Drag Daughters offers a captivating look at Cape Town’s rich drag culture, celebrating resilience, community and self-expression. The photographs capture the growing sense of visibility, empowerment and cultural transformation within South Africa’s diverse society.
What began as a chance encounter with a stranger, Jermaine Jacobs, on Sea Point’s Promenade developed into a powerful body of work portraying some of the city’s most exquisite drag queens. The series follows six young men who have grown up in townships and, despite facing rejection or having to hide their identities in the past, are now becoming more accepted and striving to make a difference within the communities where they grew up.
The images are an empowering collection of portraits that move beyond the conventional depiction of drag in pageants or nightclub performances. Removed from theatrical settings and stripped of spectacle, Michelle Sank’s photographs reveal the poised presence, pride and individuality of each of her subjects.
Within this project, Sank has developed a particularly close relationship with Laylah, with whom she maintains regular contact and continues to collaborate.
