Hard at Work

Life in Singapore

Gerard Sasges, Ng Shi Wen

• Publisher: National University of Singapore Press
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9789813250505
• eBook ISBN: 9789813251335
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Sociology
• Index: Social Sciences

For most of us, work is a basic daily fact of life. But that simple fact encompasses an incredibly wide range of experiences. Hard at Work takes readers into the day-to-day work experiences of more than fifty working people in Singapore who hold jobs that run from the ordinary to the unusual: from ice cream vendors, baristas, police officers and funeral directors to academic ghostwriters, temple flower sellers, and Thai disco girl agents.

Through first-person narratives based on detailed interviews, vividly augmented with color photographs, Hard at Work reminds us of the everyday labor that continually goes on around us, and that every job can reveal something interesting if we just look closely enough. It shows us too the ways inequalities of status and income are felt and internalized in this highly globalized society.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ENTERTAINING

Drag Queen

Must sign form all ah? Ha, why cannot use real name? Just use lah. Okay, how about you use my drag name? Then can promote me. Dahlia Rose. [puckers lips while crossing legs]

Okay, I started drag when … wait, actually I fell in love with drag when I was young. When I was a young gay boy, I played with fabric, made costumes … and you know the Lego bricks? I made heels! So I was like okay, maybe I want to be a girl. I didn’t know any gay people until I was Sec 1, then you know what, I thought to myself, I think I’m gay. Then I discovered dance and there was this group called Voguealicious – they were the strongest gay dance group back then. They were very loud – hotshots and whatnot, skimpy outfits for dance competitions. So I was like, what is this cross-dressing thing? When a few of them started dressing as a woman to perform, I was like whaaat is this? [high pitched voice] This is what I’ve been looking for!

So yah, I really found the world of drag when I was Sec 4. It was introduced to me and then I started seeing all these people doing shit and RuPaul’s Drag Race came along. I watch from Season One all the way! When the first one came out, I was like, “Oh, this is what the business is about.” So I went researching about this business and the drag culture. I thought, like, okay lah, drag like happy-happy and get some cash for yourself. Then I started to take it seriously and obviously wanted to be booked, but people don’t know that I do drag and they don’t know that I want to do drag professionally.

So two years back, when I started NS, a friend introduced me to the organiser of Herstory (a monthly lesbian club party). So she was like, “Bring her in, ask her to try out!” I was sooo nervous for my first try-out. Basically when NS started, my drag life started. And I was like, “Wah, this is two extremes”. Okay never mind, then I went for the first show – it went well and subsequently the big boss was like, “Okay you know what? You’re hired and we’re gonna have you every month from now on.” And I was like, “Oookay!” After a year of joining the show, I learned the tricks of the trade ah.

I’m actually freelance lah, so as and when I’m booked for a show then that’s when I work. Let’s say for a club, I’ll be at the club say around 6 in the evening. Get ready and event starts at about 10. Then you mingle around and performance time is about midnight. And then after that, mingle all the way till the end. Usually after performance you get the pay – cash or usually by cheque. We also have to do rehearsals. But then it’s based on events. Let’s say it’s a one-day event, like a random event they do and decided to invite a drag queen, then there’s no rehearsal. Just come and on the day itself, you see the stage, adjust music, lighting, all. But if you’re booked for a clubbing show, there will be two rehearsals before the show day. I usually work with a lot of people and there will be group numbers and stuff. If you solo, usually there’s only one rehearsal. So the recent one where I perform at Taboo’s Handbag Nite, we only met for one rehearsal and that’s it.

