Drag Race Queens Queens Slam Republicans' Anti-Trans, Anti-Drag Legislation

On Friday, RuPaul’s Drag Race celebrated its 200th episode at a swanky soiree at Heart in West Hollywood. Assembled were queens from several previous seasons who gathered to watch the show, but the queens did not waste the opportunity to discuss the conservative right’s current attacks on the LGBTQ+ community.

This celebration of the Emmy Award-winning reality show and the ground it has broken for the LGBTQIA community, which included a performance by Sasha, was both fabulous and sickening, according to a press release post-show.

However, despite the progression of Drag Race since its humble beginnings on Logo TV in 2009, a significant increase in discrimination and violence targeting the queer community has developed recently.

“It has truly brought out a side in the world that I have not seen in many many years,” Heidi N Closet said in a video posted by LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD. “Being a gay, Black man from the south, I’ve seen such bigoted behavior and such disrespect and racism, and every time those things come to light, it tears us apart.”

There have been numerous protests against drag story hours in recent months, and Tennessee appears to be leading the fight against drag as a performance art.

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“It’s wild to see what’s going on as all these anti-trans bills being disguised as anti-drag bills,” said Sasha Colby. “You know what we’re not gonna do? We’re not gonna let them take us down. We’re going to keep doing what we need to do. Because you know what? Drag is for us, and drag is art.”

As part of their assault on LGBTQ+ Americans, Republicans in the state legislature have introduced legislation banning public drag performances. They have also attempted to restrict access to gender-affirming care for minors.

“This is all just a game and a ploy to distract… this is nothing but a distraction to break people’s focus from being about their life and being about their truth. If you’re not focused on what you need to do, you’re going to get caught up in everything that you are not meant to be caught up in,” Kerri Colby, Sasha’s drag daughter, said.

A bill banning minors from attending drag shows was also approved by GOP lawmakers in Montana recently.

Kylie Sonique Love framed the attacks bluntly.

“This isn’t the first time they tried to do this shit, and it won’t be the last. So we’re going to keep just doing what we do and inspire and encourage everybody and do it with a smile on your face,” she said.

Season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race airs on MTV Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.