No T, no shade, no pink lemonade. Okcurr hunty?
Whether or not this reads as total gibberish to you will depend on two things: either you’re a mega fan of queer reality TV sensation RuPaul’s Drag Race or you’re not. Or, in the instance that you actually are RuPaul, you probably won’t need to read this.
But for squirrel friends who are new to Mama Ru’s world of runways, mini challenges and lip syncs (a concept she sold in her first ever pitch meeting), it’s time to school you on the legendary lexicon that draws viewers across the globe into the world of drag from top to tuck.
While many of the show’s terms spawned from drag and queer culture long before its 2009 debut, the queen-on-queen battle has since birthed a lyricism all its own.With the fabulous finale of season nine hitting Netflix this Friday (and Sasha Velour about to swipe that crown, am I right?) join us as we decode some of the greatest Drag Race quips to ever hit our screens and ears.
So, who’s ready to WERK?
Back rolls
Noun. Pockets of body fat found on Alyssa Edwards’ back, according to Jade Jolie. See also: Shade.
“Back rolls? This little queen is trying to really come for me today.”
Beat
Verb. To apply a full face of make-up that results in a perfect look. Derived from the action of patting powder against the skin.
“She beat that mug so good.”
Body-ody-ody
Noun. A remark made when a body queen – a drag queen with a very impressive feminine form – shows off her figure.
“That queen is serving body-ody-ody.”
Come through
Verb. A phrase coined by season seven winner Violet Chachki, meaning to slay or do something extremely well. A way to show support to fellow queens.
“Lip syncing to Dolly Parton? Come throooough girl!”
Condragulations
Noun. RuPaul’s personal way of wishing someone many congratulations.
“Condragulations, you are the winner of this week’s challenge.”
Cooking
Verb. To apply foundation and/or concealer to your face without blending it, allowing the makeup to reach body temperature and melt into the skin.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh I’m just cooking for 30 minutes.”
C.U.N.T.
Acronym. The four qualities every competing queen must have: charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. The acronym is purely coincidental…
“You, my dear, posses the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent to go all the way.”
Death drop
Verb, Noun. An impressive dance move that involves dropping from standing height to the splits, with one knee remaining bent. Laganja Estranja’s signature. Nothing to do with actually dropping dead.
“Girl, that death drop was everything.”
Eat it
Verb. To instruct someone to consume and enjoy your look, because it’s just so fabulous.
“Get up, look sickening and make them eat it!”
Eleganza extravaganza
Noun. A large display of elegance and opulence.
“Category is: eleganza extravaganza!”
Fish
Noun. To look overtly feminine. Derived from the (alleged) smell of a woman’s genitalia.
“Girl, you are serving fish right now. Tuna realness.”
Flazéda
Noun. A whole new word created by season seven queen Pearl, when she mispronounced ‘laissez faire’. Intended to mean laid back.
“I’m, like, a flazéda kind of queen.”
The five Gs
Click the link, it’s the only definition.
Gagging
Verb. When a queen’s look is so good, you love it so much that you can barely handle it.
“I am gagging over her eleganza.”
Geish
Noun. A drag queen’s wardrobe or selection of outfits. Derived from the word ‘geisha’.
“Gia is still a ladyboy, in or out of geish.”
Halleloo
Abr. An abbreviation of the word ‘hallelujah’, used repeatedly by season two and three queen Shangela.
“Halleloo, it’s your girl Shangela!”
Head
Noun. The upper part of the human body formed by the skull. Also the subject of a call and response joke from RuPaul, completely missed by season seven queen Miss Fame.
“How’s your head?” “I haven’t had any complaints… yet.”
Henny
Noun. An alternative way to say ‘honey’. A term of endearment.
“You look sickening, henny.”
Herstory
Noun. A feminised version of the word ‘history’.
“For the first time in Drag Race herstory.”
Hog body
Noun. A way to describe a queen’s physique when it doesn’t present as feminine. Cinching with a corset is usually prescribed.
“Look at that hog body. Why haven’t you cinched?”
Hunty
Noun. A portmanteau of the words ‘honey’ and ‘cunt’. An alternative term of endearment.
“You are serving fishy realness, hunty.”
Jesus
Noun. A central figure of the Christian religion. Also the subject of a song by the large and in charge, chunky yet funky season four queen Latrice Royale.
“Jesus is a biscuit. Let him sop you up!”
Model
Noun. A person employed to showcase clothes by wearing them. Also the subject of Aja’s bitter retort to fellow queen Valentina in season nine and the best dance remix on the internet.
“You’re perfect, you’re beautiful, you look like Linda Evangelista, you’re a model” *rolls eyes*.
Okcurrr
Noun. An exaggerated way of saying OK, peppered with undertones of ‘deal with it’. Popularised by season six queen Laganja Estranja.
“I’m just flying as high as your receding hairline, okcurrr?”
Painted
Noun. When a queen applies a lot of make up to achieve a certain look. Usually a good one. Sometimes not.
“Damn, she is painted for the gods.”
Reading
Verb. Is fun-damental! The act of throwing insults at each other based on someone’s looks or personality traits. Popularised by 1990 documentary Paris is Burning, this happens when RuPaul officially opens an imaginary library.
“The library is open and she is reading me for filth!”
Realness
Noun. To present an authentic, convincing look based on a certain theme. Heavily referenced in Paris is Burning, which gives insight into the black Drag Ball culture of 1980s Harlem.
“You are serving construction worker realness right now.”
Ru-veal
Verb. A portmanteau of ‘RuPaul’ and ‘reveal’. Used when something is revealed on the show, because you can never say ‘Ru’ too many times.
“It’s time to Ru-veal the results.”
Shade
Noun. Something that is thrown. The act of purposely dishing out personal insults aimed at other queens. A subsection of reading.
“That bitch threw so much shade, I needed therapy.”
Sashay away
Verb. A way of telling someone to leave the runway. A phrase used by RuPaul every time the loser of the closing lip sync challenge is announced.
“Roxxxy Andrews, sashay away.”
Shantay, you stay
Verb. A way of telling a queen that she is staying in the competition. A phrase featured in RuPaul’s 1992 single Supermodel (You Better Work), which pays tribute to Paris is Burning.
“Sharon Needles… Shantay, you stay.”
Sickening
Noun. Something that is absolutely amazing, unreal, the best it can be.
“Girl that look is sickening!”
Sissy
Verb. To do something with extreme sass and confidence. Also the subject of the main runway song, Sissy That Walk by RuPaul, most often played in gay bars at 3am on a Saturday night.
“Now sissy that walk!”
Snatch game
Noun. A panel show played on RuPaul’s Drag Race, in which queens must showcase their best celebrity impressions.
“Welcome to Snatch Game, Cher!”
Squirrel friends
Noun. Friends who are drag queens, so-called for hiding their nuts.
“Just between us squirrel friends.”
T (or Tea)
Noun. The truth, gossip or new information. Always spill the T.
“Hey girl, what’s the T?”
Tuck
Verb. An act seen throughout drag culture, which involves queens tucking their genitals between their legs to give the illusion of a more feminine look. Often held in place with tape or tight underwear.
“I always tuck so hard I practically fuck myself.”
Untuck
Verb. To relax and unwind. A nod to the act of untucking your genitals.
“While you untuck in the Interior Illusions Lounge, the judges and I will deliberate.”
Werk
Verb. To put in effort to make something spectacular, such as a runway presentation or a lip sync performance.
“You better werk bitch!”
And remember: if you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an Amen?!
