In this podcast Jonathan O'Brien talks about growing up and doing drag.
Summary
This abstract provides a summary of an audio recording documenting an interview with Jonathan O'Brien by Gareth Watkins, recorded on September 16, 2010, in Wellington, New Zealand. The conversation, which lasts 37 minutes, explores O'Brien's experiences and perspectives on growing up and engaging in drag performance during the 1990s.
In the interview, O'Brien reflects on the formative moments that sparked interest in drag during high school years, inspired by feminist art and the questioning of gender and sexuality norms. O'Brien recalls challenging restrictive social boundaries, particularly around the concepts of being gay in a conservative environment and exploring identity through personal appearance and behavior. O'Brien also narrates the transformation and experimentation with drag upon moving to Auckland for university, where the individual found community among gay, queer, and performance circles.
The conversation with Gareth moves on to O'Brien's family dynamics, the support received, particularly from a fierce mother and grandmother, and the reactions when coming out and starting drag. O'Brien's parent's reaction to seeing O'Brien in full drag is recounted as calmly accepting, showcasing a family dynamic that, while initially mixed, ultimately proves supportive.
The abstract captures O'Brien's exploration of drag as a performance art and a means of navigating personal identity. The initial entry into drag was as much about self-expression and questioning gender identity as it was about the performative aspect. With time, O'Brien's perception of drag evolved from being a protective facade to a hobby and a space of entertainment, signifying a journey of self-discovery and confidence in personal gender identity.
The interview delves into O'Brien's drag personas, noting Judy Chicago as the primary character, with two other alter egos: Gertrude Stain and Nylon Polymer. Each persona, described with distinct styles and interests, represents facets of O'Brien's character and performance range. O'Brien also touches upon the process of finding a drag mother and how central figures in the drag community can guide newcomers in developing their identity and artistry within the scene.
Academically, O'Brien combined interests by researching drag culture linguistics within the drag community, evidenced by O'Brien's position as the cultural affairs officer for the student association. The study examined how Auckland drag queens' speech patterns revealed intersections of different cultural groups and the unique sociolect within the community.
The discussion wraps up with O'Brien's insights into the sense of family, solidarity, and competitiveness inherent in the drag community, and the inclusivity that drag fosters beyond the confines of sexual orientation. O'Brien also reflects on the challenges of balancing a drag lifestyle with a romantic partner and the joys of the craft, from stage performances to the vibrant, spectacle-making aspects of drag in public spaces.
This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.
Voices
Tags
Tags (computer generated)
acting, actions, african american, agenda, alcohol, artist, belonging, bio queen, birthday, boundaries, cabaret, camp, celebration, chicago, children, class, clubs, code, comedy, community, competition, confidence, cooking, costumes, cracking it, cross dressing, cuba, culture, customs, drag queen, dream, dress up, dresses, drugs, environment, events, face, faggot, family, fearless, femininity, film, friends, fun, gaming, gender, glamour, god, growing up, hair, history, hit, identity, jazz, judy chicago, knowledge, lady gaga, language, laundry, linguistics, london, love, makeup, marie antoinette, mask, middle class, music, musicals, nightclub, opportunity, other, pants, parents, passing, people, persona, policy, psychology, queen, queen of the whole universe, queer, relationships, research, role model, scene, school, school counselor, sex, sexuality, solidarity, space, speech, stereotypes, straight, strength, study, subversion, support, survivor, time, top, trans, transgender, trolling, trust, understanding, university, walking, wig, women, work