Glitz and Glamour Against Conservatism!

^{Image: Pernette Emery}

A look inside the drag scene challenging Switzerland’s perennial traditional social norms.

As the moon beams over the chapel of Lorette, the streets succumb to a deafening quietness, and the prostitutes of Rue de Genève put their coats back on for the night. The medieval town of Fribourg, dividing the German and French parts of Switzerland, transforms into what could be mistaken for an abandoned hamlet as the gothic cathedral reigns over the old town.

Yet, amongst the cobblestone pavement and houses made of the city’s characteristic sand-coloured molasse stone, the innocuous facade of L’Ancienne Gare camouflages a gateway from “fribourgeoise” sternness behind its heavy wooden doors. Within the walls of the old train station, the music venue Nouveau Monde, adjacent to the bar, shelters a haven of artistry and performances. Inside, the atmosphere feels estranged from the rural Catholic values of Fribourg. If conservatism and creative austerity might rule past the enclosure of L’Ancienne Gare, absolute freedom of self prevails under the protection of this much-needed oasis.

As countrymen and students alike vibrate to the tracks of the DJ and rumbling trains, Anton, alias Rose Gold Solis, emerges on stage to a roar of applause. In an ensemble of a loose lace and chiffon skirt and sheer bodice, the young drag queen stomps under the spotlight in their laced-up high-heels in a performance of sass and extravaganza to Beyoncé’s song “I’m That Girl”.

^{Image courtesy of Anton}

There’s a significant contrast between Solis’s show and the outdated mentalities existing outside L’Ancienne Gare. “For a lot of Swiss people, drag is one of these topics you just don’t talk about,” says Pascal Morier-Genoud, pioneer of cabaret in Switzerland and drag queen Catherine d’Oex. However, traditionalism is no limit for Solis. “I like to go out of my way to try and cultivate the drag scene we have here in Fribourg”, they explain. “I’ve had the opportunity to perform in places around town that have never showcased drag performances before.”

Becoming a drag queen means more to Anton than simply transforming into an other-worldly character flaunting flamboyant garments. Through a persona challenging the traditional Swiss gender norms and the restrictive binary of the French language, drag is a means to convey their artistic vision in the most complete form. “Solis is a celebration of the femininity I wasn’t granted growing up”, they tell me. “Although I am also proudly non-binary in my approach to drag, in the sense that I don’t wear fake boobs or hips, or that I choose not to shave my legs.” Revisited classic silhouettes of corsetry and lavish dress trains pave the aesthetic to Solis’s style. Dabbling into design to create costumes, notable inspirations of Anton’s include structural Iris van Herpen and innovative Thierry Mugler.

^{Image courtesy of Pernette Emery}

If Switzerland has earned an image of being rooted in old-fashioned values, it might come as a surprise for most to unravel its progressive past. In Geneva, the nightclub and cabaret La Garçonnière introduced drag shows as part of its program as early as 1975. Diogo Lopez, the current director, is very proud to keep the rebellious spirit of the establishment. “We were the first ones to do something like this in the whole of French-speaking Switzerland”, he says. “La Garçonnière is more than a gay club. It’s a place where we welcome everybody, as long as the vibes are good and people are happy to be there!” No matter how scandalous that decision might’ve come across back then, it allowed the club to establish itself as one of the most prominent institutions for the drag scene in Europe. Victoria Williams, French drag queen and frequent stage resident, performing at La Garçonnière truly represents the culmination of her career. “It means a lot knowing I’ve managed to follow the same footsteps of the artists I used to dream about.”

^{Image courtesy of Victoria Williams via Instagram}

To be a drag queen, you need more than simply a good artist, Victoria tells me. “Most people think you don’t need talent to do what we do. When they see us on stage, they realise the graphic quality of our makeups, our costumes, which we often design ourselves, our wigs, our dance talents or comedic flare, that’s how we gain credibility,” she continues. For Pascal Morier-Genoud, fashion is also a means to understand how our society has evolved. “We’ve all got different codes of what femininity is and isn’t. To cross-dress, you need empathy. You must understand how differently people look at you when you adorn something considered to be traditionally feminine,” he explains.

^{Pascal Morier-Genoud as Catherine d'Oex - Image courtesy of Nouchine Diba}

There is sophistication to the art of drag. “People who’ve never seen a drag queen are fascinated by us,” Morier-Genoud continues. Performances can convey serious messages. You’ll be surprised to find yourself weep at some performances, or by the richness of the texts recited on stage. “Drag needs to unite people, not divide them”, Williams adds. “I think what you’re most proud of as an artist is simply being able to give and receive love.”

Today, challengers of traditional gender norms still face adversity when trying to bring open-mindedness on the matter to Switzerland. However, as the country’s media increasingly collaborates with local drag queens, such as Frani Elle, to create shows like the upcoming “Hot Dog”, drag is introduced to broader popular culture, hopefully helping ease the path towards tolerance and acceptance.

_{Thumbnail images courtesy of Nouchine Diba, Pernette Emery, Victoria Williams}