Marcia Marcia Marcia, a New York queen competing on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15, has spoken out against the rising tide of anti-LGBTQ+ hate in the United States. During an MTV party in honor of Drag Race’s 200th episode, Marcia noted that in the current political climate, reaching such a milestone was a significant achievement. She stressed that it provided tangible proof that people in the US love drag and queerness and that those who sought to silence or negate that were incorrect.
One of the efforts to silence queer joy is the recent anti-drag bill passed in Tennessee, which prohibits drag performances in public places. The bill is the first of its kind in the US and has sparked outrage among the LGBTQ+ community. Sasha Colby, a frontrunner in season 15, also spoke out at the event, saying that each episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race was an opportunity for people to learn not to be ignorant. She called the show a celebration of drag art and a chance for hard-working drag queens to receive recognition.
Marcia Marcia Marcia and Sasha Colby are among the eight girls left competing for the crown in season 15, which has seen its weekly episodes cut from 90 minutes to one hour. However, on 9 February, it was announced that the original 90-minute episodes would return, allowing the queens to have more time to shine. The show airs on Fridays at 8 pm ET on MTV in the US and is available to watch on WOW Presents Plus the following Saturday from 2 am GMT in the UK.
Overall, the success of RuPaul’s Drag Race demonstrates that drag and queerness are embraced by many Americans, despite the efforts of some to silence or marginalize the LGBTQ+ community. As Marcia Marcia Marcia notes, the show’s longevity is a testament to the enduring appeal of drag and the determination of LGBTQ+ people to be visible and proud.