Commentary
Harris Glenn Milstead (1945-1988) known by his stage name, Divine, was a famous American drag queen. Milstead particularly loved to dress up as actress Elizabeth Taylor. He achieved cult-like status after he teamed up with legendary filmmaker John Waters. Iconic movies like “Pink Flamingos” and “Hairspray” cemented Divine’s reputation. Those movies were unusual, but memorable. Milstead died in his sleep at age 42. The movies he appeared in are still being watched today.
But, here’s the thing: Those movies, and all of Divine’s performances, were meant for adult audiences. It was understood that watching a man dressed up in a sexualized woman’s costume was not something that was appropriate for children. That was not a sign of disrespect to men who chose the drag queen lifestyle. It was simply a common-sense recognition that drag shows were for adults….