RuPaul: our evil, problematic Queen? A deep dive...
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 พ.ค. 2024
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Fun story about Ru. A friend of mine (an Ny/nj architect) was called in to find out why Ru's penthouse roof was leaking. Upon inspection, the culprit was found to be a plethora of small, round holes on the roof...caused by high-heels during drag roof parties. 😂
I'm betting insurance didn't cover that--though it would make a funny Farmer's commercial.
@@annalisasteinnes ha! It certainly would have!
That is amazing… and I bet insurance did cover it! There’s no prohibition on drag parties!!!
@@pembrokelove I agree! I mean, to deny the claim, the insurer would have had to be a real heel! 👠
great pfp seven.
My ex (straight cis male) grew up in Colombia and had a lot of homophobia in him. We talked about it lots, but what really changed his views was when we lived together and I watched RPDR in our joint living room. At first, he ignored it, then peaked, stood longer and longer beside the sofa, until he finally fully joined. A year later, he came vogueing into the room when the theme tune played, we watched Pose together, he is now an outspoken ally.
He is an ex for a reason, but as RuPaul shows, people aren't one dimensional. He didn't turn out to be a good partner for me by the end, but I am very happy that there is one more ally out therein the world.
This is such a positive and uplifting story, thank you for sharing. ❤
I don’t know if you are an ally yourself (bravo for being an ally and educating others then) or a queer person yourself (still bravo). Kind of a wholesome story !
An icon discussing an icon?! How iconic!! This is dramatic but as a young LGBT in rural Arkansas (circa 2010) RuPaul was TRULY an inspiration and guide to me as I navigated finding myself and even though she's no longer really who I fell in love with she'll forever have a place in my heart.
So much love to you! She truly shaped us all ❤️
And that is why they say to never meet your heroes. But what matters is the good we took from it and the things we do to make the world better because of it.
I hope this video discusses how he has said the t slur multiple times …
@@straberryshinigami15g97 as a transwoman I really don't mind queens saying that word.
Hello neighbor! I'm also in Arkansas.
I feel like RuPaul is a good example of how people can do good things while themselves not being a really good person
true
Also nine times out of ten, a average-to-good person who experiences decades of fame and success will become a bad person. Getting everything you want and only interacting with people who want something from you is bad for the spirit
So a human being?🤣
okay sonic
Every single person has done something questionable in their life. It's when they continue to do it and don't learn or grow that it's a problem
Fun fact: there's someone on the RPDR subreddit who makes pixelnart of the queens as pokemon. It's very fun.
I need to see that
@@pl3816 I misremembered, they're pokemon trainers. But still. If the link doesn't post in my next comment, you can Google "rpdr pixel pokemon" and it comes up.
I saw Pokémon trainers as well.
yesss, I love that person! almost as much as I love the moth biologist who finds exotic moth lookalikes of the queens 😍
@@margottago That sounds amazing!
"did you see that article from instinct magazine?"
"oh the fracking?"
"NO NOT THAT-"
"🙅♀️"
"🙅♀️"
Lol Bob & Pep are the best 💚
@@moonsnakesheddingskin Ikr??? Icons fr
With the unintentionally synchronized flailing 😂
Probably my favorite clip on youtube
22:22 Texan trans girl here, lifelong musical theatre performer. This conflation of drag (entertainment) and transness (identity)... It reminds me of when my former voice teacher told me that it would be "hilarious" to have a trans woman performing XYZ musical theatre role or song. I know she didn’t mean any harm, but... it was demoralizing.
It's tough to explain, because I am a comedic actress. I'm a ham. But it has never been because of my gender. (If anything, my prior male roles were the drag ones.)
Thankfully I have a lot of great theatre friends, and I do think Drag Race helped introduce them to gender-nonconformity (without expecting me to be like that), which I truly appreciate. But they aren't the ones casting shows.
I want to play Fiona in Shrek, or Ursula... I want to be funny, but not because I'm AMAB. Otherwise it feels like I'll have to pretend to be a drag queen just to have a shot at affirming roles... I hope that makes sense.
If only a cis person could understand this
@@rainkidwell2467I think some cis people could understand this while not fully relating to it if they are cis but also queer in some way.
