The Drag Performer’s Lived Experience: Exploring the Interplay Between Person and Persona

This study explored the lived experience of British drag performers, focusing on the complex relationship between their persona and sense of self. Against the backdrop of drag's growing mainstream acceptance, this research addressed a gap in a field dominated by US accounts of cisgender male performers. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six drag performers of diverse gender identities, sexualities, and drag styles with the aim of understanding how drag personas and personal identities intersect. Analysis yielded three superordinate themes: 1) "The Paradox of Integration," which positioned the persona-self relationship on a spectrum from clear separation to deep integration; 2) "Persona as Protector," which examined the persona's function as a psychological buffer against internal vulnerabilities and external threats; and 3) "Peak Me," which captured the transcendent and motivating experience of heightened self-expression during performance. The findings suggested the persona was not merely a theatrical role but also a psychological partner, protector, and a source of profound pleasure. This study proposed a "spectrum of integration" to understand this interplay and highlighted an underexplored psychological desire of performers to return to the heightened state achieved in performance.