RuPaul’s Drag Race star Nicky Doll, known outside of drag as Karl Sanchez, has announced her intention to take legal action against former GB News host Laurence Fox. Fox recently posted a tweet referring to drag queens as “devious little pedos” and “child f**kers.” This derogatory comment was made in response to Nicky Doll’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, where she carried the Olympic torch alongside Minima Gesté and Miss Martini, two other French drag queens.
Nicky Doll’s involvement in the Olympics included a prominent role in the opening ceremony, performing her new single “I Had a Dream” and participating in a segment titled “festivity.” The segment, which featured drag queens around a banquet table, sparked controversy, with some claiming it mocked Christ’s Last Supper. Queer artistic director Thomas Jolly has denied these allegations.
This isn’t the first time Laurence Fox has faced legal consequences for his inflammatory remarks. Earlier this year, he was sued for libel by Drag Race star Crystal and former Stonewall trustee Simon Blake. Fox had labeled them, along with Coronation Street star Nicola Thorp, as paedophiles during an argument on social media. The court ordered Fox to pay £90,000 in damages to both Blake and Crystal, a sum Crystal pledged to donate to charity.
In a statement on X/Twitter, Nicky Doll responded to Fox’s derogatory comments about the Olympic ceremony, asserting, “I’m going to show you that you don’t get to write things like that about queer people for fun and the misinformation of it and [get] away with it. See you in court, again, @LoxxaFox.”
Legal experts have previously warned that using terms like “groomer” and “paedophile” as anti-LGBTQ+ slurs online can result in serious legal repercussions. Crystal, speaking on Good Morning Britain after winning her lawsuit against Fox, highlighted the severe impact such accusations can have on someone’s reputation and safety. She revealed she had received threats and faced a barrage of hate messages online following Fox’s comments.
The legal landscape continues to evolve in response to online harassment and defamatory remarks, particularly those targeting the LGBTQ+ community. As Nicky Doll prepares for potential legal action against Fox, the case underscores the ongoing struggle for respect and recognition faced by drag artists and queer individuals.