Imma cis lesbian, so I cannot claim I know what it’s like to be trans! I definitely cannot fully relate to the comment but I do understand it. Especially because as the comment discusses, identity and presentation aren’t the same. As a masc lesbian though, I can somewhat relate to part of the description, like feeling like you’re almost battling between your identity and how others perceive you? But I probably don’t understand it in the way that I can truly relate, but I can understand in the way that I grasp what OP is saying and have a queer perspective. But I’m also cis so I’ll never really know how it feels, but I have had my gender questioned before for being an androgynous girl. What I notice is a lot of cishet people confuse queer identity with one another and often see homosexuality and transgenderism as the same because they’re too dumb to understand the difference! I’ve met a lot of people who don’t understand the difference between drag and being trans. While both are queer (drag can be done by non-queers but still) it’s another instance of people failing to understand experimenting with gender presentation or androgyny and how queer people often express themselves outside of stereotypes of gender vs actual gender identity and feelings of gender.
thinking about the s14 finale where ru asks willow pill about how her chronic illness is and she goes “i don’t see how that’s any of your business” and changes the subject.
also! love yvie oddly. i find it worth noting that in AS7, she was talking to ru and michelle about how hard it is to have eds and actively losing mobility. she started crying and made a diffusing joke and both of them commented about how “at least you can laugh about it”. that struck me as really icky when i saw it because she was clearly upset about it
I think that's a bit Ru has; she says it's the perfect answer for any question
Yvie breaks my heart... you can see she's trying to do as much as she can before her body fails her. To have her mistreated as she was on AS7 is heartbreaking.
Wait! I have checked into and out of watching Drag Race through the years … and have skipped most of AS, obviously, including AS7! As an EDSer myself - there was an EDSer on the show?!? Dropping everything I’m binging to go find Yvie and AS7 - and her original season - NOW!!
@@ellariel7457yvie was originally on S11
@ellariel7457 GOOBLE GOBBLE ONE OF US! ONE OF US! As another EDSer I also gotta catch up with AS...though I don't know if I want nor need to see someone like us being mistreated.
Thank you for mentioning drag kings, I would love it so much if you made a whole video on them. As a drag king performer myself I feel really upset RuPaul hasn't done anything for kings and doesn't even acknowledge our drag
It’s a drag queen race. That’s RuPaul’s world. Maybe pitch your own show.
Drag kings are so under appreciated!!!
for a community thats supposed to be accepting is still very male dominated😞
And what also bothers me is how it’s rarely spoken about how cis women can do drag, weather it be a drag king or drag queen. Drag queens aren’t just males or those who identify as males. I notice drag is more accepting of trans women doing it than trans men, but I think that could be rooted in transphobia and seeing the trans woman as “basically a man” so to some there “isn’t much of a difference” but idk
The other day I was driving on I-95 (maybe I-75?) in Florida, and saw a sign that stated that I was close to the Drag Racing Hall of Fame. I smiled and wondered how I didn’t know this was a thing in Florida. Then I laughed out loud at the fact that this museum is actually about car drag racing and not drag performance. Disappointing. 😅😂
"I was...in Florida"
I'm sorry
I'm so glad I'm not the only one! Every time I pass the signs on a road trip I'm like "omg cool here?!" then immediate "oh."
Thank you for this dive. I am an oldhead fan, someone who was a masc4masc cis-whitepassing gay man (or at least thought I was) when the first season came out. My first thought was "Oh great, I guess now LOGO is going down the drain" until I actually sat down and watched it a season later. It was eye opening to me, allowed me to get in touch with my feminine side and also understand the queer community more. I had to do a lot of heavy lifting and I still do, my drag mother was able to slap the casual transphobia out of me years ago that I had learned from RuPaul's early seasons. I am no where near whom I was when RuPaul's show came out and I still watch a lot of it almost religiously out of respect of what it has done for me and for the queer community as a whole.
That said, I am not a vocal part of the fandom anymore. I am not a blind believer in RuPaul's image. I know the show can and should do better. Camp Wannakiki (which started here on TH-cam!) and Dragula have both broken barriers seasons ahead of RuPaul. Camp Wannakiki had the first Drag King performer by one season (though they have their own issues with Kings) and they broke a few other barriers. I use those two shows as reference because they have done better, they show different aspects of this niche in our community, and they stride forward. RuPaul's Drag Race (Main Show + All Stars) feels very manufactured now, almost like I'm watching a calculation being worked out with late minute additions by fan theory or responses thrown in.
I love drag, I love how it got me out of complacency and stifled stagnation and into activism and helped me discover my own identity as a queer person. I know our current era isn't perfect but man, I'm going to miss it when it's gone.
