Kween Kong Wearing the Aboriginal Flag Upside Down on Drag Race Didn’t Advocate For Us – It Harmed Us

Like many around the world, I declared my fandom for RuPaul’s Drag Race from the first episode in 2009. Particularly as a young queer country kid, it was a game changer. 

Cut to 2024 – it’s almost been a year of my drag alter-ego, Gemini, burning up the Sydney stages. I have been blessed, supported and embraced by my community and the spaces and people that value our Arts, but it hasn’t come without sacrifices. For me, that has been family and often safety, and a lot of navigation in order to find my voice and platform.

Gigs are always limited in our scene. I’ve performed on stage at major cultural festivals to tens of thousands of people, but not once been offered an opportunity on an Oxford Street stage. That’s not to say that it’s a perfect fit for my style of performance. But I can slay and pay with the best.

On the rare occasion we do get booked at mainstream venues for NAIDOC as example, we may not always feel supported even by black organisations that are funding the activities. It ends up being a lot of hurt for $150 – but we don’t complain, we do it in pride, because it’s our experience, our lives and our sacrifices to get to that stage. 

I assure you, this is just not Gemini’s experience, but the experience of my fellow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drag Artists. The point I’m conveying is that in drag, like in all other areas of our lives, inequality exists – I’m confident we can all agree on that. 

There’s been a recent David and Goliath battle that’s recently unfolded between two queens, after Felicia Foxx spoke up. But it’s certainly not the first. It’s not just one battle, one occasion, or one Queen that uses their platform to supposedly elevate Aboriginal voices and visibility, when in fact they render us silent and invisible. 

Just like when they look through old Gemini at the club. I see you girl. 

The Aboriginal flag, in distress: Kween Kong’s blundered political statement

I met Kween Kong during World Pride at one of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander events. She can be an imposing character, but my take on her was friendly, respectful and fairly inoffensive. 

However, what has unfolded recently, over the inappropriate practice and use of the Aboriginal flag, is a blundered political statement on a global Drag Race stage. 

If you don’t know what we’re talking about – it’s Kween Kong wearing a dress with the Aboriginal flag upside down on RuPaul’s Drag Race: Global All-Stars.

This has turned into a David and Goliath battle pinning two First Nations Queens – Kween Kong and Felicia Foxx – against one another. But the spin wants you lost in the details of the dress.

Now, as much as this situation is perfect for the Drag Race werqroom, it may however be something viewers will never see. 

I want to address two things within that statement. The first is I specifically wrote ‘Practice’ because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are diverse, there are hundreds of languages and even more dialects. But the common threads of our LORE are the principles of Practice (the way we conduct ourselves), Protocols (the rules to obey), Place (place-based specificity which is complex due to our diversity, but relates to a specific cultural group or geographic place) and finally Permission (who and how permission is given). 

The second thing is the terminology of ‘First Nations’ – both Queens are First Nations. However Felicia Foxx is an Aboriginal person with special sovereign rights to this contested land, and Kween Kong is of Polynesian descent via New Zealand, and therefore has no special protected rights in this country as a First Nations person.

Felicia Foxx was in her right to directly question Kween Kong concerning the misuse of the Aboriginal flag on her dress, and representation. There are many posts online from people hurt by the dress, and openly questioning Kong – including many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drag performers, sisters and brotha boys of Felicia. 

 

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A post shared by Felicia Foxx (@iam_deadly_feliciafoxx)

There has been a huge backlash towards us, and it’s been heartbreaking. 

After multiple apologies that never seemed to address the actual issue, Kween Kong’s defence for this political statement not translating was to blame her Cultural Consultant. Hang on – ‘Cultural Consultant’? For a dress? Talk about privilege. 

But a Cultural Consultant being used means that Kong knew enough to know she needed permission. However – the “Elder” in question reportedly does not want to be named. This is not only unusual as an Arts practice, but it’s also in breach of Aboriginal Protocols. In our culture, there is no such thing as anonymous permission. 

So this issue is not just about Drag Race politics, it’s actually about the breach of cultural protocols that have directly hurt and impacted the most vulnerable sub-culture on the planet – black queer and transgender performers like myself, who fight hard to maintain our safe places to perform. 

This is like our ceremony, which many of us have been denied due to our queer identities. When that group is now being gaslit and attacked on a global stage – hang on. 

In her talent segment, Kween Kong’s song lyrics include referring to herself as a “future Ancestor to take you back’. Back? Where? Ancestor, Future – we are on our lands – you are NOT my Ancestor.

I question whether the writers and producers of the track understood the tone. Yeah, that should make you feel uncomfortable. 

Damage control has been activated, and it feels like Kween’s apology was instantly accepted and praised – and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander queens are left feeling bullied for speaking up. That’s not spin, that’s a barrel roll, and now, can we see the points adding up in Kong’s favour?

Now the T is served gurls, I am sure you are all desperate for this to unfold on Drag Race. Felicia is one of the best known and most followed Aboriginal drag queens in this country. Surely she should be entering the werqroom soon? 

I’ll tell you this for those in the nosebleed section: Felicia is a real representation of our community. 

Like me, it’s her story, her trauma and our sacrifices that take that stage in every single performance. Regardless of intent and fashion, it was always going to be a pastiche of what Felicia and Gemini represent. That’s what mama Ru calls “REALNESS”. 

In my opinion, this misuse of our flag is profiting off our trauma. That’s how it makes me feel, and if you are fashioning yourself as some kind of Advocate and social rights activist, you will be judged on your values and action, not your intent and fashion. 

For those in the community that supported Kong, I’ll leave you with this quote from Dr Martin Luther King: 

“Those who do nothing while witnessing injustice and wrong-doing do worse than those who commit acts of injustice. The privileged have a responsibility to do what they know is right. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter’.

From my perspective, Felicia is not painting herself as anything other than a staunch, strong sister. As a queen who is proud to call her my sister, I can confirm that. 

As Shaniqua Empire, one of our legendary Tiwi Sistergirls wrote:

“We don’t always agree on topics but we always agree on mutual understanding…

There is nothing gammon about us but two individual powerhouse First Nations Drag Queens in our own rights… There’s no one in front, or back of each other but always side by side walking proud and strong as true blackfella advocating for the statistic[s] against us especially in the Aboriginal & TSI LGBTI+ Sistergirls & Brotherboys community … 

With this decision, an opportunity was taken away from us. That’s not elevation or advocating – more like frustrating – our representation.

To the Cultural Consultant: only your mob and Ancestors can decide the recourse for you.

My advice to Kween Kong? You missed the brief, gurl. RuPaul may not agree, but also I forgive her for not understanding the cultural nuances of black race politics in the Australian context. 

If Kween Kong is running out of ideas, New Zealand has over 467 bird varieties, one of the world’s richest avian populations. That’s 467 dress concepts that are not wearing the Aboriginal flag upside down. Choices.

Star Observer reached out to Kween Kong for right of reply, but she was unavailable for comment.