RuPaul made a powerful statement about drag bans in the United States after accepting Drag Race’s Emmy for Best Reality Competition Series.
The past 12 months have been particularly tough for the LGBTQ+ community, with an unprecedented number of bills introduced throughout the US designed to restrict, endanger, or silence.
Among those are the ever-growing number of drag bans being drawn up and made into legislation.
RuPaul, who has built his media empire on the beauty, laughter, entertainment, and knowledge that drag performers have to offer the world, made sure to comment on these bans on Monday night (15 January), when RuPaul’s Drag Race won yet another Emmy.
Joined by his co-stars Michelle Visage and Ross Mathews, and a whole host of drag queens, RuPaul held the award tightly and said: “Thank you so much, you lovely, lovely people. We are so honoured to have this award.
“You guys are just lovely for honouring our show and for recognising all of these queens. We have released into the wild hundreds of drag queens, and they’re beautiful. On behalf of all of them, we thank you.”
Getting serious, he added: “Listen, if a drag queen wants to read you a story at a library, listen to her.