RuPaul Apologizes for Transmisogyny Following Backlash

RuPaul Charles has been on everyone’s mind lately. With season three of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars coming close to crowing a winner, fans are already prepared for season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race to showcase a fresh set of queens shortly after. But that’s unfortunately not the news of the week for the drag icon.

It’s long been rumored that Charles doesn’t allow trans women on the show. Although such contestants as Carmen Carrera and Gia Gunn have transitioned after their seasons, no queen has transitioned before or while competing. Most recently, Peppermint came out as trans during season nine.

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Charles confirmed the rumor.

“Probably not,” he said when asked if he’d allow a trans woman to compete while transitioning. “You can identify as a woman and say you’re transitioning, but it changes once you start changing your body. It takes on a different thing; it changes the whole concept of what we’re doing. We’ve had some girls who’ve had some injections in the face and maybe a little bit in the butt here and there, but they haven’t transitioned.”

My drag was born in a community full of trans women, trans men, and gender non-conforming folks doing drag. That’s the real world of drag, like it or not. I thinks it’s fabulous and I will fight my entire life to protect and uplift it.

— Sasha Velour (@sasha_velour) March 5, 2018

My partner of almost three years is trans, and #bendelachrist help anyone who tries to tell him what he can and can’t do. Just sayin’.

— bendelacreme (@bendelacreme) March 5, 2018

Hey @RuPaul maybe an apology to @Peppermint247 and the transgender community – and a recognition of drag history and how trans people helped to shape that! You don’t own drag mama! https://t.co/MF44Yz4xuF

— Marti Gould Cummings (@MartiGCummings) March 5, 2018

“Drag loses its sense of danger and its sense of irony once it’s not men doing it, because at its core it’s a social statement and a big f-you to male-dominated culture,” he explained. “So, for men to do it, it’s really punk rock, because it’s a real rejection of masculinity.”

Since then, he’s come under fire for his view. With the Twitter-sphere expressing their outrage, previous contestants such as Gunn and Monica Beverly Hillz have also responded.

“I know I have a lot of trans friends who already perform and would make fierce competitors on the show,” Hillz told INTO. “We’re really missing out on the important and powerful stories of trans women who have had to fight against not only homophobia, but transphobia, even in the drag world. Now this would make for some good reality TV.”

Earlier today, Charles incited even more outrage when defending his opinion in a tweet comparing trans drag queens to athletes using performance enhancing drugs.

You can take performance enhancing drugs and still be an athlete, just not in the Olympics. pic.twitter.com/HkJjzXzUGm

— RuPaul (@RuPaul) March 5, 2018

Since then, the backlash has been strong among his followers. It was apparently enough to encourage him to tweet an apology, as he did this afternoon.

Since then, the backlash has been strong among his followers. It was apparently enough to encourage him to tweet an apology, as he did this afternoon.

Each morning I pray to set aside everything I THINK I know, so I may have an open mind and a new experience. I understand and regret the hurt I have caused. The trans community are heroes of our shared LGBTQ movement. You are my teachers. pic.twitter.com/80Qi2halN2

— RuPaul (@RuPaul) March 5, 2018

In the 10 years we’ve been casting Drag Race, the only thing we’ve ever screened for is charisma uniqueness nerve and talent. And that will never change. pic.twitter.com/0jsyt6MRvO

— RuPaul (@RuPaul) March 5, 2018