The one person John Waters believes “was punk before there was such a thing”
John Waters argues that Divine was punk before punk became a recognised music subculture, because he challenged social conventions through an outrageous approach to drag. The claim highlights punk as an ethos of rebellion and boundary-breaking, rather than a style defined by clothing or music.
Divine, born Harris Glenn Milstead, starred in Waters’s low-budget, independent films, including *Pink Flamingos* (1972), which deliberately provoked conservative audiences. Waters said Divine changed drag by giving it an edge; his performances challenged expectations of femininity and gender norms, years before the Ramones began playing at CBGB.
In short
- John Waters sees Divine as punk before the music scene emerged.
- Divine’s performances challenged conventions around drag and gender.
- *Pink Flamingos* pushed boundaries in 1972.
Explained simply
John Waters is an American film-maker known for independent films that deliberately challenged mainstream taste. His early work included Pink Flamingos, which starred Divine and became known for its provocative content.
Divine was the stage name of Harris Glenn Milstead, an actor and drag performer who worked closely with Waters. Their films and performances played with ideas about gender, femininity and what audiences considered acceptable.
Punk is often associated with a late-1970s music scene, but the word can also describe a wider spirit of defiance. This distinction helps explain why Waters links Divine’s boundary-breaking work to punk, even though it came before the music subculture took shape.