RuPauls Drag Race UK: Shantay & Slay Your Way Inside The Queens' Drag Dictionary
7 November 2019, 17:32 | Updated: 18 August 2022, 15:51
As RuPaul's Drag Race UK hits our screens for the first time, freshen up on all the drag terminology that has a rich and deep history inside drag culture.
RuPaul's Drag Race UK is finally here, so start your engines and may the best woman win, but first, learn all about some of the most iconic and important slang terms used by the queens so you can be all clued up, as the library is officially open and the British stars get ready to lip sync for their LIFE!
The hugely successful US drag competition is hitting the UK for the first time ever – with RuPaul and BFF Michelle Visage as judges, joined by Graham Norton, Alan Carr and a host of famous guest judges including Cheryl, Jade Thirlwall and Maisie Wiliiams.
Whether you're a die hard fan or a total newbie, drag comes with an extensive and often complex language, set of catchphrases and slang terms that have long been used by the drag and LGBTQ community that have a deep cultural meaning and rooted in history.
So, let's give you a quick run down of some phrases you're likely to hear on the show!
Gag- A term used to explain when someone's so fierce, or their make-up has their face so beat, you're lost for words, you're gagged.
Reading- When someone comes after you for a dressing down, having your flaws and weaknesses exposed and joked about, in the show Ru will declare 'the library is officially open' and it is open season for the queens to read each other.
Slay- To slay is to kill it, whether its a lip sync battle or a challenge they're set, the winning queen will have slayed it.
Shantay- You'll hear RuPaul utter his famous phrase during elimination each week when Ru tells the lucky queen 'Shantay, you stay' and the unfortunate queen to 'Sashay away.'
Tea- the gossip, the truth, someone telling some home truths, after 'T' for the truth, if some tea is being spilt, you need to listen up.
Yaaaas- no shade, but if you haven't got this one by now, you're gonna have a pretty tricky time keeping up! (It's a term of encouragement for the queens, and anyone!)
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