Divine: How a shocking drag queen became a mainstream icon

A famous line from the star's 1972 film Pink Flamingos: 

"Filth is my politics! Filth is my life!"

Female Trouble Theatrical Trailer

Divine: How a shocking drag queen became a mainstream icon

1 day ago

Nick Levine

Getty Images

(Credit: Getty Images)

The late muse of director John Waters, Divine delighted in inspiring outrage and disgust on and off screen. However from The Little Mermaid to Chappell Roan, he has left a big impression on popular culture

Divine was a drag queen like no other. 

In the 1970s and 1980s, long before RuPaul's Drag Race brought the art form into the mainstream, this outrageous actor, singer and cultural disruptor was blazing a trail that remains highly influential today. "We've seen Divine's work bleed into fashion, music and film, particularly through the trashy aesthetic he pioneered with director John Waters," says Jake Hall, author of Shoulder to Shoulder: A Queer History of Solidarity, Coalition and Chaos. 

This year, Divine's signature drag makeup – pencil-thin eyebrows painted in a wickedly high arch – has been referenced by Rihanna and breakout pop star Chappell Roan. 

Sharing photos of her Divine-inspired look, Roan quoted a famous line from the star's 1972 film Pink Flamingos: "Filth is my politics! Filth is my life!"

Alamy

Divine's trashy glamour had a big impact on drag culture, which had previously been quite staid (Credit: Alamy)

When Divine and Waters met as teenagers in suburban Baltimore, the fledgling director embraced him as a muse. Divine, who was born Harris Glenn Milstead, was already dabbling in drag – on one occasion, he arrived at his girlfriend's house for a date dressed as Elizabeth Taylor, his idol. 

But Waters gave him the drag name Divine, and encouraged his friend to become braver and more provocative in how he presented himself. 

They went on to make six cult films together, including 1974's wickedly entertaining Female Trouble, which was released 50 years ago today. . .

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