RuPaul’s ‘Drag Race’ inspires college course on race, body image

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A full-semester spring course called “RuPaul’s Drag Race and Its Impact” launched this week at the New School in Manhattan. Taught by drag historian Joe E. Jeffreys, the course will study the reality TV hits in the context of contemporary culture — and spill the tea on drag history.

Enrolled students can expect a colorful and wide-ranging curriculum. “You might be surprised at the amount of academic writing that has been published focused on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’” Jeffreys tells The Post, “I put this class together not only due to my love of drag performance but also to spark serious critical thought and analysis into something many people would poo-poo as not worthy of such deep concern.”

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Joe E. Jeffreys fields questions at RuPaul’s Drag Con NYC.The New School
The professor says his classes will explore “audience demographics, historicizing the show’s lineage and scrutinizing such concerns as race, ethnicity, aesthetics and body image as presented in the broadcasts. We look to understand how the media phenomenon has shaped the way a wide public view the art form of female impersonation and how the program has changed the profession itself.”

In addition to classic homework assignments, drag coursers should gird their loins to take in plenty of assigned viewings.

“We will watch parts of previous reality shows like ‘An American Family’ and documentaries exploring earlier drag worlds, including ‘The Queen,’ ‘Paris Is Burning’ and ‘Wigstock: The Movie,’” Jeffreys says.

To test their drag knowledge, students will be posed with mini-challenges, including a “final runway creative project.” While no former “RPDR” contestant has been confirmed for a guest appearance yet, Jeffreys is confident one will drop-in for a class cameo.

With its long run and devoted following, many “Drag Race” fans likely won’t be shocked to know that this isn’t, in fact, the first course devoted to the show: One was taught at LA’s Occidental College in 2013.

Contestants for the 11th season of “RPDR” will be revealed Thursday, and the show is tentatively set to air in the next few months.

By Hannah Frishberg 1/23/19