RuPaul is synonymous with drag performance. The face of the “Drag Race” franchise, he has responded to the recent wave of anti-drag and anti-trans legislation introduced by Republican lawmakers in the U.S. and he has a lot to say—most of it surprisingly up front about politics.
In an Instagram video on Wednesday, the Emmy winner called the recent anti-drag bills “a classic distraction technique” implemented by politicians to get us to look away from other issues.
“’Hey, look over there!’… distracting us away from the real issues that they were voted into office to focus on: jobs, healthcare, keeping our children safe from harm at their own school,” RuPaul said. “But we know that bullies are incompetent at solving real issues. They look for easy targets so they can give the impression of being effective. They think our love, our light, our laughter and our joy are signs of weakness. But they’re wrong because that is our strength.”
RuPaul continued, “Drag queens are the Marines of the queer movement. Don’t get it twisted and don’t be distracted. Register to vote so we can get these stunt queens out of office and put some smart people with real solutions into government. And by the way, a social media post has never been as powerful as a registered vote.”
RuPaul’s response comes as many conservative legislators around the country attempt to ban children from drag performances, bar drag shows from occurring in public places and brand them as adult-oriented businesses. But those moves are also part of a bigger effort to rein in the expanding gender fluidity movement and LGBTQ+ causes in general.
At least 11 state legislatures are threatening to restrict or prohibit drag show performances as the GOP continues to ramp up efforts to spread the narrative that drag queens are predators. Drag story hours have drawn protesters and anger on conservative talk shows, and drag performers have been accused of “grooming” children to be assaulted.
In Wisconsin, that rhetoric recently focused on a drag show organized by Madison East High School that was postponed because of backlash and concerns about the safety of performers and attendees.
In a Jan. 5 tweet, former Gov. Scott Walker took aim at the event that had been billed as “family-friendly” and “meant to celebrate, affirm and support EHS students and staff in our LGBTQIA+ as well as our larger school community.”
Walker was having none of it. He tweeted: “Let’s be clear: ‘drag shows’ are strip shows…they are wrong. They are particularly wrong at school. They are definitely not ‘family-friendly.’” While Walker may be entitled to his opinion about what is and isn’t appropriate as school entertainment, he is definitely wrong in making the two synonymous.
When the difference was pointed out to him, he stuck to his guns: “In my opinion, if people take off clothing or play music or are given dollar bills by members of the audience, that is a strip show, regardless of gender,” he said in an emailed statement.
In drag, performers don’t take clothing off—as in strip shows—rather, “they use clothing to caricature or challenge gender stereotypes (as by dressing in clothing that is stereotypical of another gender, by using exaggeratedly gendered mannerisms, or by combining elements of stereotypically male and female dress) and often wear elaborate or outrageous costumes.” Its origins actually stretch deep into the history of theater.
Cross-dressing is an ancient theater practice, from before the time of Shakespeare, with male actors often playing a variety of gender roles on stage.
Scott Walker has a right to his views as a private individual, but a politician’s position needs to be based on accurate information. RuPaul may be right, regardless of your political leanings, we need to elect some “smart people with real solutions into government.” Or at least those that can read the Merriam Webster Dictionary.
