviance of drag queens, enhancing success and acceptance with wider audiences over time. We focus on how audiences generate discourses that trigger this acceptance and how the organization fuels these discourses, using them as strategic resources for organizational performance. We adopt a performativity perspective to analyze discourses generated by the audiences and by the organization itself, primarily focusing on online discourses. We contribute to a better understanding of how organizations can leverage the factors that lead to their stigmatization and make them acceptable for different audiences.