Burnt Out;An Exploration on the Effects of Drag and Burn Out

For an outsider, Drag may look like a way for people to express themselves through performance, make up, dance and music. However, for many Queens, Drag is much more than a performance; It’s a community, career, family, and a medium for self-expression. While being a positive outlet for expression, Drag also has a dark side including inappropriate sexual solicitation from drunk crowds, privately dealing with homophobia, misgendering and sexualization.

The World Health Organization classifies employee burnout as a “syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Burnout can occur at any job, including Drag Queens or any performer where their work life and personal life can begin to mix.

Mandy Mango: The Nurse and Newbie

“There is a lot of drama in the drag community; who knew?” says Mandy Mango. Working in drag for under five years, Mango is considered new to the art. She works full-time as an infectious disease nurse but gravitated towards Drag as a creative outlet.

Mandy Mango applies her makeup before a show at her apartment in South Philadelphia on Oct. 21, 2022.

“I am fairly new,” she said.. Drag is a commitment. It’s a commitment to costumes, make up, choreography and music. It takes years to practice and perfect.

A rack full of handmade costumes in Mango’s living room in South Philadelphia on Oct. 21, 2022.

Every queen has a different coming of age story. Mango has been performing since high school. She was involved in theater and then some solo fundraising events in college.

Mandy Mango applies her makeup before a show at her apartment in South Philadelphia on Oct. 21, 2022.

“I keep myself busy all the time. I am a nurse, I do this [drag]. In college I would book myself up with activities. I am definitely approaching burnout. I don’t think I have ever been burnt out before, but I am approaching it” she says. Although Drag Queens have varying skill sets and personalities, they usually have one thing in common; a hectic and busy life.

Mango’s wigs sit atop of her dresser in her bedroom in South Philadelphia on Oct. 21, 2022.

“My brain is constantly looking for the next thing to do.” Mango shares.

Mango glues her wig to her head with hairspray and a blowdryer before her show in South Philadelphia on Oct. 21, 2022.

Drag is similar to a lot of different fields in that it requires networking. Half of the job is mingling and meeting hosts who hopefully book you for their next show.

“You have to go out to shows, mingle, support- that is how you make bookings. I feel bad about that because I have not been able to make close friends with anyone in the drag scene.” she says.

Mango performs a routine to ‘Candy Man’ by Christina Aguilera at the Manayunk Out and About Festival on Oct. 1, 2022.

Balancing her nursing career means she doesn’t have the time to fully commit to the networking required of Drag performers.

Mango finished her makeup before a show at her apartment in South Philadelphia on Oct. 21, 2022.

Mango is passionate about public health. “I see myself doing this for a while. I invested so much of myself into this. My goal is to find a way to blend my nursing career and Drag career. I enjoy public health and prevention- I want to design LGBTQ health campaigns and be the spokesperson through my Drag,” she says.

Mango performs a routine to ‘Candy Man’ by Christina Aguilera at the Manayunk Out and About Festival on Oct. 1, 2022.

Mango performs a routine to ‘Candy Man’ by Christina Aguilera and takes a cash tip from a fan at the Manayunk Out and About Festival on Oct. 1, 2022.

Brittany Lynn: The Seasoned Pro

Brittany Lynn is a Philadelphia native and an experienced professional. She has been doing drag since 1996, but has always been a performer at heart. “You either want to do it or you don’t.” Lynn claims. Lynn is the owner and creator of Philly Drag Mafia, a group of professional Drag Queens who travel city wide to perform. She also was recently named one of the 100 most influential Philadelphians according to Philly Magazine.

Brittany Lynn sings at the Manayunk Out and About Festival on Oct. 1, 2022.

She has worked in Drag for 26 years but the last five years have been particularly intense for her.

Brittany Lynn sings with all of the other performers at the Manayunk Out and About Festival on Oct. 1, 2022.

