If fans and queens really care about where modern drag culture came from, then they need to acknowledge that kindness played an equally important role in the scene as shadiness, and accept that those on the softer side of the community belong just as much as anyone else. There's nothing wrong with enjoying reading, but weaponizing and misrepresenting its history to shut down a Twitter debate is unconscionable. Selectively highlighting the drag history that supports one's personal preferences to dismiss any criticism of unkindness is a disservice to the very people who paved the way for this level of widespread drag to be possible. Like it or not, that level of visibility comes with responsibility. Peppermint is also the co-founder of Black Queer Town Hall- a nonprofit organization that amplifies Black queer voices- alongside Season 8 winner Bob the Drag Queen.Īlthough RuPaul's Drag Race puts fun first, the show has undeniably brought drag culture into the mainstream (albeit imperfectly, but that's another conversation). Although Peppermint was never crowned Miss Congeniality, fan-favorite Valentina admitted that she probably would've taken the title had her fans voted fairly. and has been involved in several fundraisers for LGBTQ+ charities. In a similar vein, Season 9's resident nice girl, Peppermint, has been outspoken about the wave of anti-trans legislation in the U.S. Season 11's winner, Nina West, has recently been using her platform to educate people on the history of members LGBTQ+ leading the charge on several major political and social justice movements, emphasizing the fact that drag has always been more than a form of entertainment. Coincidentally, she isn't even the only Miss Congeniality named Nina to receive that level of public recognition for LGBTQ+ activism. In 2009, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper declared May 29 "Nina Flowers Day" for her contributions to the city's LGBTQ+ community and their fight for equality. The inaugural titleholder, Nina Flowers, upheld that legacy during her reign. It's true that shade between queens is a cornerstone of drag culture-especially in the ballroom scene- but houses have four corners, and the drag houses that are remembered for their legendary reads have an equally long and important history of uplifting those in their communities. For a show that's supposedly all about the drama, isn't a little strange that there's a prize for the kindest and most helpful queen of each season? Miss Congeniality has been a mainstay of RuPaul's Drag Race since Season 1, predating staple traditions like the Snatch Game and the reading mini-challenge because it's what? Fundamental.
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