On Saturday, RuPaul’s Drag Race host RuPaul started a firestorm when he said in an interview with the Guardian that women who perform in drag and transgender women who are physically transitioning would probably not be allowed on Drag Race.
“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,” RuPaul told the Guardian. “So for men to do it, it’s really punk rock, because it’s a real rejection of masculinity.”
He added, “You can identify as a woman and say you’re transitioning, but it changes once you start changing your body.”
RuPaul specifically spoke about trans contestant Peppermint and pointed out that she was allowed to compete because she had not yet gotten breast implants.
After the interview, queer women, trans men and trans women began sharing their drag looks on Twitter with the hashtag #MyDragIsValid to counteract the idea that there are people who should be left out of the art form.
RuPaul is entitled to his own definition of drag, but so am I #MyDragIsValid pic.twitter.com/MMQddQH4Gw
— VENUS ENVY (@VenusEnvyDrag) March 3, 2018
decided to get into drags for the first time in a while bc hey @RuPaul guess what??? ppl of any gender can do drag even trans guys #MyDragIsValid 💝❣️💙💛 pic.twitter.com/76bG5JPTNX
— mar (@themarcollectiv) March 3, 2018
Drag kings are just as amazing as any other form of drag #MyDragIsValid pic.twitter.com/LNKPPYlIzB
— DAX (@DaxKingDrag) March 3, 2018
I love to be a womannnnnn! #MyDragIsValid pic.twitter.com/WNLL8vSyWF
— Amber✖Cadaverous (@AmberCadaverous) March 4, 2018
I’m still a drag queen regardless of what I have between my legs! #MyDragIsValid pic.twitter.com/ILxS5BTGez
— BI☣️HAZARD (@tallgingergirl) March 3, 2018
I am a cis woman, I am gay, I am disabled, I am a performer and I am a drag queen. You can be all of these things and still be valid!! #MyDragIsValid pic.twitter.com/Eu5oa8wt4P
— Luna Moon 🌙 (@LunaMoonNotts) March 3, 2018
Ever see a queer trans man fucking slaying the drag game? #MyDragIsValid pic.twitter.com/W2Iw5rDDj8
— Draggedy (@draggedyanne) March 3, 2018
drag is a queer art form so why cant i, a queer woman, express myself through it too? #MyDragIsValid 👑💞 pic.twitter.com/UEdb5WGSir
— emily 5 🌹 (@violetsadore) March 3, 2018
#MyDragIsValid Drag is a form of self-expression, not just female impersonation pic.twitter.com/T3Dugj9KG2
— Sailor_tsuki (@sailor_tsuki) March 4, 2018
Not that the legitimacy of drag kings are being put into question right now but people often, OFTEN, say that drag kings don’t have as much worth as drag queens and I’d like to kindly present you with my middle finger. Thanks #MyDragIsValid pic.twitter.com/Aw56lPRAYq
— Andro Gin 🕸 (@jaxxgarcia) March 4, 2018
Belfast may not have a scene for me as a performer but #MyDragIsValid #FuckYouRupaul pic.twitter.com/20hD0foZib
— 🌈♂PriMary♀🌈 (@sea_skunk) March 3, 2018
#MyDragIsValid Everyone is entitled to become the queen they want to be. How you choose to identity is nobody’s business but your own. Drag is freedom & freedom means accepting and encouraging others to live their best true lives. pic.twitter.com/UfnVuMh9H4
— 🏁👻💡 BOO 💡👻🏁 (@boosutcliffe) March 4, 2018
#MyDragIsValid bc female drag artist deserve just as much recognition as any other drag artist pic.twitter.com/HNqklno1HC
— artsy (@therealartsy) March 4, 2018
🗣WOMEN
🗣CAN
🗣BE
🗣QUEENS
🗣TOO
🗣🗣🗣 #MyDragIsValid pic.twitter.com/Y13Jl2nr8q— drumhella (@mcrte) March 3, 2018
I don’t consider myself a queen, but I am a woman, i am still learning, and #MyDragIsValid pic.twitter.com/Z8ZiQQZDXl
— 🤮 (@Guaca_m0lly_) March 3, 2018
👏 I AM A BIO QUEEN 👏
👏 I DESERVE TO BE RESPECTED👏
👏 #MyDragIsValid 👏 pic.twitter.com/txtMRQtnJI— Amanda (@murrin_amanda) March 4, 2018
Some people simply tweeted their adoration and appreciation for people using the hashtag.
me looking at the #MyDragIsValid hashtag pic.twitter.com/MCyt4xF9yQ
— el (@zocadic) March 3, 2018
Drag is not a club with a membership card! It is an art form and all you need to express yourself is inspiration! #MyDragIsValid
— Disasterina (@coldslutsonfire) March 4, 2018
Drag performer and Drag Race queen Phi Phi O’Hara even tweeted about how fierce the hashtag’s looks are.
Going through the #MyDragIsValid hashtag and I am blown away by all the talented Queens!
I am stealing some of your looks! Lol great work and DON’T EVER stop!
— Jaremi Carey (@PhiPhiOhara) March 5, 2018
SLAYYYY!!!
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