Among super queens, camp aesthetics, and the darkroom exploring the erotic discourses in Super Drags on Netflix

Abstract

Drag art deconstructs gender norms by hyperbolizing or satirizing cultural traits associated with femininity and masculinity. While drag queens have gained greater visibility in mainstream culture, drag kings still face invisibility and lack of recognition, despite also subverting stereotypes and challenging social markers such as gender, race, and class. Over time, camp aesthetics and hyperfemininity, which often captivate audiences through erotic desire, have become central to queens' performances. Therefore, it is enriching to observe how a contemporary audiovisual cultural product humorously represents queens while simultaneously incorporating an erotic discourse. In this context, this article discursively analyzes the erotic enunciations in the five episodes of the first season of Super Drags, an animation released by Netflix in 2018, based on the French Discourse Analysis framework. The results indicate that the erotic discursive formation connects with meanings related to LGBTQIAPN+ and religious discourses.
Furthermore, by employing humor, irony, and hyperbolized stereotypes, Super Drags fosters resistance and empowerment.