'We're all born naked at the rest is drag'
Professional piercing artist Benjamin 'Witchin' Joseph is making a name for himself in the drag scene in Ireland while using it as a platform to encourage acceptance of those who are deemed different by society. Benjamin tells Sally Harding it's not about being called he, she or them, it's about acceptance
Drag culture is having a moment - from RuPaul’s Drag Race TV show to DragCon, to drag queens appearing on the big screen, it seems like the mainstream has embraced this once underground subculture. On first glance it’s easy to just associate drag with crazy wigs, dramatic makeup, giant heels and outrageous gags and while it embodies all of those of things in abundance it is also fuelled by activism and the vigour for the community to have its voice heard and its art recognised as well as bringing complicated conversations about gender theory to a wider audience.
The ultimate drag queen, RuPaul, coined the phrase, ‘We’re all born naked and the rest is drag.’ Call it a saying, catchphrase or adage but it’s a mantra close to the hearts of those at the heart of drag, none more so than 21-year-old Navan man Benjamin Joseph or ‘Witchin’ as his alter-ego is known.
The professional piercing artist is making a name for himself in the drag scene in Ireland and although he is exquisitely passionate about the performance aspect of this fascinating art form, he is more interested in using it as a platform to encourage acceptance of those who are deemed different by society.
'Witchin' became immersed in the diverse drag scene in London
Not knowing much about drag he describes being ‘mind blown’ by the diverse and explosive drag scene in London when he first moved there to study fashion design.
“I had followed a lot of drag artists on social media before I moved over and on my first week there I got a message inviting me to a club night.
"The queens were all in shoes that were about ten inches high with the most amazing outfits. I was just obsessed and that was kind of the start of it all. I ended up dropping out of college and spending five or six nights a week going to all these clubs and getting immersed in the scene.
“My friend is a makeup artist and she used to practice on me so we’d spend hours messing around. I started learning more about the community and drag and the effect it has that I started to take it more seriously.
The history of drag queens, people, usually men, who dress in women’s clothing and embrace exaggerated female stereotypes dates back more than a century but has since taken on many forms according to the Navan creative.
“I always thought drag queens just lip-synced, got on stage and did a little number to someone else’s song but there were so many different strands to the scene in London, some were more cabaret, others were more ‘boujee’ upper class, then you have pageant queens and bio queens (women that do drag). When you went out you’d never know what you were going to see.
Strike a pose: The drag artist all ready for performing
“I moved back to Ireland two years ago and I felt like I’d have to leave the scene behind. I had to conform in a way. The stuff I did in London was more creative but here it’s more the classic drag queen that’s expected where you have to look like a woman. Last December I got my first performing gig and from there it has skyrocketed, it has been non-stop gigging around the country.
“Drag for me it’s like therapy, getting into it, doing the makeup, going out, getting on stage. Seconds before I’m about to go on and they say my name and the crowd cheers and my song starts, I just go into a different world.”
Drag, according to Witchin applies to us all, regardless of gender, race or social background. It’s how we choose to show ourselves to the world, what personas we adopt as we move through life.
“I started to question my own gender. I don’t feel like I put on a persona when I’m in drag, I don’t see me day to day and me in drag as being separate at all. It’s just more elevated with a bit more confidence, there’s not much change of character.
Benjamin Joseph, the Professional piercing artist by day and drag artist by night
“The idea of gender fluidity has always been around even though we may be more aware of it now. I heard a drag artist say that gender was like a spectrum and if one is female and six is male then anything in between is fluid and when I heard that I was mind blown. There are no rules, there is no black and white, I believe there is no just male or female anymore. I don’t mind being called she, he or them. I’m still on that path of figuring out my own gender identity.
Witchin who works as a piercing artist in Blackheart Tattoo in Navan admits that having the freedom to be himself as a gay man hasn’t always been easy but is quick to remind me of the challenges facing the entire LGBTQ community,
“When people hear LGBTQIA+ they think gay but there is a lot of hate and bigotry towards trans women, women of colour, lesbians and gender-fluid people. It’s not something you can really avoid, you just learn to get a tough skin. I’m not afraid to stand up for myself, I can take it but if you say something around the wrong person you don’t know how it might affect them.
Benjamin strives to help young people in the LGBTQIA+ community
“I think there’s a long way to go in terms of society embracing the LGBTQIA+ community. All we want is to be seen, to be heard and to have the heterosexual people be an ally to us.”
The Navan drag artist was recently involved with the first pride event in Meath organised by Youth Work Ireland Meath.
“To be asked to get involved in Meath Pride was honestly such an honour. I couldn’t believe how many people turned up. They were asking me questions and asking for advice and opening up to me.
"It’s something that I never had at their age, there was no support so it meant a lot to me. I’m so happy that younger members of the community are able to come together and be around people who support and understand them! I love performing in drag but it’s more about me getting the attention so I can say things and do things to influence change.”