Paper short abstract:

My paper explores the role that drag performances have played on the fight for social justice and equality, particularly when it comes to the fight for Transgender people's right. I study drag performances as an artistic expression that has aided the Latinx community in Houston to gain visibility.

Paper long abstract:

This paper explores the role that Latinx drag performances in Houston have played on the fight for social justice and equality, particularly when it comes to the fight for Transgender people's right. I study drag performances as an artistic expression that has aided the Latinx community in Houston to gain some visibility among the society-at-large, but also within the mainstream LGBTQ+ community. The creation of social spaces has been an important practice amongst groups to develop a sense of community and identity. The Mexican and Central American communities in Houston are not the exception. I argue that for a group of Latin Drag performers in Houston, the creation of spaces in which they can show their performances has aided them to develop not only an imaginary sense of community, in which they perform their gender and sexuality, as well as their national identity, but also as a way to advocate for their right. Several of the human right and social justice advocacy initiatives have evolved because of the communities created at those spaces. In addition, I discuss the disjunction between official discourses and the experience of everyday life for LatinX LGBTQ+ individuals. Can queer and gender, and critical race theory create change on the level that is required to move society from tolerance to acceptance and understanding? Can critical folkloristics help shift us in a new, more influential direction in order to obtain effective results? These are two relevant questions my paper addresses.