Pride 30: Drag performers who made 'herstory'

Thirty of the most iconic and influential drag performers in modern history.

_{By Elaina Patton, Jillian Eugenios, Ellie Rudy, Brooke Sopelsa and Jay Valle}
_{June 1, 2023}

Now that the centuries-old art of drag has become a preferred target in the current culture warfare, we chose to dedicate this year’s annual NBC Out Pride 30 list to the performers who have put this art form on the map.

From a formerly enslaved person who first donned drag in the late 1800s to the stars of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” this performance art — typically characterized by gender impersonation and exaggerated forms of gender expression — has a long and lasting legacy. It also has undeniably strong ties to the LGBTQ community, with the lion’s share of drag queens and kings identifying as part of the community.

While drag is not new, what is new is the tidal wave of state legislation seeking to restrict where and in front of whom drag shows can be performed. So far this year, lawmakers in at least 16 states have introduced such measures, with the governors of Tennessee, Florida and Montana signing bills intended to restrict drag performances.

Without further ado, here are 30 drag performers who have had the most impact on the glamorous and increasingly controversial art form.

Princess Seraphina (1700s)

Although she predated the modern usage of the term "drag," which is said to be a product of late-19th century British theater, Princess Seraphina is widely regarded as the first English drag queen. The female persona of 18th-century Englishman John Cooper, Princess Seraphina dared to roam the streets of London when homosexuality was a capital offense. And she was reportedly as familiar to her neighbors as she was to the regulars of the underground bars and clubs known as molly houses, which hosted London's thriving gay subculture of the 1700s. Much of what is known about Princess Seraphina comes from court records from a remarkable trial in which Cooper — who exposed himself to legal scrutiny amid the era's "sodomy laws" — brought charges against a man who robbed him at knife-point and threatened to expose his sexuality.

Madam Pattirini (1854-1931)

Madam Pattirini (above), the drag alter ego of Brigham Morris Young, was one of the 57 children of Brigham Young, the founder of Salt Lake City, Utah, and the second president of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon church). An article published in 1901 in the Deseret News, the paper owned by the LDS church, noted that Morris Young performed in drag as Madam Pattirini, an “Italian prima donna,” at the birthday celebration of the church’s then-president, Lorenzo Snow. The article said Morris Young showed himself to be a “prime entertainer” and praised him for his “good falsetto voice and the ability to sustain a female character.” For those looking to honor Morris Young’s most well-known act, a Utah distiller introduced a gin named after the drag diva in 2017.

William Dorsey Swann (1860-1925)

William Dorsey Swann, who was born into slavery in Georgia, went on to make history as the first self-identified drag queen and the first American activist to lead a queer resistance group, according to historian Channing Joseph. On New Year’s Day in 1896, Swann was charged in Washington, D.C., with “keeping a disorderly house,” which was typically a euphemism for running a brothel. But what he was actually running, according to newspaper accounts at the time, was a drag ball (or, as the judge characterized it, a “hell of iniquity”). Swann, who had previously been arrested for “female impersonation,” was quickly convicted and sentenced to 10 months in jail. Swann requested a pardon from President Grover Cleveland, and, while the request was denied, it was reportedly the first time an American used legal and political action to fight for the right of LGBTQ people to gather.

Gowongo Mohawk (1860-1924)

Gowongo Mohawk, born in the western New York village of Gowanda, was one of the first Native American actors to perform on the American stage and the first known Native American male impersonator. After seeing white stage productions in which Indigenous people were portrayed as savages, the young actor decided to challenge the racist narrative and add an authentic, Indigenous perspective to American entertainment. In the late 19th century, she started writing, directing and starring in her own performances, in which she would also critique traditional gender dynamics, often while in male drag, according to the site Drag King History. The groundbreaking actor, who performed across the United States and Europe, would shock her audiences, most of whom had never seen Indigenous characters played by Indigenous actors — or, presumably, a woman in drag.

