Where does the term 'drag queens' originate?

Answer 1

Drag, referring to wearing women's clothing, is a word that probably derives from an association between two meanings. According to www.etymonline.com (an etymological dictionary), the Yiddish "trogn" from the German tragen means "to wear". Etymonline also identifies the cross-dressing connotation as well as the addition of the word queen as a result of 1870's theater slang, in which "drag" takes on a literal meaning to describe the sensation of a skirt dragging across the stage behind a male actor. Furthermore, terms that were applied to homosexuality and gender role breaking often made reference to slang for female prostitutes (for example, a brothel was referred to as a "gay house" in the 1890's, before the term became applicable to homosexuals). Therefore, it makes sense that the word "queen" (Old English cwene) once referred to a woman, hussy, or prostitute. Its first recorded use to refer to an effeminate man or homosexual is from 1935 in Australia. The two terms together, "drag queen," is first recorded in 1941. The combination of these words ensures a connotation of homosexuality and effeminacy along with what we might recognize as the most significant part: being dressed in a costume as the opposite sex. There is a folkloric etymology from the late 20th century that suggests that the word "drag" is an acronym for DRessed As a Girl. The alternative would be drab, for a woman dressed in male clothing. However, this cannot be substantiated. All info from Wikipedia and Etymonline.com Hope this helps!

Answer 2

The term 'drag queens' originates from back in the days of Shakespeare's works. Only men preferred theater in those days. These days the term 'drag queen' refers to homosexual men that wear women's clothing.