Make-up has been part of history for many centuries now, worn by royalty to hide any of their blemishes and to look as beautiful as one can. Products like lipsticks, foundation, and blush have now been domesticated and sold for the public to use. In the past, mostly women used it in their daily lives, but other people also used it, to hide their secrets from the public and to express their beauty to the ones that want to watch.

The art of drag has been practiced by the LGBTQIA+ Community for several years, and for most people, they see this as a form of entertainment, but for them it is more than that. Drag is the free expression of a person’s truth and their colors. Although it is just them showing who they are as people, many found this offensive and disgusting, resulting in these artists being shunned from society. 

Even through all of that, they continue to perform with courage and integrity and have inspired the queer children in representing who they are. They have also influenced some of the students of Antipolo City National Science and Technology High School (ACNSTHS) to express the wondrous colors of the rainbow. Sabrina Alfaro, Christian Olangca, and Jestony Buergos were not afraid to showcase to everyone their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.

Pack it up and Hide it

Foundation serves as the base of many make-up looks because of how it can hide the imperfections of a person, or their genuine self. For countless decades, the LGBTQIA+ Community was shunned from society just because they were living their authentic lives. This resulted in most of the queer children hiding inside the closet from everyone that surrounds them, and faking their identity just to be accepted.

Even in the present, many try to camouflage amongst the crowd and try to bury their feelings deep inside. Although Christian is still not confident in showing everyone himself, in his performance, the passion prevailed and it excited the audience and him personally. The foundation product is used not only to conceal the faults, it is also used to amplify the color and the beauty of the faces that use them.

“If I were to be a fully straight guy, then I would not have to hide the real me everyday,” Christian Olangca uttered with a heavy heart.

Glitter and Be Gay

Most queer people live their lives in seclusion within the darkness, however all of them dream to finally shine bright with a shimmer of glitter in their eyes. For drag artists, they have achieved this and they continue their lives and flourish to their hearts' extent. This practice had given the community an uplifting feeling, where self-love and individuality thrive and where their trauma and hardships dissipate. 

The art of drag has given a chance for little gender-diverse children to bloom into these eccentric and ecstatic artists that display jaw-dropping performances, one of them being Jestony. He has never been afraid to showcase his truth to everyone and it showed in his lip sync battles, where he was announced as the victor. Drag has given him the confidence and joy that helps him in continuing on with life.

Jestony Buergos expressed that, “With the art of drag, I think natutuhan ko ang self-love, acceptance, and embracing individuality.”

Trendy Influencers

Make-up has different eras that span on for years to even just a few days, however, for how long these trends last does not matter on how much of an impact they create in the space. This is all because of the influencers that try these looks and somehow inspire others to do the same. They are drivers that keep the culture alive, just like these drag artists, who continue impacting the LGBTQIA+ Community and those who support it.

Drag is also more than just free expression, it is also a form of protest. These artists continue the practice to fight the gender norms that society has created to conceal the magnificence of the people in the community. These performances are not only for queer people, it can also be for individuals who appreciate and support their way of life. Folks like these are important in bridging the gap in society that was created by bigotry and hatred.

For these three students, their performances were more than just mere spectacles, but rather it was to express themselves and to encourage everyone to appreciate the community’s art and culture. Sabrina was one of the first ones to perform in drag, and it has impacted those watching and it aided them in exploring who they truly are. Many youngsters are scared to dive into the colorful waters, but with the help of people like Sabrina, these kids are ready to jump in knowing that someone will catch them.

“This also promotes encouragement na we could also do activities na ginagawa ng mga member ng LGBTQIA+ as this can serve as a gesture of appreciation and support sa one of a kind art that they, themselves established within their community,” emphasized by Sabrina Alfaro.

Although makeup is primarily worn by women, these products show that they are genderless. Anyone can use them to amplify the beauty that was given to them, and to also present themselves as the ones inside their heart. Sabrina, Christian, and Jestony have courageously shown to everyone their individuality and what makes them unique, and they hope that to those who watched, they will be able to explore and find their inner beauty and what makes them special.