Gowongo Mohawk (1860-1924)

Gowongo Mohawk (pictured above), born in the western New York village of Gowanda, was one of the first Native American actors to perform on the American stage and the first known Native American male impersonator. After seeing white stage productions in which Indigenous people were portrayed as savages, the young actor decided to challenge the racist narrative and add an authentic, Indigenous perspective to American entertainment. In the late 19th century, she started writing, directing and starring in her own performances, in which she would also critique traditional gender dynamics, often while in male drag, according to the site Drag King History. The groundbreaking actor, who performed across the United States and Europe, would shock her audiences, most of whom had never seen Indigenous characters played by Indigenous actors — or, presumably, a woman in drag.

Vesta Tilley (1864-1952)

Vesta Tilley was one of the highest-paid performers in the British music halls during the Victorian and Edwardian eras and is “indisputably the most famous male impersonator of all time,” according to the site Drag King History. Tilley, whose first appearance as a boy was when she was just 5 years old, would go on to impersonate soldiers, sailors, policemen, judges and clergy, among other male personas. During World War I, Tilley gave performances to promote military recruitment and raise funds for wounded soldiers. She encouraged so many men to enlist that she was given the nickname “Britain’s greatest recruiting sergeant,” according to research published by England’s University of Sheffield.

Julian Eltinge (1880s-1941)

Julian Eltinge was the “king of (drag) queens” in his day, and his fame as a female impersonator “rivaled that of superstar performer RuPaul’s status today,” according to a biography of Eltinge published on the Los Angeles Public Library’s website. He reportedly started performing drag at saloons in Montana as a teenager before finding his way to the vaudeville circuit, Broadway and, eventually, Hollywood. In 1912, the Eltinge Theater on New York’s iconic 42nd Street was named in his honor, and during this time he was said to be one of the highest-paid actors in America. His drag performances were known for their convincing portrayals of women, and he would remove his wig at the end of his performances, shocking the audience with the reveal. According to his New York Times obituary, Eltinge performed for King Edward VII of England as a young actor, and the monarch was so impressed that he gifted him a white bulldog.

Julian Eltinge (1880s-1941)

Barbette (1890s-1973)

Long before the queens of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” embraced wig reveals, a high-wire performer from small-town Texas made a career of removing her curls. Barbette, born Vander Clyde Broadway, found fame in the 1920s and '30s performing daring, acrobatic shows in full drag at world-famous venues like the Moulin Rouge. She ended these acts with a signature move: removing her blond wig to reveal boyish brown hair underneath it. This flair for the dramatic and her elegance in the air attracted the attention of Europe’s elite, among them Coco Chanel and the writer and artist Jean Cocteau. After injury and illness ended her aerial career, she returned to Texas and lived on in seductive photographs and as a former muse for men such as Cocteau, Alfred Hitchcock and Tony Curtis.

Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992)

Screen siren Marlene Dietrich was famous for playing subversive femme fatales in Hollywood golden age films such as "Morocco" — in which she kisses a woman while performing a song in a suit and top hat — and "Shanghai Express." But the velvet-voiced, Berlin-born actor was also well known for seducing audiences offscreen. At the beginning of her career, Dietrich was a darling of the cabaret bars of the Weimar era, which were known for their drag-wearing clientele and performers. After her move to the U.S. during World War II, she wooed Code-era Hollywood with an androgynous look likely inspired by her cabaret days and her suggestive way of eyeing women. But it wasn't just about looks for Dietrich, who was openly bisexual by all accounts, proudly anti-fascist and defiant of social norms at a time when careers could end over being queer.

Barbette (1890s-1973)

Long before the queens of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” embraced wig reveals, a high-wire performer from small-town Texas made a career of removing her curls. Barbette, born Vander Clyde Broadway, found fame in the 1920s and '30s performing daring, acrobatic shows in full drag at world-famous venues like the Moulin Rouge. She ended these acts with a signature move: removing her blond wig to reveal boyish brown hair underneath it. This flair for the dramatic and her elegance in the air attracted the attention of Europe’s elite, among them Coco Chanel and the writer and artist Jean Cocteau, who became her lover. After injury and illness ended her aerial career, she returned to Texas and lived on in seductive photographs and as a former muse for men such as Cocteau, Alfred Hitchcock and Tony Curtis.

Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992)

Gladys Bentley (1907-1960)

Gladys Bentley was a singer, piano player and entertainer who performed in the 1920s and 1930s, in the era that came to be known as the Harlem Renaissance. Bentley was known for her top hat, tailored white tuxedos and risque lyrics. During her heyday, she did not conceal her sexuality but celebrated it, flirting with women in the crowd and incorporating a more masculine identity into her performances. She became one of the best-known Black entertainers of the time, and at the height of her fame she moved from Harlem to Park Avenue and had a team of servants. Bentley left New York in the late 1930s and performed throughout California, most notably at Mona’s 440 Club, the first lesbian bar in San Francisco.

Gladys Bentley (1907-1960)

Gladys Bentley was a singer, piano player and entertainer who performed in the 1920s and 1930s, in the era that came to be known as the Harlem Renaissance. Bentley was known for her top hat, tailored white tuxedos and risque lyrics. During her heyday, she did not conceal her sexuality but celebrated it, flirting with women in the crowd and incorporating a more masculine identity into her performances. She became one of the best-known Black entertainers of the time, and at the height of her fame she moved from Harlem to Park Avenue and had a team of servants. Bentley left New York in the late 1930s and performed throughout California, most notably Mona’s 440 Club, the first lesbian bar in San Francisco.

Stormé DeLarverie (1920-2014)

It's popular belief that New Orleans-born Stormé DeLarverie threw the punch that ignited the 1969 Stonewall uprising. Throughout her life, she was considered a protector of New York's LGBTQ community, working security and watching over Greenwich Village's gay bars and streets until her death in 2014. In the 1950s and '60s, DeLarverie presided over the Jewel Box Revue — the era's only racially integrated drag troupe — as mistress of ceremonies and the lone "male impersonator." Her signature, tailored style eventually caught the attention of photographer Diane Arbus, who immortalized the performer in a famous 1961 portrait: "Miss Storme de Larverie, the Lady Who Appears to Be a Gentleman, N.Y.C." And her disregard for gender norms and lifelong activism also inspired the documentary "Storme: The Lady of the Jewel Box," which details how the singer brought audiences together in a time plagued by homophobia and segregation.

Danny La Rue (1927-2009)

Danny La Rue was an Irish-born entertainer known for drag performances that incorporated glamorous costumes. He spent lavishly to outfit his characters and has been described as "the grande dame of drag.” His onstage personas were characters of his own design, but he also did parodies of historical figures and celebrities like Cher, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlene Dietrich and Margaret Thatcher. La Rue was among Britain’s highest-paid entertainers in his heyday, and he even performed for Queen Elizabeth II, who in 2002 made him an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, for his AIDS charity work.

Danny La Rue (1927-2009)

Darcelle XV (1930-2023)

Walter Willard Cole was drafted into the United States Army in the 1950s, and by the following decade was living in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and two children. It wasn’t until the late ‘60s, when he was in his late 30s, that he came into his own as a drag queen named Darcelle XV and also came out as gay. Always entrepreneurial, Cole opened the Darcelle XV Showplace in Portland in 1967, which became home to the longest-running drag show on the West Coast — and in 2020 was the first site in Oregon to be added to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in LGBTQ history. Darcelle XV performed into her early 90s, having been crowned the world’s oldest working drag performer by Guinness World Records five years earlier.

Dame Edna (1934-2023)

Dame Edna Everage, the drag persona of late Australian comedian Barry Humphries, was best known for her lilac bouffant and bedazzled cat-eye glasses, her love of gladiolas and, of course, her signature greeting: "Hello, Possums!" The bawdy, bourgeois housewife came to prominence in 1970’s U.K. and went on to become a regular fixture on stages and TV sets around the world for decades to come. Although Dame Edna — an amalgamation of Humphries' female family members and Dadaist themes — certainly wasn't known for her elegance and tact, her irreverent sense of humor won over audiences and the celebrities who appeared on her shows, which included everyone from Sean Connery to Cher. And while she wasn't Humphries' only persona, she came to define his career, becoming the longest-running character portrayed by a single performer in entertainment history, according to Guinness World Records.

