Drag Performance: A Space for Gender Expression and Identity Formation

Drag performance is a dynamic form of self-expression that challenges traditional gender expectations and allows individuals to explore identity beyond conventional norms. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, this study explored how drag served as a space for gender expression and identity formation among local drag performers in the Philippines. Guided by Judith Butler’s Gender Performativity Theory, it examined how identities were constructed and negotiated through repeated acts of drag performance. The study employed a semi-structured interview guide, conducted virtually with five (5) local drag performers selected through purposeful sampling. The collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method of thematic analysis, which revealed five (5) interconnected stages that illustrate how performers navigated their evolving sense of gender and self: (1) using drag as a space for self-discovery; (2) exploring gender through fluid expression; (3) gaining confidence through a drag persona; (4) adapting creatively to social and economic challenges; and (5) building solidarity amid marginalization. These findings showed that drag performance becomes a transformative process that supports fluid gender expression and affirms self-defined identities both on and off stage.