How much we get paid is again, based on events. We always set a price for ourselves. We have this thing called drag mother, so, like, mothers who teach us how to do drag and polish us. Usually drag queens ask what is the pricing, but for my case, I’m more of an independent drag queen. So I won’t … how to say … listen much to the mothers lah. [laughs] I just set myself cos I like to be more independent like that. Usually, how drag queens charge is based on number of performances. So on that night, let’s say you have to do two songs, then get more lah. Also consider how big is the event. But roughly so far in Singapore, we won’t accept lesser than $200. We get drinks on the house, free entry to the club – it’s a good deal! Right? It’s a good deal! One night … wait, wait, wait, not even one night, girl! Thirty minutes show already get $200. Two hundred dollars will drop on you. [pretends it is raining money] But in Singapore, there’s a no-tipping rule, right, so you can’t tip a drag queen. If get $200, then $200 you get. In US, people tip the drag queens so you get your basic pay and when you perform, the more amazing your performance is, the more elaborate your costume is, the more people will be like, “Yaaas!” And give you tips, then you be grabbing that money! So, they earn more. I think I got my first tip at Handbag Nite. The other drag queens were like, “Yas, take sepuluh dollar” (Yes, take the $10). “Take! Take! Take!” So I was like, “Yes, gimme!” So on top of the $200, I think I got like $40.

I am actually proud to say that I’m the youngest working drag queen. Youngest. I’m 22. No other person my age has a home club. Every weekend without fail, I’m here. The boss likes what I do – they’re proud to have me and I’m proud to have them too. But yah, I mean, it’s a growing process. It’s a challenging job. It’s not easy to put yourself in a character and sell that character. And for someone who wants to do drag…. Drag is like an investment. I invest on the clothes, the heels, the make-up. I invest time and effort in performances. After I invest money and time, obviously this is the product I’ll be selling – Dahlia Rose. So I get recognition and pay lah, of course.

It’s a business. I am a package and they pay me accordingly. But of course if you give me $80 pay, I give you $80 show. Don’t expect me to give you full. For example, home club minimum $200 which is normal rate. Then for a private event, [whispers] I did one for a celebrity I can’t say … uh, it was $400. If I’m a brand-new queen, I will ask them how much they want to pay me because I don’t dare put the price on myself since I’m not known yet. I don’t want word to go around like, y’know, like they say, “Eh, Dahlia asking for high price but she new queen.” But you don’t want to down-sell yourself! Cannot be like, okay lah, I take $100 only … if they hire other drag queens next time, they will be paying the same price and say, “I got Dahlia for $100, how come you so expensive?” Spoil market lah, like that! So, the drag community works together. Like a business, right, got market all? If you want to be a working drag queen, that’s how it works.

But then again, it’s all about status. We have the more senior drag queens and you have the younger and newer ones like me. Senior drag queens are obviously more expensive since they are experienced. Anyway, if you want us to host the whole night, of course it’s expensive. Thinking about costume change, thinking about what to say, the theme … it’s not easy. We have to talk and talk and talk a lot. Not easy. So the organiser of Herstory, for example, she’s the host and the queen of the area, of course she gets more lah. The senior drag queens are usually the ones whom people go to, to get to the newer ones. For my case of Handbag Nite, I was introduced by the biggest drag queen – you could say that she’s the RuPaul of Singapore. She was the one who invited me to Handbag Nite to showcase new talent – she loves new talent. There’s also Vanda Miss Joaquim from Tantric who is ah-maaazing. She is the one who got me into drag and who was my idol when I was young. We became friends and got closer after a few drag shows, then she invited me to Tantric anniversary night. It was a big event like, girl, please. From then on, I got booked for Altitude because of Vanda Miss Joaquim again. So basically it’s more of a community of drag. Like whoever can’t do a show or think that this doesn’t suit me and might suit some other queens, we like to, y’know, share. It’s a small community but it’s definitely growing, especially because of the new upcoming drag competition for new queens. If you wanna go, next Friday okay, I’ll be there. Anyway, I was thinking lah … I already have a home club and bookings, so I think I have enough to start with. Let these new queens who have never done drag before or haven’t got any bookings … let them have it.