Also a fan from the first show. Me I’m cis, straight, white, etc. I loved from the start how the show seemed to be about humanizing the people who do drag. I was very sad at the problematic aspects, especially how the contracts that they sign end up with them being restricted and used. :(
My bro was definitely an assimilationist gay, and always had trans male friends, but def had some problematic views around drag queens and trans women (eg: the act, itself, is disrespectful and inherently appropriation). He was a good person, but lack of exposure kind of narrowed what he deemed "acceptable," unfortunately.
Now, he's a huge drag race fan, and able to see more of the nuance behind it. He's even opening up, a tiny, tiny bit, to his feminine side, and isn't so automatically dismissive of femboys, anymore. It has allowed him to grow, as a person, and I'm so proud of him, for that.
And, yes, drag can be used for evil, for disrespect, and as appropriation, just like any other art form. But, it can also be used for good, just like any other art form. I hope we continue to see more of the latter. 😊
I was never a Ru Paul or Ru Paul's drag race fan, only a fan of a few queens who were on the show, mainly Katya and Trixie but at some point also Raja, Raven, Bianca, Bob the Drag Queen and some others, so I don't really have any opinions on Ru Paul, though I have heard about the transphobia before and of course do not approve of it, but I love hearing about people's experiences with him and the show, your comment was very insightful! 😊
Jessica, do you know about Deafies in Drag? I feel like that's a TH-cam channel you might be interested in. They make a lot of videos about their experiences as deaf people, and are very fun to watch, especially as a hearing student learning ASL looking to see signing used naturally and in a non-academic setting.
Yes! Great suggestion. And also, everything is fully captioned in English, so any of you who are intrigued should go ahead and watch. They really have fun with comedy sketches, in exaggerated style.
(Best wishes on your ASL learning journey. For building your skills with natural, everyday ASL, find some local Deaf events and be sure to chat with people. In the meantime, TH-cam comedy. :) Also, I encourage you to watch the news in ASL. Try a TH-cam channel called The Daily Moth.)
I just watched all of there shorts. There hilarious and I loved it. Much fun
So well presented! People are nuanced and I love it how Jessica can talk about the good and the not so good things that people have done without defending or condemning them as people.
OMG! I'm french and I never notice the hidden word in" Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent".
You mistakenly listed Tennessee as being in the process of implementing a drag ban. In fact, the law which would have banned drag performances in the presence of children was overturned in a federal court the end of 2023 and not only was never enforced, it can never be enforced. So Tennessee is not in the process of implementing the law.
Yes, technically it could be appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court, and heaven only knows what they would rule. But the Tennessee attorney general informed the state legislature proposed resolution was unconstitutional before they even held the first vote on the bill, and they've been extremely lackluster in defending the the law, so I sincerely doubt it will ever be reinstated.
It reminds me of our old sodomy laws. I worked for the office of the attorney general of Tennessee in the '90s when those laws were challenged in court. Since the attorney general had already told the governor, the law was unconstitutional, and the governor insisted that the laws be defended anyway, the then sitting Tennessee attorney general assigned it to the single most fabulous and flamboyant gay man on the entire staff. It was hilarious watching his defense of the law. And little wonder that it was defeated in court! Still one of the few good memories I have of working at the attorney general's office!
That's amazing! Good to see tennessee isn't implementing any laws like that. 😅
@@nobody08088 Well, Don't give Tennessee the credit. Give the court that invalidated the law of the credit. Because, frankly, our state legislature and our governor seem to be utterly without common sense. They keep debating whether or not to outlaw things which are not proven to exist.
@@micheledeetlefs6041❤❤❤❤
“To Woo Fong”
Best slip I’ve heard in a while. 😂😂
Very underrated kung-fu movie
I literally ran down to the comments to be like... "Woo Fong? ... Woo?! FONG?!"
FINALLY SOMEONE IS TALKING ABOUT RUPAUL’S FRACKING!!! i’ve known about this for a while now, looked into it during a drawfee livestream cuz someone in the chat mentioned that they worked on an oil rig with a bright pink star painted on it or something lol
Hello from another Drawfee fan! That's wild about the oil rig. Like, it's evil, but in an inclusive way?
Lmfaoo???? (drawfee mentioned letsgooo)
woah wtf a drawfee mention in the wild???
Bro what ☠️
30:01 ok. I'm writing my academic thesis on Drag Race right now AND Iw watched The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent last night. did you make this video for me?
