Every anthropologist feels a deep sense of anxiety when going into the field for the first time.
Flashing my credentials at the front door, I warily made my way upstairs to the Dressing Room, where, for the first time, I was completely surrounded by DQs. All previous studies done on this ethnic grouping portray DQs as capable of extreme verbal and physical violence if shown disrespect, so how relieved I was when I instead found myself immediately and warmly accepted by the DQs, who were already gathering and performing their extremely elaborate grooming activities, with all the intensity of a hunter preparing to hunt his or her first wild boar. The Virgin Drag Queen Contest is an intricate ritual I hope I will be able to accurately convey. In the contest, young men who are not yet DQs become DQs by the public adoption of feminine attire, makeup, mannerisms, etc. And the young men's ordeal does not stop there, for to truly be accepted as DQs they must complete their initiation by performing solo onstage in front of the tribal elders.