Actually right, drag’s still an issue in the gay community lah. Because you see, gay is man on man what, so you would want to still fit in the masculine male stereotype. Not all gays are soft-soft one, okay? Gay men want masculine men. So the gay community think that, ew, he dresses like a girl and make-up and what. They don’t like it. We are totally taboo. It’s different lah. People don’t understand what’s different … they think we want to be a girl, but not necessarily. Yes, we enjoy this. Because why? Drag to me is like an armour. It makes me powerful and for a night, I can be someone else. The opposite sex some more. And you know you look good. [laughs] I feel more confident. Drag is not just dressing like a woman. Of course, drag queen means female impersonation but in a drag queen world, there are many types of drag queens and multiple identities. People need to know! Okay, so we got “fish queens” like me – they like to look as feminine as possible. Don’t ask me why “fish”, I also have no idea! I myself have to go Google, okay? Anyway, when people praise you they usually say “Girl, you look so fishy!” We also have the comedy queens and trans queens and clown queens who are super artsy-fartsy. And then you have the pageant queens! Alamak, girl! Cannot mess with them eh, they really take drag very, very seriously. I have never been in a pageant before but I’m going to one in December hopefully. It’s called Miss Two-Faced – like Miss Universe. But the thing is, there are many categories such as evening gown, drag performance or talent and drag as a man! So you’re gonna show yourself as a girl, then show that you still look good as a guy. It’s called Two-Faced for that reason. I already signed up and I’m so nervous but I’m going! Argh, just thinking about it makes me so nervous!

You got watch RuPaul’s Drag Race or not? It’s a good show but, wah, now every gay guy also want to be drag queen. Wah lau, I don’t get it! Last time used to be like, ew, drag. But now everyone is living for drag! But okay lah, I’m the kind of person who doesn’t chase for fame or what. I just like what I do. C’mon, I looove drag since young. I clearly remember not knowing what wigs were. I cut out paper and staple long strips and make it a wig. I know drag has been with me since young. I was in dance crews and stuff, so I just love performing lah. My home club now is my home. Whatever other shows I have, my home club shows come first. I’m actually blessed lah, because I started out differently from other drag queens. Usually you have to try different clubs, impress them, show them what you look like, what you have to offer, what queen you are and mix around with other drag queens, then you get booked for a show. If a club sees a potential in you, then they take you. But for my case, I’m blessed that my first show was in my home club.

Anyway, you know I work in a lesbian club, right? Usually other drags work in gay clubs. That’s a challenge for me in the drag community because I grew up in a lesbian setting. Usually you start in gay clubs then go to lesbian clubs, but mine is the other way round. I’m not hating on gays, but I love working for lesbians. You feel appreciated! It’s nice and there’s no drama. Everyone’s there for fun and they enjoy the show, but if you go to a gay club, their ego ah … they will say things like, “Girl, I can do better.” So when you perform in a gay club, your standard must be high up there. You must break the stage so that these gays can’t say a single shit about you. This is why I was sooo nervous for my Handbag Nite show. But then again, I don’t want to be someone I’m not. I want to be Dahlia, and if you don’t like it, fine. But so far, so good, people recognise my drag character more than me myself. I went Tantric last Saturday as a guy then the boss was like, “Who is this?”

Speaking of these experiences, you also have bad days lah. People think that drag queens are very bubbly, fun and don’t care about anything. So for example, the reason why I like lesbian clubs is because you girls have a bit more respect for drag queens. But in gay clubs, people will be like, “Oh my god, your hair!” Then they touch here, touch there, touch your face, pull your hair. They don’t know boundaries! Men will be men. Actually some butch also like that. They think we are here to just make them laugh and be an entertainment, so all they think is “be my entertainment”. They don’t care. There was a case at Handbag Nite … you go to gay shows before? No? Okay, there is a big cultural difference. When I perform, I feel different. Some straight girls go to gay clubs and think they’re the queen, I don’t know why. They pull our costumes and one time things heated up and they were told to get lost lah. We are not a toy for you guys. We put in so much effort in our costumes and if you are in love with us, just tell us. Don’t you dare start pulling our hair and what. We are human beings too. We dress up like dolls but we are human. Don’t think of us like a joke, y’know? These experiences are quite bad. Then you have straight guys who wait for you after your show…. Wah, that time a few black guys waited outside the club after the show and, okay, don’t get me wrong, I like black guys but no bitch, no.

Apart from these things, being a drag really gets into your head.

