It’s a common question when RuPaul’s Drag Race is airing: Which queen is the trade of the season? A viral post on X set out to answer that question, showcasing 12 out-of-drag queens who it claims were the trade of their respective season — but what does “trade” actually mean, and why is the post being met with disapproval across the internet?
The phrase “trade of the season” is used fairly often on Drag Race itself: On Season 15, Aura Mayari referred to herself as the trade of the season. On Season 12, Heidi N. Closet wondered if she could claim the title for herself, and on Season 10, Mo Heart gave the honor to Kameron Michaels, even calling her “rough trade.”
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The show has even directly asked queens to identify the “trade of the season” for promos and season reunions. Clearly, the term has been ingrained in Drag Race culture — so why is that collage ruffling so many feathers?
It all goes back to the origins and historical usage of “trade.” The term originally referred to straight (or straight-passing) men who would have casual hookups with gay guys, either for sexual fulfillment or money. In ballroom culture, it specifically refers to hyper-masculine Black men who engage in casual gay sex, whether or not they actively identify as queer.
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The word’s meaning has, of course, evolved with the times, and nowadays people often use “trade” to describe anyone they find attractive (which the creator of this collage apparently does). But doing so erases the term’s history. Anyone who does drag can’t realistically be trade in the traditional sense, as wearing makeup and feminine clothes goes against trade’s hyper-masculine image. That doesn’t mean the queens aren’t attractive: It just means they aren’t trade, if we’re going by the literal definition.
most of them could rearrange my guts however i see NO trade here pic.twitter.com/ngHnnnRGhk
— coco 💖 (@slayycoulee) December 16, 2024
Isn’t saying “these are some hot men” easier than “some trades of the season” lol
— no. 2 crethenny jankel impersonator (@prettygayrat) December 15, 2024
Given that the term also has roots in the Black queer community, the collage’s failure to include even a single Black queen shows ignorance about the term’s origins.
“trades of the season” and none of them are black💀
— Kit “in my Kahmora era” Anna (@letmeletloose) December 16, 2024
Even Denali, a queen from Season 13 of Drag Race who’s featured as “trade” in the collage, took to social media to complain of the term’s misuse. “i get why ballroom is annoyed lol,” she wrote, acknowledging the term’s Black history in a reply: “it all trickles down from the source 👀”
Does this mean “trade of the season” is going to fall out of use on Drag Race, and in online drag fandoms? Likely not anytime soon — but hopefully, this discourse will help folks keep queer history in mind while they’re thirsting on the internet.
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