Microaggression can feel like violence, I believe. Someone can experience so much racism or other type of discrimination so often that they're in a perpetual state of feeling like they're rubbed raw and bleeding. As a cis white woman, everything is so much easier, and I'm glad to know it and try to be aware. Fatness can be a hot button issue for me, but when you mentioned Ru's comment congratulating a contestant on "rising above" her chronic illness or disability, I LITERALLY, physically flinched away from the screen. "Not being a victim" raises my hackles, too. Acknowledging your race, ethnicity, size, chronic illness or disability as a fact is not playing victim.
Yup. There's a reason Lingchi is a thing, and hopefully a lot of us are aware now that psychological wounds are as valid as the flesh ones.
They do feel like violence, and they make people feel unsafe.
And yeah, +1 to everything you said about "rising above" and "not being a victim". Me stating a fact about myself like my chronic illness isn't "being a victim". The whole 'rise above' narrative is another way of saying "don't rock the boat, don't attack the status quo, ignore systemic issues, it's your personal responsibility"
Well-said. We are learning, again and again, about just how bad stress is for the body. It can be genuinely disabling and lead to early death. And if someone has reason to believe, because of how microagressions reveal a person's beliefs, conscious and subconscious biases, that "I am not safe here/I can't trust this person" again and again in all aspects of their life, well that does real damage.
Thanks for acknowledging that.
I was introduced into Drag culture by my best friend's mom and her boyfriend(longstory short, he was a trans man before even gay people seemed to accept it, she constantly referred to her own SO as she but I will not) who were both Kings, it was fun to learn more about them.. we lived in a very small town and her mom was the first openly lesbian woman so I got to overhear a lot of the town's opinions before I was allowed to go to her house. Even from my own family. But they both introduced me to their life, in an age appropriate way, and really helped me learn to express myself without caring what my midwest town thought of me.
wonderful story, hope the trans man you're talking about is doing well if he's still here and if not then that after what you described he was doing alright
@@arsena5209 they have since broken up, but I do see him every now and then at my job and we say hi to each other. He seems much happier now, from my outsider's view
Just a quick side note: just because Drag Kings are not visible, that doesnt mean that they are less common. They do exist... many of then do.
100%!! They’re less publicized, but (at least from my perception in the community) there’s not less drag kings than drag queens! I’d argue there isn’t a market asking for drag kings so you don’t often see it on tv or performed at gay bars and stuff
@@feathersoffancy8988 Well... that's kind of my point, except for the rumors that a market is on the go.
I think it might have to do with the idea that femininity is entertainment, while ~of course~, masculinity is serious business, so why would I watch masc drag lol (I do not agree with this lmao)
I really appreciate your well balanced take on Ru and Drag Race! I especially like how you addressed the way chronic illness is depicted!
Miss Jessica said "oh, we are gonna talk about the fracking!"
I can appreciate what drag in general and RPDR have done for queer people while still not supporting RP. The amount of transphobia perpetuated by a celebrity in a scene where so many transwomen find themselves is baffling and honestly any queer person who has a single disrespectful thing to say about transwomen needs to learn some things about 20th century queer history.
Mattel is honoring RP with a Monster High Collector Doll and I'm like 🤢🤢🤢 while all icons are people and people are inherently flawed, there are so many better choices for a brand about being unique and yourself than a person who publically promoted and spread hate without apology.
I really recommend watching a video called “Drag and Feminism” here available on TH-cam. Several drag queens (AFAB, AMAB and non-binary) talk about how much of modern drag is controlled by Drag Race (which can lead to lack of funding to other ventures and very specific views of what drag can be), and how much of drag history starts with trans women and how it’s been hidden. They have a great conversation about gender and performance, and recognizing how much class and education is part of the discussion around it. Also, some genuinely lovely human beings!
Sisterhood, not cisterhood! And above everything, humanhood 💖Thanks for the video, Jessica.
jessica talking about mother ru??? i never thought this day would come 🙈
😂❤️
'Drag Race' resulting in Drag Queen slang passing into the mainstream has echoes of how the characters of Jules & Sandy on' 'Round the Horne', led to the mainstreamization of Polari in the 'sixties. Which was covered, of course, in the video on Polari.
24:41 it is also worth mentioning that Willow’s sister LITERALLY DIED OF CYSTINOSIS shortly after filming wrapped. That is a huge deal that needs to be talked about if we’re going to talk about someone “rising above”… chronic illness is not always overcome-able, and in Willow’s case it was particularly a gross thing to say.
I’ve seen RuPaul in an old 1980s music video by the B-52s’ “Love Shack”. Tin Roof Rusted!