Darcelle XV (1930-2023)

Dame Edna (1934-2023)

Crystal LaBeija (1930s-1990s)

When Crystal LaBeija, a Black drag queen and trans woman, was announced as the third runner-up at the 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Contest, she was having none of it. Before the winner, a white queen named Rachel Harlow, could even be announced, LaBeija stormed off the stage to protest against the competition, which — she and other queens alleged — favored white beauty standards. Frustrated by the apparent racism in drag pageant culture, LaBeija founded her own drag ball exclusively for Black queens in 1972. To promote the event, she and fellow Harlem queen Lottie founded the House of LaBeija, leading other Black and Latina queens to do the same — and thus, ball culture had arrived. For those still doubting LaBeija’s drag icon status, the queen of queens, RuPaul, revealed in a 2018 New York Times article that the first drag performance she saw was LaBeija singing a Donna Summer song in black fishnets and a bustier.

Dorian Corey (1937-1993)

Although during her life, Dorian Corey was known as one of the great queens of the Harlem drag balls — as seen in 1968's "The Queen" and 1990's "Paris Is Burning" — her story became overshadowed by a morbid secret unearthed after her death. Corey moved to New York to study at Parsons School of Design, which led her to a successful career on the city's drag scene and as a member of the touring Pearl Box Revue. After she succumbed to AIDS in 1993, a mummified body was found in her apartment, leading to speculation that she had shot an abusive lover, and had hidden his body for 25 years. While the gruesome discovery shocked those who had known the generous mother of the House of Corey, many also chalked it up to the widespread mistrust of police that pervaded queens' lives throughout the 20th century.

Dorian Corey (1937-1993)

Flawless Sabrina (1939-2017)

Drag pageant impresario Flawless Sabrina hosted her first pageant in 1959 with two friends in Philadelphia, and she would then go on to host such events nationwide through the ‘60s. Cross-dressing was illegal at the time, and Sabrina — or Jack Doroshow out of makeup — estimated that she had been arrested over 100 times. The most famous pageant she presided over, the 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Pageant in New York City, was documented in the film “The Queen,” which was screened at the Cannes International Film Festival in 1968 and is regarded as a seminal film of queer culture. After spending much of the 1980s in Europe, Flawless Sabrina returned to New York City, where she spent her final decades holding court in her Upper East Side apartment, hosting salons and displaying the work of young artists, according to her New York Times obituary.

Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992)

Marsha P. Johnson — who would cheekily tell people the "P" stood for "pay it no mind" — was an outspoken transgender rights activist and is reported to be one of the central figures of the historic Stonewall uprising of 1969. Along with fellow trans activist Sylvia Rivera, Johnson helped form Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), a radical political organization that provided housing and other forms of support to homeless queer youth and sex workers in Manhattan. She was an AIDS activist with AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP), and she performed with the drag performance troupe Hot Peaches from 1972 through the early ‘90s. She reportedly once said, “I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville until I became a drag queen.”

Divine (1945-1988)

Perhaps no other drag queen in history has had such an impact on mainstream culture, while existing resolutely on its fringes, than Divine. A lifelong friend and collaborator of fellow Baltimore native and avant-garde director John Waters, Divine helped define the trash film genre — low-budget productions that exaggerated and satirized exploitation films — with a love of the grotesque, a shaved-back hairline and extreme, arched brows. Born Harris Glenn Milstead, Divine was perhaps best known to audiences as the mother in Waters' 1988 film "Hairspray," but it was his starring role in the director's 1972 cult classic, "Pink Flamingos," that made him a drag legend and an enemy of censors everywhere. (Milstead and Waters both used he/him pronouns for Divine.) Since his death, Divine has been immortalized in everything from Disney films to documentaries detailing how the performer introduced the bizarre to drag.

Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992)

Divine (1945-1988)

Pepper LaBeija (1948-2003)

Described as the last of the great queens of the Harlem drag balls, Pepper LaBeija became known to national audiences as one of the charismatic, central subjects of Jennie Livingston's groundbreaking 1990 documentary, "Paris Is Burning." But prior to that, in the 1970s and '80s, LaBeija was one of the leading stars of the ball scene, known for her commanding presence, voluminous costuming and extravagant displays, including her signature "Egyptian effect" runway performances. Over her decadeslong career — during which she had a long tenure as the mother of the House of LaBeija, founded by the legendary ball figure Crystal LaBeija — she won an astounding 250 ball trophies. She is also credited with upholding her house’s mission of resisting the Eurocentric ideals pushed by the early drag ball scene and demanding that people of color be celebrated by the art form they created.

Pepper LaBeija (1948-2003)

RuPaul (born 1960)

Arguably the most famous queen of the modern era, RuPaul Charles will go down in “herstory” for selling drag to the masses — and making a pretty penny in the process. There's almost no sector of the entertainment world that the statuesque queen hasn't touched: She has penned three books, appeared in over 50 films, pressed 15 studio albums and is the most Emmy-winning Black entertainer in history for her hit "RuPaul's Drag Race" franchise. Coming to prominence in the early '90s with the help of her single "Supermodel (You Better Work)," RuPaul broke barriers as a spokesmodel and TV host before launching "Drag Race" in 2009 and coining a host of infamous phrases inspired by female body parts. Now in her 60s, RuPaul shows no signs of slowing down, introducing original shows and inspiring a fresh set of drag babies every year.

Lady Bunny (Born 1962)

Lady Bunny got her start go-go dancing with her friend RuPaul while living in Atlanta in the early 1980s. The pair moved to New York City together in 1983, and Lady Bunny spent much of this period in the city’s nightclubs, a place where other “club kids” were experimenting with outrageousness, gender, art and fashion. In 1984, Lady Bunny organized the first Wigstock, an annual drag queen festival in Manhattan’s East Village neighborhood. With a wide-ranging and diverse oeuvre, Lady Bunny is now considered one of the most legendary drag queens working today.

Lady Bunny (Born 1962)

Heklina (1966-2023)

A San Francisco drag icon, Heklina, whose name was inspired by Mount Hekla, one of Iceland’s active volcanoes, has been called “a beacon” and a legend. She was best known for a long-running drag show she started in 1996 — originally called Trannyshack and then rebranded as Mother — which continued until 2020, though it changed venues several times over the years. A fierce defender of drag, Heklina co-founded Oasis, a San Francisco nightclub that opened in 2015 and is known for its cabaret and drag performances. Remembered as an inspiration to younger drag queens, she was committed to creating safe spaces for expression and was open about both her sobriety and her HIV status. Heklina died while touring “Mommie Queerest,” a parody of the 1981 Joan Crawford biopic “Mommie Dearest.” She has been described as a “trailblazing community icon” who “made drag what it is today.”

Murray Hill (born 1971)

For decades, drag king Murray Hill has been an essential figure in New York’s late-night cabaret scene, hosting shows at legendary Manhattan venues like Joe's Pub. But the New England native, who describes himself as a "Borscht Belt comic from Brooklyn," didn't become a household name until the last few years, when he began making regular cameos on queer-friendly TV comedies. Last year, the industry veteran was cast in HBO's "Somebody Somewhere," appearing opposite fellow cabaret legend Bridget Everett and pushing the needle forward for trans masculine representation with humor and style. As his star continues to rise, Hill has parlayed his MC experience into hosting gigs for solo shows and rompy reality series, including Hulu’s newly launched "Drag Me to Dinner."

Murray Hill (born 1971)

Raja Gemini (Born 1974)

In the early days of "RuPaul's Drag Race," Raja Gemini, or simply Raja, became the first contestant of Asian descent to take home the crown, blazing the trail for beloved queens like Jujubee and Kim Chi, whose looks are inspired by their rich cultural roots. The drag persona of nonbinary, Indonesia-Dutch performer Sutan Amrull, Raja began in the industry like many of her contemporaries, as a makeup artist. But the “Drag Race” season three winner became famous for her glamorous, heritage-infused looks and performances, including her rendition of a Balinese dance traditionally performed by male artists that nodded to her unique, gender-nonconforming approach to drag, on "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" season seven.

