The Rise of Sapphic Drag: Meet the Kings and Queens

Enter the world of sapphic drag kings and queens. Beyond the makeup and the glitter, these performers are carving out space for themselves in the Philippine drag scene—one normally dominated by cis gay men.

- By Jewel Enrile

From lesbian hyperqueens to transmasculine drag kings, these artists challenge and reimagine what it means to be a drag artist. Who gets to be in drag? How does being sapphic seep into their performances? What does it take to be seen and included as a sapphic artist?

We talk to Inah Demons, Savvy, Drew, and Tiffany Brittany, sapphic drag kings and queens using the stage to explore their identities, showcase artistry, and reclaim visibility.

Beyond the Persona

Off-stage, our drag kings and queens move through their everyday lives as Marts, Hannah, Drew, and Meg. Marts transforms into the alternative drag king Inah Demons onstage, but is a full-time social media manager and graphic designer during the day. They had their first introduction to drag after a fascination with the RuPaul's Drag Race franchise. Their inspiration for drag was specifically Drag Race's Season 9 winner: the alternative drag queen Sasha Velour.

“Natamaan talaga ako sa message niya that literally anyone can do drag. She was a champion for the freaks, for the weirdos,” Marts shares. Soon enough, they began experimenting with drag makeup, eventually leading them to their first performance.

Drew, a drag king, writer, and burlesque and kink performer, found the same message to ring true. After a friend became a drag queen themselves, they realized how “drag was something you could do, not just watch or consume.”

“I knew that intellectually,” she says. “But it was the first time that I knew it in my soul and actually believed it.”