Non-Binary performer Moxie Delite (they/he) is challenging the social gender norms that pressure people to conform.

Starting their life of performance at age 18, after being turned on to the hit tv show ‘Rupaul’s drag race,” they soon found a home on the stage.

“I just really had a vision in mind that I am going to do it. And I guess I always loved make-up. I was really fascinated with drag make-up, it was just so larger than life, it’s so incredible and imaginative,” they said. “I think like the transition from visual art to drag was really an authentic process, it felt more authentically queer as well.”

LGBTQIA+ charity and resource group Minus18 defines Non-Binary as “An umbrella term people use to describe gender that doesn’t fit squarely into male or female. This can be a mix of both, fluid, or something else entirely.”

The 2016 Census found that 1,260 people in Australia identified as “sex and/or gender diverse.” However, this may be an underestimate as many people who also identified as gender diverse may not have been included.

“I realised how much gender doesn't matter to me as much as it did the next person in that way,” Delite said. “I don’t gender my body, or anything related to me.”

Drag scenes have been seen worldwide, with each country having its own distinct and unique drag culture playing off the gender dynamics in the respective countries.

With Australia’s glorification of the rugged bushman, it is unsurprising that the drag scene down-under plays with an “ocker” sense of humour, says lecturer of media studies at Swinburne University and queer theory researcher Dr Joana Macintyre.

“Of course, our Queens are going to be responding to the gender dynamics within Australia,” Dr Macintyre said. “Interestingly, I think one can argue that drag Queens are often quite working with the sense of humour that they use in the way that they perform and present themselves.”

Drag scenes have always been a haven for people to disregard the traditional gender norms and stereotypes found in everyday life and explore what gender means to them.

‘The National Center for Transgender Equality’ credits the term ‘drag’ “originated as British theatre slang in the 19th century and was used to describe women’s clothing worn by men.”

Although colloquially, the term is thought to stand for ‘Dressing Resembling A Girl.’

To this day, drag scenes remain at the forefront driving social change regarding gender.

While in the eyes of many drag scenes are dominated by cis, gay, predominately white men, the actual drag scene is much more diverse.

With growing numbers of trans, non-binary, and people of colour finally getting well-deserved recognition for their contributions to drag, taking the deconstruction of gender to a whole new level. We are now seeing even more representation with non-binary drag artist Etcetera Etcetera, featured in the latest season of ‘Drag Race: Down Under.’

“My vision it was quite obscure, and I think it is because my mind just doesn't factor in gender as it does the next person,” Moxie Delite said. “I'm very … imaginative in a way that my vision isn't restricted to masculine or feminine, it just is.”

Rebelling against gender norms does not come without consequences, however. Especially in recent media, trans and non-binary people have become the target of political debate. 

Data from the group LGBTIQ+ health found that in 2021 56.2% of transgender and gender diverse people aged 14 to 21 reported experiencing verbal harassment based on their sexuality or gender identity in the past 12 months, 14% experiencing physical harassment, and 27.4% reported experiencing sexual harassment.

Although from the outside perspective of the mainstream queer spaces, particularly drag scenes, advertise their openness and inclusion, this is not always the case.

Tension between cis drag artists and the trans and non-binary community has been well documented. Most notably, in an interview with the guardian in 2018, drag icon RuPaul suggested that trans drag artists are somehow less valid than cis ones.

“The wrong drag and queer spaces are misogynistic as hell, and they can be very unwelcoming or unaccommodating to non-binary, AFAB and trans people," Delite said.

However, with changing times, the acceptance of trans and non-binary people is becoming more and more accepted. This can be seen through an increase in media representation.

While still minimal Non-binary characters are beginning to crop up in movies such as ‘the Adjudicator’ in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3’ or ‘Double Trouble’ in the children’s TV show ‘She Ra.’

Many non-binary celebrities continue to advocate and spread awareness about the trans and non-binary community and the issues they face.

Drag has been an ever-evolving stream of new creative ideas, ways to perform and broaden the scope of gender norms in everyday society.

While previously held grudges against those who identify as trans, gender diverse and/or non-binary still linger, undeniable strides are being made by non-binary performers all across Australia and the world.

“I think trans and nonbinary and gender diverse people who are performing drag is it that it's they're doing the exact same thing as anyone performing drag is playing with gender doing that kind of double layering agenda deconstructing gender showing it up as being able to be played with,” Dr Macintyre said.

Drag spaces across Australia continue to diversify, who continue to innovate the way drag and gender is performed.

“Your people and your space is there, even if you don’t find it at first. Or if you’re mixing with the wrong crowd, you will find that space,” Delite said. “Once you find that sense of community, and that group of people you can call home you can then decide who is and isn’t important to you.”

“Drag is for absolutely everyone. Anyone can do drag. If queer people aren’t striving to create queer spaces that are inclusive for absolutely everyone, then you are defeating the purpose.”