Before RuPaul’s Drag Race became all the rage on television, an early instance of drag in literature harks back to William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, As You Like It, where the quick-witted Rosalind disguises herself as Ganymede, a male shepherd to indirectly woo her beloved, Orlando and cleverly guide his affections towards her. While it was normal for actors in Shakespearean theatre to cross-dress for their roles, one cannot deny theatre’s role in providing a safe space to explore one’s gender identity and expression — drag being one of the most bold, liberating and vivacious ways to do it on stage.

Gurleen Arora aka The Mermellian