Discriminatory Structures in the Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (67059)

Session Information:

Session: On Demand
Room: Virtual Video Presentation
Presentation Type:Virtual Presentation

All presentation times are UTC-10 (Pacific/Honolulu)

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is a 1994 Australian road movie in which three drag queens travel through the Australian desert in a bus named "Priscilla" while confronting various forms of discrimination and prejudice. About 30 years ago, when this film was released, the term "LGBT" was not widely used and there was little understanding of gay and transgender people. The film's focus was not so much on discrimination against drag queens as it was on their flamboyant costumes, powerful performances, and sheer cheerfulness, which captivated audiences.
However, the film includes some discrimination toward the drag queens. The structure in which some miners, a female customer in a bar, and an Asian woman regard the drag queens with hostility is considered to highlight male chauvinism and the women who pander to it. On the contrary, the Aborigines they encounter in the desert readily accept the existence of drag queens after they show their performances. This can be thought of as the sympathy of the Aborigines, who are a minority, for the drag queens, who are also a minority, in other words, the sympathy of those who are discriminated against. In this presentation, I will prove that Priscilla is not just an entertaining portrayal of drag queens, but an epoch-making work that brought the existence of LGBT and related issues to the public's attention by portraying discrimination against minorities, male chauvinism, and the existence of women who pander to it with a critical eye.

Authors:
Miho Morii, Otsuma Women's University, Japan


About the Presenter(s)
Dr Miho Morii is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at Otsuma Women's University in Japan

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Posted by Clive Staples Lewis

Last updated: 2023-02-23 23:45:00