If You Don't Love Yourself, How in the Hell You Gonna Love Somebody Else?

• In Event: The Library Is Open: Reading RuPaul’s Drag Race in a Time of Drag Bans

Abstract

This study explored the discourses of inservice K-12 teachers who are supporters of the art form of drag in different capacities. This study’s purpose was to provide insight into how various socio-emotional themes that implicitly and explicitly are embodied within drag influence the ontologies, ideologies, and praxis of K-12 teachers. Examined themes included: loving yourself, celebrating gender diversity, as well as building empathy for others and the self-confidence to express yourself. Queer theory, thematic narrative analysis, and intertextual analysis were conducted of the participants’ interview data. Findings discuss the ideological beliefs of drag-supporting teachers; the ways drag has impacted their ontologies towards teaching and learning; and lastly, the pedagogical and practical implications that drag has on their classroom teaching.

Author

• Heather Macías, California State University - Long Beach