Inside China’s Thriving Drag Queen Culture

Growing up in a small, rural city in northeast China, Neil was obsessed with dressing himself in bed sheets and playing with dolls. It wasn’t until he got older that he embraced his sexuality, taking his hobby for designing glamorous, handmade outfits from his home out onto the streets of China. Now he’s linked up with the country’s thriving drag scene, finding solidarity among a group of queens embracing their creativity by designing and performing in lavish outfits. We met up with Neil and his friend Kris as they geared up for a major drag competition in Shanghai, following along before they hit the stage for a wild night out with dozens of other queens. Click here to SUBSCRIBE to VICE Asia: Connect with VICE Asia: Check out our full video catalog: Videos, daily editorial and more: More videos from the VICE network: Like VICE Asia on Facebook: