Taiwanese indigenous drag queens fight stigma one wig at a time

Draggy Boo Boo, 27, a member of the Paiwan tribe and a drag show performer, dances at a university in Taipei, Taiwan, October 28, 2020. REUTERS/Ann Wang

TAIPEI (Reuters) - At a rowdy gay bar in Taipei, 28-year old Vilian ends a Friday night drag show by putting on a traditional tribal tunic over his white silk negligee and dancing to an aboriginal song that has become a rallying call for Taiwan's indigenous minority.

An ethnic Bunun, Vilian is among a handful of indigenous drag queens who use their performances to fight against the double stigma of being part of the LGBTQ+ community and of the island's historically oppressed indigenous minority.