“You take every gig you get. And you watch your calendar fill up. And then you say ‘What the hell did I do’... I haven’t had a day off in 2 years,” she said

She started by doing Library Story Times. Library Story Times are when a Drag performer reads children’s books to an audience of kids. Slowly this transitioned into performing at clubs, organizing shows, and hiring queens. Her hobby soon became her full-time job.

When venues plan a drag event they usually call Lynn to come as a master of ceremonies. She will bring Drag Queens to the shows to entertain the audience while she hosts. Lynn has professional Drag Queens on her staff, including Ariel Versace, a Rupaul Drag Race season 11 competitor and South Jersey local.

Ariel Versace, a Rupaul Drag Race season 11 competitor, performs at the Manayunk Out and About Festival on Oct. 1, 2022.

Lynn is not only a Drag Queen. She is a manager, a marketer, an agent and costume designer.

Jacqueline Dupree, a Drag Queen, performs at the Manayunk Out and About Festival on Oct. 1, 2022.

“I have a team of performers so a lot of people depend on me for their bills. So I will say I’ll take a day off but it never happens. I scheduled off the last 2 weeks in November and I’ve been really good about it. I will get calls and no matter what they offer I will just have to say ‘I’m in the hospital’ and lie,” she says.

Dominique Lee: The Mean Queen

Dominique Lee performs her opening monologue at Tabu Bar and Club in Center City Philadelphia on Oct. 19, 2022.

Dominique Lee is a self proclaimed ‘Mean Queen,’ she hosts roasts and is known for her comedic persona. At the age of 45, she has only been performing for 4 years.

“The boys I liked didn’t like drag so I quit for a while. But then I met a guy, married him, had him trapped, and then I was like ‘I want to do drag’. So I have only been doing drag for 4 years.” Lee says.

Dominique Lee performs her opening number with two friends at Tabu Bar and Club in Center City Philadelphia on Oct. 19, 2022.

“I’m older, so I get my work ethic from my father who was like ‘go to work until your arm falls off’.” says Lee. “I shake things off. Burnout is something that I power through.”

“When I was in high school, in 1995, That was private [being gay]. You might have snuck off to a gay bar but that was it.” Lee states, “When I was little my father used the f slur like nobody’s business. We had gay neighbors and my dad would say, ‘don’t let me catch you over near that house, that’s where the f slur’s live.’ and I was 9. That’s the reason I wanted to just blend in.”

Dominique Lee performs her opening number with two friends at Tabu Bar and Club in Center City Philadelphia on Oct. 19, 2022.

Now, Lee doesn’t want to hide who she is any longer. She claims having ‘hope’ is what got her through the tough times in high school.

“My senior year I came out and I was picked on and it was very difficult. This one kid used to pick on me terribly. One day we had a school assembly. And it was an assembly on diversity. And one of the skits was a gay skit. They called the kid the f slur during the assembly. People in the audience cheered. And I remember I was in the fifth row and I just sank into my seat, I was petrified. At the end of the show they did a question and answer part. One of the actors said, ‘I want to know why people cheered during that part of the assembly’ and I will never forget this as long as I live. My bully was in the back of the room- he came down the aisle and said ‘Ill tell you why, because in my religion we are taught that gay people and people like him are going straight to hell and don’t deserve our acknowledgment. I believe they are an abomination.’ And he pointed right at me. I ran out of the auditorium.”

Deja Vu, a Drag Queen, performs in Lee’s show ‘Queen of the Hill’ at Tabu Bar and Club in Center City Philadelphia on Oct. 19, 2022.

27 years have passed since high school and Lee can still remember the full name of her bully. According to stopbullying.gov, LGBTQ youth and those perceived as LGBTQ are at an increased risk of being bullied.

Dominique Lee introduces performers during her show at Tabu Bar and Club in Center City Philadelphia on Oct. 19, 2022.

“I was in the adult porn industry. I didn’t always treat myself the way I should have. I have been in jail 3 times. Life is what you make it. You have to deal with the cards you are dealt but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t another hand coming,” says Lee.