Misogyny in the drag queen scene: How Lacey-Lou from Birmingham is tearing down gender stereotypes
Lacey-Lou is an events manager, activist and female drag queen.
When she started performing in drag Lacey says she received hate messages from others in the industry, particularly from male drag artists.
She told us how people would tell her that she couldn't work in drag because she was female.
Lacey-Lou recalls how when she first started out in the industry people would pass negative comments such as "you're not a real drag queen" and "you're just a woman".
She would also receive cruel messages online accompanied with the definition of the role, which used to be "a usually gay man who dresses up as a woman and performs as an entertainer".
She says that it has to be acknowledged that her career choice is also one for women, not only men.
She took it upon herself to meet with leading bodies at the Oxford Dictionary Head Quarters to present evidence that there are different types of drag queens, of different genders and sexualities.
In December 2019 the dictionary definitions were updated. A drag queen is now described as: "A person, usually male, who dresses up as a woman and performs as an entertainer".
Definitions of "Drag Queen" in the Oxford Dictionary:
The change in definition is a small one, but Lacey says the representation of women is extremely important in any field.
She says that the genderless aspect of the new definition means it can now represent so many different types of people who do drag.
Lacey says that the more representation of women in any field can normalise it, and women in the drag community shouldn't be any different.
She added: "I think that the media is saturated with either too positive or too negative, and I just try and keep it real. So I'll talk about situations I've had where I've been discredited or let go from jobs because of my gender."
She hopes that young women who aspire to work in drag can take something from her experiences and any misogyny in the community can be eradicated.