Your pink sparkly dress in the very last part of the video! It is so sparkly it looks like a soft pink glittery mist. Very cool! And of course thanks for this interesting video!
as an afab drag artist i'm not ready to watch this one just yet, but i appreciate you Jessica!!!🩷 would love if you did one on Dragula too💞
Finally, it's like everyone is afraid to talk about it! He can be amazing in some ways and also not be perfect in other ways and downright unpleasant in other ways.
There was a lot of upset around RPDR UK when it first started because the community is quite diverse and it's not uncommon for non binary folks, women (trans or cis) to be part of local scenes and the non cis men & cis dude allies were pretty concerned.
Not sure if anyone other than cis men are in the show as I can't get it in NZ and honestly we have a lot of serious stuff going on rn (and my chronic migraines don't exactly help) so looking into all the UK drag race peeps isn't worth my spoons but I hope everyone got a fair shot.
Enjoying the video so far 😊 good stoof!
Edit: great to hear this discussion included, also great to see a figure being acknowledged and criticized respectfully, with an acknowledgement that he's human, a flawed, beautiful, neuanced, glorious human.
A ton of contestants identify as trans now - there are surely listicles online - but Peppermint (s9) was the first trans woman and Gottmik (s13) was the first trans man to enter the competition openly identifying as such. Both superbly talented queens. I remember Gottmik in particular being allowed to compete was a big deal, reported as arguably a bit of a PR response to Ru's previous trans bias (that I must assume - still watching - the video gets into)
The community, especially the drag community have been talking about this for years. I've known of RuPaul since his club kid days. I agree 100% when you said, "He can be amazing in some ways and also not be perfect in other ways and downright unpleasant in other ways."
@@CalamityCannoncheers, yeah I kinda went off drag race for a bit. It was just bad timing as I was dealing with a bunch of transphobia at the time (both personally and within the country there was an uptick) so when I saw RuPaul's comments abt trans contestants drag race went from a fun show in my mind to a "I'm probably not welcome here" space. So I kinda of avoided it. Not because the show is anti-trans but just because I think there was so much painful negativity and I saw the comments and honestly couldn't bring myself to look deeper in fear of there being some really darkly anti trans stuff.
Having watched this video & read yr comment I can see that's not the case, which is good because I've kinda missed it and have been thinking about watching again 😊
Thank you for sharing what you know too as I am glad to hear so much has changed. I've been aware of some of the queens, Bob, Sasha & Jinkx are a couple of my faves. I've never stopped watching drag performances irl and drag queens who have been on the show in their own projects.
@@theythemgae9025 Oh I feel you. And fans of the same! Jinkx holds a special place in my heart. The "all winners" All Star season is pretty fun. Or you can just search yt for a compilation of her best moments in that season (I think posted by the DR account) and get your cackles but save a lot of time
@@theythemgae9025 I feel you! And understand and am sorry for all you've been dealing with. If you want a serotonin boost, search YT for a compilation of Jinkx in the "all winners" All Stars season. I think posted by the official DR account. You don't need to have seen the season to enjoy it. It's a real treat, especially for a fan
I only watched season 13. And besides the fact I didn't understand many things like how they seemed to poke on drama between contestants and the whole pit crew being naked thing, I perceived the message and attitude to be very positive and I appreciated the contestants had deep and meaningful conversations on race, their families, diversity and so on. I also appreciated that Gottmik was very vocal about being trans and overall his identity seemed to be unquestioned in the show. Now that I see all this, I realize that part of that might have been redemption from past criticism. Especially since you mentioned both racism and fatphobia being endorsed, I feel like he might have been overcompensating that with the special treatment given to Kandy Muse.
Without RuPaul, I don't know if I would be a drag queen now. Without that, I don't know if I would have fully discovered my transness... It's wild how much this man I've never met has impacted my literal actual life.
It's weird because many of us have the opposite experience. I avoided transition because I feared being seen as a drag queen, was told that's what I'd be if I transitioned. Drag kept me in the closet for twenty years
I watched Drag Race 15 years ago, while pregnant with my oldest. I was so mad when Ongina lost that I swore it off for years. It’s still my favorite tho.
I wanted Ongina to win so badly
@@BearlyAiden They inspired me to start making fascinators, which I now do professionally. I am still such a fan of their work.
@@amylou22snowhite That's awesome! Congratulations!
Oh, Ongina was so sweet, and fabulous!
