Have you ever watched “Drag Race” and wished it were you getting armchair psychology from RuPaul instead of the queens? No? Too bad, RuPaul has a MasterClass now.
MasterClass is a streaming platform where you can pay to watch experts explain the ins and outs of their field. For example, Gordon Ramsay can teach you to cook, or Neil deGrasse Tyson can teach you to think scientifically.
So, does RuPaul teach you about drag? No. He teaches you “Self-Expression and Authenticity.”
In his course, RuPaul “is sharing an intimate look at his personal journey to self-realization,” reads the MasterClass website. “From finding your inner truth to owning the room, RuPaul teaches you how to present your best self to the world. It’s your life’s work to shine — RuPaul shows you how.”
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What that amounts to is 16 episodes, around 10 minutes each, with titles like “Finding Your Frequency” and “Cultivating Your Tribe.” In each segment, Ru will give you some advice on building your confidence. What qualifies him to do that, you may ask? Your guess is as good as mine.
Ru’s MasterClass also features appearances from his designer, Zaldy, and his makeup artist, Raven, who are there to give some more practical advice on fashion and makeup. So in some ways, the course does promise to give you a drag tutorial, just not from Ru himself.
Ru isn’t the only queer representation on the site. “Queer Eye”’s Tan France has a course on styling yourself, and Roxane Gay can teach you about writing for social change.
MasterClass looks like it has plenty of genuinely useful courses, and a subscription of $15 per month will get you access to all of them — so if you’re willing to take the plunge, check out Ru’s as well. Let me know if it’s actually helpful wisdom, or if it’s just 2 hours worth of random musings from a man who’s a great drag queen, but not a great psychologist.