RuPaul, the creator, host and producer of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” recently spoke out against the recent wave of anti-LGBT legislation being passed and considered by lawmakers in several states. In a video shared on Instagram, RuPaul criticized what he called “stunt queen” politicians who use legislation targeting drag shows to distract from real issues such as jobs, healthcare and school safety.
According to RuPaul, these politicians are incompetent at solving real issues and look for easy targets to give the impression of being effective. He believes that the love, light, laughter and joy of drag queens are signs of strength, not weakness, and that they are essential to the queer movement.
RuPaul’s post comes on the heels of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signing a bill into law that criminalizes some drag performances. The law, which takes effect on April 1, bans “adult cabaret entertainment” on public property or at locations in the state where they can be viewed by minors. Several other states, including Idaho, Kentucky, North Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma, and Utah, are also considering similar bans.
RuPaul previously spoke out against the ban on minors attending drag shows in June 2022 when the topic was being discussed by lawmakers in Texas. During an appearance on “The Late Late Show,” RuPaul criticized lawmakers’ “diversion tactics,” saying that they have changed the narrative away from the gun debate into this drag queen thing.
The bans on drag shows are not the only issue at hand. The governor of Tennessee also signed into effect a ban on transition-related care for transgender minors, with several other states doing the same. In response to these bans, several “Drag Race” stars, including Sasha Colby, Kerru Colby, Laganja Estranja, Kylie Sonique Love, and Heidi N Closet, among others, expressed their frustrations in a video for the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD.
Despite the ongoing challenges faced by the LGBTQ community, RuPaul remains hopeful that change is possible. He ended his video by stating that “a social media post has never been as powerful as a registered vote.”