I liked Nina Flowers. I wasn't all that peeved about the result, the first season was not very high stakes, and sometimes I miss the more relaxed way of things. I think I made it until season 7 or 8 before RPDR burnout.
I also watched the season they made in my country, Sweden. It was fun, but didn't get great numbers past the premiere, so I don't think they're making any more. It's a shame, I really liked the vibe.
For furture endeavors may I offer a possible PG version: Motherfluffer! Could apply for everything fluffy like cute pets or in terms of costumes everything with impressive ruffles? Or general fluffy shapes, skirts and so on. ^_^
Replying to boost this excellent suggestion and to also suggest the term "son of a biscuit" as another TH-cam monetization friendly alternative to a common phrase
You nailed 'Pintrest Librarian!'
I would hesitate to suggest that someone in such a position of power and wealth has 'changed their views' based on public statements (and on social media) versus actual treatment and engagement with trans and gender diverse people and communities. I also don't think calling trans folks 'teachers' and a vague 'apology' is actually making noticeable change and acknowledging behaviors and problems (not to mention its not trans and gender diverse folks responsibility to teach you to not be a bigot). It seems that these 'changes in attitude/belief' only came after backlash. He should still be held accountable for his actions.
I would be DEEPLY hesitant to remove the responsibility of harm and continued problematic behavior of Ru Paul overall.
I appreciate the nuance you included in this!
And are we not mentioning the time RuPaul tweeted something about trans people, intended to put a trans flag, but the flag he got was something to do with trains, and apparently he didn't notice the mistake, since he posted it lol
not me (a Michelle) having to check the screen to make sure mother was not scolding me 🤣 26:45
As someone that got to know more about drag through Drag Race, I can accept and understand the criticism, while also having to agree that RuPaul plays a major role in the LGBTQIA+ community. I guess that, in the end, no person is perfect. I was very pleased when he apologised for his comments/views on trans people and how he acted on it by doing changes in the show. With all its limitations, Drag Race can actually help people learn more about Drag performers. So, all in all, I think he's a generally okay person with flaws, who is willing to learn and grow - and that's more than most people seem to do *cough* JKR *cough* tysm for this deep dive!
alternatively, some think that the title 'drag' comes from the acronym 'dressed resembling a girl'... take that with a pinch of salt as the origin of the title is not definitively known.
Most docos I've seen link it to dragging long train dress and capes.
Yeah that’s a backronym, not history
@@jesslikescoffee24I didn’t know “backronym” was a word I needed in my life 😂 I love it.
The first use of drag in this sense is at least as early as 1860. However, in 1909 it was explained in a dictionary of Victorian slang as:
"Drag (Theat.), petticoat or skirt used by actors when playing female parts. Derived from the drag of the dress, as distinct from the non-dragginess of the trouser." "Also given to feminine clothing by eccentric youths when dressing in skirts." J. R. Ware, Passing English of Victorian Era 117/1
oh wow this video came at a perfect time for me, when I'm in the middle of a drag race / queens from drag race hyperfixation. I double-taked when I saw the thumbnail lol. Super excited to dive into this one.
I must applaud your transition to the ad. I barely noticed and I love how creative YTrs get when insertinng them!
Celebrating somebody's ability to rise above their chronic conditions, whilst in a position of extreme power, in this case, reeks of "Thank f*** I didn't have to accommodate for this in any way for you to be on my show".
Every time Jessica says "RuPaul" (even though it's not exaggerated) I'm transported to Dela's snatch game as Dame Maggie Smith 🪄💫 😆
That’s exactly what came to my mind too 🤣
Regarding the fracking... I won't say I know all the laws regarding mineral rights, but when I bought a home in the Midwest and inquired about Mineral rights, I was told they go with the land unless there is a specific note for them in the paperwork. If it is the same in that state as this state, they most definitely have a say in whether fracking happens.
A sequel to "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" is now being made.
Oh thanks do much for that info. I loved that movie!
This is the first video of yours that's been recommended to me, and I thinks it's time for a channel binge. History, specifically LGBTQA+ history is one of my favorite things. And your voice/energy/humor are all *chefs kiss*
I appreciate your thorough and thoughtful summary of RuPaul‘s impact on pop culture. RuPaul is a controversial person because he’s done a lot of great things to provide a platform for hundreds of drag queens to be able to have careers lucrative careers . However, as you detailed in your video there have been times he has said some very hurtful things. I think it’s good that he’s also been open to that criticism and has actually evolved and changed his position on many issues. I think one of the problems that RuPaul still runs into is that he overly romanticizes the idea of the personal narrative of an individual overcoming systemic barriers. In someways, he has been able to overcome a lot of barriers in his life that have resulted in him being extremely successful. However , I think it’s hard for him to understand how he is kind of exceptional in that regard. For most people facing discrimination, expecting them to overcome every barrier they encounter without any change in the society is unreasonable. I also think he doesn’t recognize how much society had to progress to even be able to accept a drag queen to succeed to the level that he has.