Bianca Del Rio (Born 1975)

Known for her catchphrase, “Not today, Satan,” audiences love “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season six winner for her ability to toe the line between humor and insult. But long before her 2014 reality television debut, Del Rio’s cutting wit catapulted her to drag royalty in New Orleans, where she dominated the Big Easy’s drag scene in the 1990s and the early 2000s. The self-described “clown in a gown” is also a talented seamstress, designer and actor, having performed in London’s West End and made costumes for performances on Broadway and at the New Orleans Opera. Despite her success, Del Rio never takes herself too seriously, calling herself “the biggest joke of all.”

Raja Gemini (Born 1974)

Bianca Del Rio (Born 1975)

Bob the Drag Queen (Born 1986)

When Bob the Drag Queen won "RuPaul's Drag Race" in 2016, the Georgia native ushered in a new era for the series that — despite its roots in the New York ball scene — had a diversity problem. After her win, the towering season eight winner went from being best known for her "purse first" runway walk to winning over the world with her deadpan humor, frank demeanor and heart of gold. As co-host of the popular podcast "Sibling Rivalry" and the heartwarming, drag makeover series "We're Here," the talented singer and performer has spoken openly about the effects of toxic masculinity in the Black community, as well as the ways that queens of color are often treated differently than their white counterparts.

Bob the Drag Queen (Born 1986)

Jinkx Monsoon (Born 1987)

Jinkx Monsoon is a Broadway actress, a self-proclaimed “internationally tolerated drag superstar,” an award-winning podcast host, a two-time “Drag Race” winner and a practicing witch wrapped in an orange wig. After her time on the “Drag Race” franchise, the modern-day Lucille Ball has made it her goal to merge drag with mainstream entertainment, bringing her gender-bending art to the masses. She recently wrapped her run as Mama Morton in Broadway’s “Chicago,” and she’s set to appear in the upcoming season of the BBC’s “Doctor Who,” which debuts next year. Even with her myriad projects, the queen shows no sign of stopping anytime soon — after all, every season is Monsoon season.

Conchita Wurst (Born 1988)

Austrian pop singer Thomas Neuwirth created his bearded drag persona, Conchita Wurst, in 2011 to channel his inner confidence and bring visibility to the LGBTQ community. The long-lashed diva then took on a life of her own, winning the wildly popular Eurovision Song Contest in 2014. She addressed the LGBTQ community directly on stage that day and asserted, "We are unstoppable." Later that year, in her signature long brown curls, she sang for a United Nations conference in Vienna and was called a “star of the world” by then-U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Conchita Wurst (Born 1988)

Trixie Mattel (Born 1989)

If Dolly Parton, Barbie and Twiggy had a baby, that baby would be Trixie Mattel. The queen of 1960s kitsch and everything pink, Mattel first gained attention when she competed in season seven of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” She later returned to the franchise in 2018, snatched the crown on the third season of “Drag Race All Stars” and cemented herself in the Drag Race Hall of Fame. Since then, the self-proclaimed “Skinny Legend” has become a Jill of all trades, touring with her country music, co-writing a New York Times bestseller with comedy partner and fellow drag star Katya, releasing her makeup line and opening a hotel in Palm Springs, California, as documented in the Discovery+ show “Trixie Motel.”

Pabllo Vittar (Born 1993)

Brazilian drag star Pabllo Vittar did not become famous by accident. After posting dozens of videos on YouTube and singing at clubs and bars for several years, in hopes of being noticed, she got a break. In 2017, she went viral after singing Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” on local television, hitting the high notes with apparent ease. Since then, she has collaborated with A-list musicians such as Fergie, Charli XCX and Diplo, and in 2018, she became the first drag queen to be nominated for a Latin Grammy (or any Grammy, for that matter). She boasts more than 12 million followers on Instagram, the most of any drag queen, even surpassing RuPaul. In short, she is doing the most.

Art Director:

Chelsea Stahl

Designers:

Justine Goode and Leila Register

Photos courtesy of:

Getty Images, Netflix, Associated Press, Smithsonian Institute, Janus Films, New York Public Library