Paul Hidacan, whose performance name is Zymba Ding, on stage at the Rampa, a drag club in Quezon City, Philippines, on May 12. MANILA – Before he put on the glittery, neon-yellow, tasselled jumpsuit, donned the yellow wig, and lip-synced and danced onstage under colourful spotlights, Paul Hidacan went through his pre-show routine in a busy dressing room. He pulled out a small white Bible from his bag, sat down and read a verse.
“I grew up in my church,” said Hidacan, 21, who has attended service in cropped tops, skirts and boots, and started performing in drag in 2023. “I know there are some who raise their brows when they see me, but the pastors accept me.” In many places in the Philippines, drag is becoming more mainstream, and more popular.
It is no longer confined to comedy bars, gay pageants and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) spaces. New clubs devoted to drag are opening. Drag queens are on fashion magazine covers, and are pitching name-brand products like MAC Cosmetics, Shell petrol, Durex condoms and Samsung phones.
Students of at least one public university recently held a drag competition. The new visibility of the art form has come largely because of changing mores around religion and gender, as well as the runaway success of the global TV franchise RuPaul’s Drag Race. But for many performers, drag is not only a cultural phenomenon, but also a political statement promoting social justice and gay rights that they hope will transfor.