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ooh I can’t wait to hear Jessica’s opinion on this
The word DRAG was first used by William Shakespeare. When righting his plays he would write the word DRAG in the corners of the page to indicate "Dressed As Girl" in that scene . . . As all actors back in the day were men.
Wonderful video and OBSSESSED with that multilayered pearls necklace
Seriously have wondered why no one talks about this.
unrelated but I love your @
@@randomhuman_05 Thank you
Oh, plenty of people have talked about it for years.
@@AleeshaWeesha Not enough people.
It's not that it's not talked about. A lot of the comunity just chooses to ignore it.
Your voice is so soothing, if you read audiobooks it would be amaaaaazing
Jessica, thanks for making the vid... I use to watch the show but I have only watch so much. Until I kind of lost track.
This was a masterpiece. The three costumes/characters…the asides…and good research. Well done. Usually in the US the mineral rights go with the surface land use, but some states and jurisdictions have different restrictions, etc. So for anyone buying land in the US or a house and the land it is on, generally speaking you won’t have to worry about someone coming along and fracking under your home.
So excited for this vid!!!❤
Ooo I've been waiting for this girlllll
wow, thank you for this detailed deep dive, I really appreciate all of the work that you put into this!❤❤❤❤
Thank you for talking about this!!
Another thoughtful, insightful and well-researched history video!! Thank you!
One note: I wouldn’t mention, but since you said you learned many drag queen names from written versions, wanted to offer one note. This concerns the pronunciation of the name of Crystal LaBeija. I believe it’s actually spoken as Crystal “La-Beige-ah,” honoring her background as a person of color. There is a more complete explanation of how her name evolved on her Wikipedia page.
To anyone interested in some FIERCE drag kings, I recommend looking up the influence that Dope Saint Jude has had on the growing South African drag scene.
Thank you for this video. Research, writing and attention to nuance and detail, bravo. Also, unrelated to the quality of the content/ narration - your outfits are immaculate as always. I'm always delighted by your style whenever I watch one of your videos.
This was amazing. Thank you for this deep dive. Your the best
Loved the video.
Also, can we just agree that you will be our future spokesperson for everything LGBT-related?
I've been waiting for this!
What a brilliant video, Jessica, especially the gentle reminder around minute 34. Lovely as always. 🎀💖🎀
so interessting!! I'd also love a video on drag history and the house system!!
You’re so well spoken, incredible video
This is fascinating. I've never actually seen RuPaul's show but I'm probably going to check it out. Something I saw years ago, a film called Victor Victoria starring Julie Andrews and James Garner Julie dresses as a man to perform a lounge Act and poor James Garner finds himself drawn to her even though he is straight, while still thinking she's a man. It was quite interesting. And I'm sure you've already previously addressed the fact that during the 16th and 17th centuries and even later female parts in stage plays were played by men who dressed up as women. So honestly, why are people so upset about drag queens reading to little kids. They're just guys in a costume for Pete's sake.
is that madame x with a teddy bear in the background?! omg it’s awesome.
Drag is not being trans, and being trans is not drag. There are drag kings/queens out there that aren't trans, and there are trans people out there that aren't drag kings/queens. But they can meet, and that's a personal preference. Not all people have similar interests (thankfully)...
Another great, fun and informative video to watch. Thanks, Jess.
This video was so interesting! I was on a verge of a panic attack, so I opened you tube, saw your video and immediately clicked on it! in like 5 mins I was smiling. Somehow your videos make me feel seen, happy, and manage to teach me something every time! Thank you so so much!
Great bit of education and critique! Thanks Jessica.
Ive been WAITING for this video
I'm so glad I came across your channel. ❤
I’m glad i’m not the only one who thought that when Rupaul was saying how impressive it is that Willow Pill “rose above” her illnesses 😬 When michelle said it’s so great she never uses her chronic illness as an “excuse”, in one episode (might have been the same one) Everyone in the work room grabbed things for the design challenge when she had to take longer to open the boxes, and ended up being left with barely anything. She pulled together a great outfit, but to applaud her for not complaining when the producers gave her no accommodations and nobody other than Kornbread offered to help her is so aggravating!!
