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Why Do Gay Men Lipsync?
Lipsyncing is more than performance. It’s a radical act.
I could tell it was a gay bar when the bartender started mouthing the words to Lady Gaga. P-p-p-p-p-p-poker face. His lips seemed to move absent-mindedly as he filled another glass with vodka and cranberry juice. P-p-poker face.
Of course, the feather boa around the bouncer’s neck may have been my first clue.
Suspended above the bar, TVs played re-runs of Rupaul’s Drag Race All-Stars. It was a lipsync climax: Dela vs. Aja, to the tune of “Anaconda”. I sipped my drink as I watched Dela ham up the campy comedy of Nicki’s verses.
Suddenly, the stage to my right began to light up and the other bar-goers flocked over. “Bambi Banks!” chuckled the MC into the microphone. As the drag queen took the stage, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” began to blast through the speakers. People held out dollar bills as tips, clamoring to get closer to the stage.
Bambi’s charisma captivated the crowd; we were putty in her hands. But she went the entire performance without saying a word.
She didn’t need to.
