Sex Impersonators to Drag Race Down Under: An Australian History of Drag

Come along and learn about the History of drag with Yves Rees plus a drag performance by Ravi Oli. To celebrate SpringOUT – Canberra’s very own PRIDE Festival, Libraries ACT is excited to welcome writer, historian and podcaster Yves Rees! This special event will involve a 30-minute conversation with Yves on the Australian History of Drag followed by a special drag performance. Australia is globally renowned for its drag artistry. From the hit film Priscilla Queen of the Desert (1994), to the Priscilla-inspired bus at the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, to the global reputation of the Sydney Mardi Gras, the nation’s distinctive drag cultures are known and celebrated worldwide. Sydney has even been described as ‘the drag capital of the world’. Yet, though the art form has existed on settler stages since 1788, and has a rich history in First Nations cultures, the Australian history of drag has not yet been told. Come along to hear about a new major project that will be the first to document this neglected history, from the 1800s until the present day.