This paper synthesizes these traditions, arguing that structural constraints (political economy) set the stage, while audience activity (cultural studies) and long-term effects (cultivation) interact dynamically. A qualitative, comparative case study approach was employed. Three contemporary entertainment artifacts were purposively selected to represent distinct genres, platforms, and potential ideological stances:
Drag Race has mainstreamed drag culture, providing unprecedented visibility for queer and trans performers. Episodes directly discuss HIV/AIDS, conversion therapy, and chosen family. However, the competition format imposes hegemonic values: contestants must display “C.U.N.T.” (Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, Talent) — a deeply neoliberal, entrepreneurial selfhood. Furthermore, the platform’s algorithm (Paramount+) recommends Drag Race to mainstream viewers but de-emphasizes more radical queer content (e.g., ballroom documentary Paris is Burning ). The effect is : mainstream acceptance is purchased through depoliticization and respectability politics. The subversive potential of drag is repackaged as a meritocratic talent show. AnalOnly.22.04.27.Lana.Sharapova.XXX.720p.WEB.x...
Rejecting passivity, Hall (1980) argued that audiences decode media texts via three positions: dominant (accepting the preferred meaning), negotiated (partially accepting), or oppositional (resisting). Fiske (1989) further showed that popular media is a site of “semiotic democracy,” where fans reappropriate content for subversive ends. This tradition emphasizes that meaning is co-created, not imposed. The effect is : mainstream acceptance is purchased