Among other things, drag queens are living testimony to the way women used to want to be, the way some people still want them to be, and the way some women still actually want to be. Drags are ambulatory archives of ideal moviestar womanhood. They perform a documentary service, usually consecrating their lives to keeping the glittering alternative alive and available for (not-too-close) inspection.

Summary

This quote highlights the role of drag queens as a reflection of society's perception of femininity. It depicts drag queens as living reminders of the ideals and expectations placed on women in the past, as well as those that continue to persist today. By embodying the exaggerated, glamorous personas of movie stars, drag queens serve as walking embodiments of a bygone era and offer a gateway to explore and celebrate an alternative form of femininity. They preserve and keep alive the aesthetics and possibilities of this glittering realm, allowing people to engage with it, though oftentimes from a distance.

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