Refinery29 put out an excellent mini-doc about the Tel Aviv drag scene this week, following a young soldier named German as he prepares for his first performance as a queen, named Diamond. German trains under other Israeli queens like Nona Chalant and Asis D’Orange, new to most viewers but obviously stars to German. It’s also an exploration of the larger Israeli drag scene, and how it fits in to Israel’s religious environment.
One of the interviewees, Moishe, who performs as Moksha, doesn’t mince words when it comes to the specific issues that comes with his life as a queen that performs in Jerusalem. “I don’t think there is a reconciliation,” he says, and both his drag persona and the fact that he’s gay. “You just sort of stay in that conflict, sort of live with it, it’s a constant.” And what, I ask, could be more Jewish than an intractable conflict that requires constant re-evaluation?
Israel: The Jewish Drag Queens Of Tel Aviv
Most associate drag with sparkly dresses, drawn-out eyebrows, and plenty of pop music. But in Tel Aviv, the drag scene has become a place where queer and gay icons tackle issues surrounding equality and justice, all while wearing glamorous costumes and impressive eye makeup. With the powerful platform, however, comes plenty of critics.
Posted by Style Out There on Monday, February 19, 2018
Jesse Bernstein is a former Intern at Tablet.
