Ru Paul’s Drag Race

[OnTheDarkSideOfTheSpoon]

Disclaimer - I’ve never watched the show so could be wildly off track. Saw an article yesterday:

“Drag Race All Stars” Will Feature A Trans Contestant Despite RuPaul’s Past Comments

The drag legend seems to be embracing transgender inclusivity after being criticized for what some believed were harmful comments earlier this year.

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/michaelblackmon/rupaul-drag-race-all-stars-gia-gunn-trans

It states how

I can't be doing with drag - but surely this is absolutely a case of having your cake and eating it? Drag is about men pretending to be (a caricature of) women - any trans woman taking part is therefore a man.

Try again!

It states that [...]its creator, RuPaul, told the Guardian in March that he would “probably not” allow a transitioning transgender woman to compete.

“You can identify as a woman and say you’re transitioning, but it changes once you start changing your body,” RuPaul told the outlet. “It takes on a different thing; it changes the whole concept of what we’re doing.”

In the same interview, RuPaul noted that Peppermint, a queen who appeared on Drag Race Season 9, did identify as a woman while competing in the show, but argued she hadn’t “really transitioned” because she didn’t have breast implants.

Later in the article, it details how he’s reversed his position and included a transwoman on the show.

If TWAW, could women apply to be on the show? And if not, why not?

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/michaelblackmon/rupaul-drag-race-all-stars-gia-gunn-trans

clicky link

They have had contestants who turned out to identify as women (often they discovered this in the course of the series apparently) and RuPaul has always been clear this isn’t the show for them. It’s a show for men who can put on an act. Wonder what’s changed

I love it when the TRAs get their knickers in a twist about drag and how it's the equivalent of black face and so transphobic. It's so hilarious. Then they usually end up having massive "really well balanced" fights about it. Lol.

If TWAW then women would also be allowed on of course.

There was a woman who I read about not so long ago who dresses as a drag queen even though she’s a woman. She got a job in an advert or something along those lines and then when they saw she was a woman she lost the job.

It doesn’t make much sense. The men on drag race are men. They don’t dress as women when they aren’t in drag.

I wonder what would happen if a woman did try to apply and presumably got turned down? Would there be outrage and uproar from TRAs at this exclusionary position?

I like Ru Paul

Its a shame he wasn't able to stand up to the TRA, but I imagine he was being pressured by his producers etc

Its not a drag race if there is a transwoman on there, its not fair to the other contestants for a start

Unless obviously the Transwomen who go on there haven't had any hormones or surgery

Ds1 partner is addicted to Ru pauls drag race, he loves it and knows everyone on it

Ill ask him what he thinks, as far as i can remember he wasnt keen when it first came up

Oh drag is so offensive though....traumatic....
It's the equivalent of (wait for it)
Blackface. Womenface. And transface.

Can a transsexual (m2f) be a drag queen? 🤯

Is cross dressing the same as drag? If so, it comes under the stonewall definition of trans.

TRANS

An umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.
Trans people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to) transgender, transsexual, gender-queer (GQ), gender-fluid, non-binary, gender-variant, crossdresser, genderless, agender, nongender, third gender, two-spirit, bi-gender, trans man, trans woman,trans masculine, trans feminine and neutrois.

I've learn a few more new words there! Gawd everyone's special these days!

Don’t go reaching for a dictionary though fekko, they’re dangerous, hate-peddling things.

Plus they are made up words. I'm a fluegel-luegel myself.

Drag is more about performing hyper femininity than taking the piss out of women.

I do think technically a woman could perform hyper femininity characters, but would lack the "gay male" culture of drag to be a true drag act.

Guess they aren't having TM on the show but TW?

This is perhaps why RuPaul has resisted the transing of drag. As a feminist I certainly think he has a lot to be concerned about. As we've seen, it's a steep slippery slope.

Female drag queens are increasingly a thing. There was a documentary about a woman dressing in drag on iPlayer called 'Saved by Drag'. Was an interesting watch. Traditionally it has been men but when the end result is so OTT it really isn't men dressing as women but as a caricature of a woman and no reason why a woman can't do the same.

What if a woman identified as a drag queen? Presumably that would be ok.

Can a lesbian be a drag queen then? Can u be one of I dressed like Barbie meets barbarella and make lots of double entendres?

Further musings: Can I identify as a transwoman? Not a woman who identifies as a man but a woman identifying as a man who identifies as a woman?

I’d love to be the first transwoman to have given birth, breastfed etc. Maybe I could also apply for trans positions (political, social, any trans representative role) and then claim oppression if I’m rejected? And if anyone questioned it, point out the discrimination was probably coming from a position of trans-privilege, where their being trans isn’t questioned in the same way as mine is?

But what if my passing privilege actually holds me back from being recognised as trans? I think it’s more likely going to be a tool for my oppression.