You look so feminine and when you look in the mirror, you think to yourself, “Aw, you’re such a pretty girl.” But when you take off everything, you become a guy. It might get into your head. It did get into my head. I was like … why do I enjoy drag so much? Why? Do I want to be a trans? Am I happy to be a girl? I would say we are the in-betweens. Like we can be a guy, and we can be a girl. Then I mentioned that I attract straight guys, right? I was really thinking, “Wah, should I turn trans?” But no. There’s no need to change sex when you can be both, right? Anyway, do you know we also have straight girls who do drag? We call them “bio queen” because they are biologically women. They do over-the-top make-up and costumes to the point that people can’t tell whether you’re a girl. But okay lah, stare at the boobs a bit, look real … you know she’s bio queen already. But Singapore don’t have lah. We have drag kings – women who dress up like men.

Your module about jobs, right? Okay lah, can see it this way. A job to me is like selling yourself. If you work at Starbucks, you’re selling your skills in making coffee and interacting with customers. If you work at Sephora, you’re selling your make-up skills and knowledge. For drag, you’re selling a character. I guess it’s just more expressive lah, compared to an office job. But y’know, drag queens only do drag part-time. They usually have two jobs. In Singapore, sadly to say, it’s not a stable job. So you have to get a regular job then this drag job is a side thing. So after NS, I have to find a job. But in the US, drag can be a full-time job! I wish I can do that but cannot lah. Even if you’re an actor at Mediacorp or what, you still have to have a proper job.

With regards to family right, my family also religious. They pray five times a day! But this is my face when I leave home. [points to face] They know I’m feminine, and I think they know I’m doing drag? I don’t know lah. I’m always ordering heels and dresses but the reason I told my mum is that I’m selling these things macam business. As for the make-up, she just thinks I do make-up for other people. Like a package thing lah, have clothes and make-up. So I can cover lah! But I still think she knows it’s for drag. Mum always knows. They just don’t want to confirm it. She got ask, “Why you always with guys?” Or, “Got put make-up ah?” But never really address it. I have a lot of boyfriends and I date a lot, so they always see like I kejap (Malay: sometimes) with this guy, kejap with that guy. Most drag queens won’t tell their mothers. It’s a double life. Sometimes I sit down and think of my life and Dahlia’s life…. Girl, it’s two extremes! But sometimes what we struggle with is balance. I like Dahlia so much to the point that I have more girl clothes than guy clothes. My make-up pile is getting bigger! I invested a lot and I don’t even want to know how much I spent.

Mostly, that’s what drag is. It’s not a known job in Singapore. But people need to know it is a job. It’s taboo. And, wah, if you bring in religion, even worse … y’know like Islam … don’t even go there! We drag queens attract people to come to club and boost alcohol sales. So, I’m actually a satan. [laughs loudly] Like, come buy drinks and watch me! Sometimes that’s the aim. Drag queens are in clubs to attract people to come, and when they come they obviously buy drinks and boost alcohol sales. It’s part of the business too. How to say ah? You imagine McDonald’s have Ronald McDonald, confirm more kids come and buy happy meal what! People use mascots to attract people – we are the mascots of the club, sort of. People know more about drag now … but mostly in the LGBTQ community. I enjoy what I do and y’know people say it’s a nice job to have but it gets tiring. A job always starts out fun but eventually it can become a hassle. That’s why I try to change here and there and up my costumes.

In drag, to keep your business going, you have to explore. I think drag has evolved and when you watch RuPaul’s Drag Race from Season One to Season Nine, you will see how much it has changed.

Last time you can go to Zara, get your dress and heels – drag already! But now, no. Drag is about crazy costumes and eccentric stuff. Now people like comedy, so you have to be funny. Have to keep yourself current and grow. Last time people like Whitney Houston, now people like Beyoncé or Rihanna, so must adapt. You gotta keep up...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
• The Hard at Work Project
• Project Participants
• Drinking
• Eating
• Making and Repairing
• Selling
• Recycling and Cleaning
• Caring
• Learning
• Moving
• Protecting
• Managing
• Healing
• Grooming
• Entertaining