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The Daily Utah Chronicle

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The Daily Utah Chronicle

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Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor, send us an op-ed pitch or check out our open positions for the chance to be published by the Daily Utah Chronicle.
@TheChrony
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Jacob Weitlauf’s Makeup is Not a Drag

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(Photo by: Justin Prather / Daily Utah Chronicle).

Anyone who spends just a few minutes scrolling through Twitter or browsing the homepage of YouTube is bound to find some kind of makeup video or beauty tutorial. Beauty is now big business — the industry as a whole is worth $445 billion — and online anybody can share their expertise. There has never been a better time to be a beauty aficionado.

Jacob Weitlauf is a self-taught makeup artist and student at the University of Utah. Weitlauf has created a variety of makeup looks for them and others, including makeup inspired by drag culture. They share their work on the Instagram account @makeup_by_jacob.

Weitlauf was interested in makeup artistry from a young age, but they grew up in a religious family in a conservative Southern town with few outlets for them to explore. They enjoyed doing special effects makeup on Halloween costumes, and Weitlauf later had the opportunity to create makeup design for a high school production of “Shrek the Musical,” which confirmed their passion for makeup.

Luckily, Weitlauf found a supportive community at the U, and this support allowed them to fully pursue makeup artistry.

“I got to a place where I was more comfortable with myself and had a better support system around me, and I really started experimenting with it on myself,” Weitlauf said.

Weitlauf’s budding passion for makeup complements their pursuit of other art forms. They are studying in the U’s musical theatre program, and they find their work in makeup is connected with their other artistic pursuits. After all, Weitlauf got their start designing makeup for a theatre production, and theatre offers plenty of opportunities to explore a wide range of makeup art.

They cite artists both directly and indirectly related to the makeup world as key influences, including Patrick Starr, Lady GaGa and RuPaul. Starr is an internet personality who achieved fame by posting makeup tutorials online — he now has millions of followers and his own product line. While Lady GaGa is not herself a makeup artist, Weitlauf still draws inspiration from “her boldness and commitment to a vision and a message.” RuPaul, meanwhile, is arguably the world’s most famous drag queen and a presenter on the popular reality television series “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” These diverse reference points demonstrate the way that makeup crosses over into many art forms, and how Weitlauf’s work ties into their own overall identity as a creative.

Weitlauf views their makeup as a vehicle of artistic self-expression, not unlike music, dance or theatre.

“I think one of the strongest purposes of art is for the artist to share their perspective to the rest of the world,” they said. “[Makeup is] a way I can show a part of me to the world.”

Weitlauf’s work has included elaborate drag queen makeup, and all of their work blurs gender lines while embracing both masculinity and femininity. Historically, drag culture has evoked strong reactions from many people, including intense criticism. Many who are already uncomfortable with LGBTQ identities are specifically critical of drag, opposing the form’s irreverent erasure of gender lines. In left-wing politics, some have argued that drag promotes a reductive and stereotypical image of femininity.

Weitlauf has considered these criticisms, but they disagree, ultimately describing drag as a “strong pillar of queer identity.” They said drag has roots in early gay activism, and drag allows people like them to “express themselves as their full true selves, whether that was gay or trans or femme or however they like to address themselves … I think that’s a really beautiful thing.”

In a society where gender roles are strictly enforced, deviating from the norm is an inherently political act. Weitlauf is conscious of this, and they understand how wearing makeup in a public sphere can function as a sort of protest.

“If I wear makeup to work sometimes I know there is a possibility, with the conservative population in Utah, that there could be someone who is not used to seeing a male-born person in makeup, or think it may be wrong,” they explained. “The only thing I can do is hope that they will give me the time of day to broaden their perspective.”

Unfortunately, Weitlauf knows that their use of makeup — and their queer identity in general — can lead to hatred and discrimination. When returning to their small, conservative hometown, Weitlauf does not publicly wear makeup for their safety. While they feel more comfortable wearing makeup in Salt Lake City, they still face occasional harassment online.

Sometimes, Weitlauf simply deletes the comments and blocks the insulting users. On other occasions, they reach out to the poster in attempts to educate them. When one person posted several hateful and negative comments on one social media platform, including homophobic slurs, Weitlauf messaged the poster privately, saying, “I’d really appreciate if you’d stop commenting on my stuff. I have come a long way in where I am and being able to present myself online. I know that’s not easy for some people, so if you’d ever like to talk or have any questions, let me know.”

While Weitlauf cannot necessarily stop every instance of hatred and bullying, they are committed to fostering dialogue and using their platform to peacefully discuss sensitive issues surrounding identity and gender.

Weitlauf has seen how difficult it can be to build the courage for men and male-born persons to wear makeup, as they didn’t wear it for many years. However, Weitlauf still recommends that any man who is curious about makeup move past that fear. They point out that makeup can be used to accentuate natural features, whether masculine or feminine. For example, contour and bronzer can be used to emphasize sharp jawlines and cheekbones. Weitlauf hopes makeup can be a vehicle for self-expression and embracing personal identity. To aspiring makeup artists, they advise a strong work ethic and a willingness to spend time honing the craft.

“Like anything with the arts, it is all about your commitment to it and what you want to make of it,” Weitlauf said. “You need to have a vision of yourself and not be afraid to explore until you find it.”

[email protected]

@JoshPetersen7

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Comments (12)

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  • S

    Sally StruthersSep 6, 2018 at 10:24 am

    Yes I found the use of the plural pronoun confusing. The gender neutral community needs to either come up with a new singular pronoun, use he/she or start using the old ones – ye, thou, thee, thy and thine. Not only is it grammatically incorrect, it makes it seem like gender neutral people have a multiple personality disorder. Unless what you are trying to convey is that they don’t know who they are, so they are many people at the same time.

    Reply
  • C

    Chrissy WeitlaufAug 29, 2018 at 3:57 pm

    Thank you Josh for writing such a wonder piece about Jacob! I appreciate the effort you made to respect Jacob’s non-binary identifiers. Perhaps as Jacob’s mother I’m a tad biased but I am so very proud of the person they are & their commitment to living authentically. Jacob has ALWAYS been a talented individual & never ceases to amaze & inspire myself & everyone who knows them.

    Reply
  • M

    MicahAug 29, 2018 at 2:26 pm

    HI Jacob! I consider myself a progressive, but tend to agree with Ryan with regard to the use of distracting gender ambiguous pronouns. Your version of progressive reality seems to discredit the opinions of others who may not share your own in this regard. This seems ironic. His comments weren’t with respect to you on a personal level or the way in which you have decided to identify yourself, but rather with how it makes the interpretation of the message more difficult. It is fine if you wish to disagree with me, but do not discredit the opinions of others at the account of you lacking an acceptance of another progressive reality. 😉

    Reply
  • T

    TimAug 29, 2018 at 2:16 pm

    This is news because..?

    Reply
    • B

      Brian MAug 29, 2018 at 5:33 pm

      Considering most male-born students on campus do not wear makeup, this piece does a wonderful job of letting readers know the reasons why someone might choose to do so. And it celebrates the outstanding people like Jacob who contribute to the diversity of our community. That’s news worthy to me.

      Reply
  • J

    JacobAug 28, 2018 at 9:23 pm

    Hi Ryan! As a non-binary identifying person I made the decision to use they/them pronouns earlier this year. I asked Josh to include that in the article, and he did so with respect and grace. It is 2018 and as our world changes so does our language. It is fine if you wish to disagree with that, but do not discredit Josh’s incredible writing at the account of you lacking an acceptance of a progressive reality.
    – Jacob Weitlauf

    Reply
    • G

      GarrettAug 29, 2018 at 1:58 pm

      Hey Jacob, I am not sure about Ryan lacking a progressive view, as I don’t know him. I think he was referring to the difference between saying “these people” and “this person”. There is still a difference between a single person and multiple people grammatically. I have noticed this as well. I don’t judge anyone, but I have noticed this purely grammatical issue before. Of course I am no English major, so I may be wrong. If someone told me about another non-gender specific pronoun that referred to just one person I would be thrilled and would be happy to use it. Also, congrats on just doing your thing and being recognized for it! I thought the article was great!

      Reply
    • R

      RyeAug 29, 2018 at 2:01 pm

      I was so happy to see a non-binary person featured in the first story of today’s Daily Utah Chronicle email! As a non-binary person myself who is also interested in drag and stage makeup, I found your story very inspiring Jacob! You just gained a new follower on Instagram, keep doing what you do!

      Reply
    • K

      Kyh NaegleAug 29, 2018 at 6:26 pm

      I just want to say that I appreciate your calm and collected approach to other’s opinions and concerns regarding these kinds of things. We need more people with open minds and even tempers, especially in today’s society. I find your work inspiring, though this article is the first I’ve heard about you. Keep going strong! Also, I’ve been wanting to get deeper into professional makeup as a hobby, especially since I am into cosplay and like experimenting with different things for personal enjoyment. Do you have any suggestions or tips you could give me?

      – Kyh

      Reply
    • A

      AmandaSep 1, 2018 at 12:01 am

      As another non-binary person, I also still find the use of a conventionally plural pronoun set for an individual distracting – it is one of the reasons I remain using the binary pronouns despite general discomfort; I’d rather switch to the pronouns of the sex I wasn’t born than use a third option just due to the fact that either those pronouns are already in use in English for other purposes or were developed solely for the purpose of a niche set. Either way it’s a difficulty for others around me to learn. In a service-based healthcare profession it’s outright unprofessional to expect those I’m serving to learn a new grammar for my sake. Our interaction isn’t about me, it’s about them.

      I have no problem with this article, but I find it frustrating that some of us who are nonbinary can be considered outsiders or not allies to our own cause when we have difficulty instantly uptaking breaks in our mother language.

      Both sides here have a point; hopefully Jacob understands the difficulty. PS: Jealous of the way you rock red lipstick. =)

      Reply
  • R

    RyanAug 28, 2018 at 11:49 am

    “They” is not a singular pronoun. It’s use when referring to Weitlauf was distracting and caused me confusion. I know that the use of gender specific pronouns is a hot topic right now, but there must be a better way to address it then using improper grammar. I chose not to read the rest of the article because it was so distracting from the message the author was trying to convey.

    Reply
    • A

      AmandaAug 29, 2018 at 1:35 pm

      *than

      Reply