Fluidity of Religion: A Sociological Examination of Pura Luka Vega’s Jesus in Drag Performance
deskvalor
Mar 26
4 min read
By: Gabrielle Unarse
Introduction
Amadeus Fernando Pagente, mostly known for their Drag Queen persona as Pura Luka Vega, started in 2017. Drag is a gender-bending art form in which one wears different types of clothing and heavy makeup to exaggerate the expression of one’s gender identity, often portraying the opposite sex (Schneider, 2023). Vega is famous for the impersonation of the religious figure, Jesus Christ, whilst wearing exaggerated makeup, which provides a provocative commentary on religious institutions and the social construct of gender.
Vega’s drag represents the fluidity of gender and challenges the ideals of religions that fuel the stereotypical expectations of gender that continue to be embedded in the norms of society. Through a sociological approach, the performance and visual elements of Vega’s drag can be analyzed to the relation of imposing religious beliefs upon the LGBTQIA+ community to one’s gender identity.
Body
Pura Luka Vega's "branding" is known to portray an androgynous take on drag with exaggerated makeup looks accompanied by highlighting facial hair to accentuate gender fluidity further. With a non-gender conforming expression of identity that does not align with the societal expectations of masculinity and femininity, Vega's Drag challenges the social norms of gender identity and expression. Vega's drag performance further acknowledges Judith Butler's theory on gender, which states that gender is performative and formed depending on one's actions and words (Big Think, 2023). Butler's theory emphasizes gender as a social construct imposed by society to shape an individual's roles, behaviors, and expectations associated with being male or female. Through a radical reimagination of divinity and gender, Vega's performance challenges this construct and defies conventional societal ideals.
The concept of portraying Jesus through Drag as an art form, a traditionally male figure, counteracts gender expression along with the sacredness and masculinity often associated with religious figures. The use of Jesus, a central figure in Christianity, in drag can be represented as a resistance against the use of religious symbols and figures to enforce control in society, particularly amongst the LGBTQIA+ community. The performance challenges the traditional, often heteronormative ideals of religion by presenting a different perception of gender. In doing so, Vega questions traditional gender roles and the authoritative power of religious institutions in gaining societal control.
Critical Analysis
Pura Luka Vega’s drag performance defies societal norms influenced by religious institutions regarding homosexuality and gender expression. According to Durkeim’s theory of religion, one of religion’s primary functions is enforcing religion-based morals and norms to maintain social control (Libretexts, 2021). The interpretation of Jesus through exaggerated feminine makeup directly resists the heteronormative norms imposed by religion, expressing opposition to the stereotypical expectations of gender expression.
Through drag, Vega uses their platform to share advocacy towards the acceptance of society in the fluidity of gender expression, not requiring one to adhere to femininity or masculinity to conform to societal norms. The mixture of both masculine features and feminine features in the reinterpretation of Jesus contradicts the constructiveness and religious influence toward gender. Vega’s performance is a representation and activism towards the LGBTQIA+ community against the rigid ideals of religion through representing a religious figure in drag. Through the design of Jesus in drag, Jesus is represented as both human and divine without the constraints of gender norms. The performance reclaims sacred symbols and figures, reframing the narrative of religious figures to be relatable and accessible for certain groups, especially those who experience exclusion brought by nonconformity. Consequently, addressing the issues faced by the LGBTQIA+ in the delay of the passing of SOGIE brought by the concerns of religious communities (Galvez, 2023). The reinterpretation of Jesus through performance encourages the audience to embrace an inclusive understanding of gender and religion.
The presence of active defiance of societal expectations of gender through Vega’s performance effectively uses drag to send a message about prevailing societal issues. While the drag performance critiques religious ideals and societal expectations, the performance may be improved by adding a concrete narrative context that could send the intended message to the audience. The lack of a narrative context that could give a better platform for advocacy towards gender expression inclusivity causes misinterpretation and conflict due to the ambiguity of the performance. Despite the consideration of drag performances as a platform to critique societal issues, without a clear context to emphasize the advocacy of the performer, the meaning may be undermined.
Pura Luka Vega’s performance represents advocacy for the understanding of the fluidity of gender and the inclusion and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ communities in religious institutions. The performance portrays the constant efforts of the LGBTQIA+ community to be accepted by society, especially religious institutions. Despite the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has denounced the violence and discrimination towards the LGBTQIA+ community, Roman Catholic Churches continue to resist laws and policies that protect the community as it may cause the progression of implementation of laws such as same-sex marriage and divorce (Thoreson, 2017). Vega’s performance contributed to the addressing of the prevailing discrimination and exclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals, often influenced by religious factors.
Conclusion
Pura Luka Vega’s drag performance portrays the defiance of the imposed societal norms through a non-conventional approach to religion and gender expression. Through the portrayal of Jesus in drag, the performance resists the conventions of society against the perception of sexuality and gender often influenced by religion. While the impact of the performance may be further practical through the use of a narrative context in conveying a concrete message, the performance remains significant for promoting inclusivity, addressing the discrimination and exclusion faced by LGBTQIA+ communities from society, especially in religious institutions, and the encouragement of ideas in promotion to create new perceptions on gender and sexuality apart from the traditional understanding. Ultimately, the performance ignites the formulation of perceptions and understanding of gender and religion, marking the significance of the initiative towards inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Reference List
Big Think. (2023). Judith Butler’s theory of gender in the 21st century. Big Think. Retrieved from
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