They did similar things on Yvies season and I hated that mentality ugh
Its a bold af title. 😮 Very well researched video 😊
But was it a Mothertucking good title? 😂
Great content. Great to hear you speaking on the issues around Drag Race and also pointing out that double edged sword of Drag Race becoming so mainstream. I used to love it but I noticed a lot of the same negatives in the show.
You are one of the few I have seen speaking on the gaslighting of The Vixen. They were completely vilified and made to look like they were bullying Eureka.
But it was Eureka who was using micro aggressions towards The Vixen was harshly criticised and suffered from it and still gets flack from certain demographics within the community and that’s disheartening . A lot of older members of the community sometimes have a hard time moving past that… well I struggled, so should you, mentality. I love your dry witty comments and take on delivering issues and various history regarding LGBTQIA+ and Disabled individuals. Keep it up 👍 🎉❤
Rather than banding together. I live in hope that we will grow and learn from the past mistakes and evolve together.
I adore your deep dives into a subject, I learn so much. Thank you
Re. fracking- In the US, split estate lands, in which the surface and subsurface minerals are owned separately, are the exception. For privately owned land, they mostly result from the Stock-Raising Homestead Act. If land transferred from federal to private ownership by the particular process established by that act, it's split estate. Otherwise, it *probably* isn't.
For RuPaul's husband's land in Wyoming... without further information, who knows? It might be split estate, it might not. If it is split estate, he might own both surface and subsurface, he might not. The fact that it's a ranch increases the odds of it being split estate, since the Stock-Raising Homestead Act was about, well, raising livestock. That act also applied to lands in the western US, so Wyoming increases the odds.
(I work in federal land management, so professionally I'm kind of adjacent to these issues.)
I just love your videos they’re so wonderful and funny
Thank you Jessica. For so many reasons, but chiefly for educating us thoroughly and with incredible style.
Well done, Jessica!! Also "To Woo Fong"? Work! LOL
When I first heard of RuPaul's Drag Race, I was disappointed to learn it wasn't a show about people drag racing while in drag.
I just wanted to say how lovely you are. Your analyses are always so well thought out and presented and your presentation is just delightful. Truly a spoon full of sugar sometimes.
12:57 "I've already talked about balls"
Apparently I'm 4 years old 😂
I mean, to be fair in the context of drag and tucking and such being susceptible to another interpretation of the word balls is not that weird... Or at least that's what I'd like to believe (otherwise I'm a fellow 4-year-old, hi 😅)
In any case I'm happy because this reminded me of my favourite scene in Good Omens (if you've watched it) where Crowley and Aziraphale talk about Jane Austen and her balls... Cotillion balls 🙃
(Yeah ok... I might just be 4 😃)
As a dang foreigner I thought Ru Paul and Rand Paul were the same person.
great video! i want to add to your discussion (with a lot of US centric examples bc that’s my context) about structural racism to say that it’s not just stereotypes and attitudes, though that’s definitely part of it. it’s also about structures like law, prisons and schools. many of the stereotypes you refer to are direct results of those structural factors. for example, the “mammy” stereotype about Black women comes from the exploitation of Black women for domestic labor and child-rearing, and minstrel shows characterizing enslaved Black women doing domestic work as de-sexualized, usually dark-skinned and fat, benevolent caretakers happy to serve their enslavers as a “part of the family.” stereotypes and social norms are part of structural racism but it’s important to connect them to the material conditions that produce those norms!
The fracking episode in Bojack makes so much more sense now lol
I love "To Wong Fu". One of my fave movies ever. :)
Why am I addicted to your channel? So much of the humor is so silly, but I eat it all up. Why? Maybe it's the fabulous history and culture I learn with every video? Maybe it's your delightful Victorian delivery? Whatevers... keep up the good work!
Iappreciate all your hard work
Thank you for doing an enlightening video.
“To woo fong” same Jessica same 😂
Not to bring up a straight person too much, but Maddie is an AMAZING interviewer. I'm so glad Ru gave her a chance because she's absolutely fantastic. I learn more about queens from her interviews than I ever do on Drag Race. Her interview with Farah is a whole experience, and shows so much depth of character to someone who was always portrayed as the ditzy dumb blonde on the show.
Thank you for another objective, info-packed lesson, Jessica!
Watched a great video on the intense controlling contract and NDA requirements for participants on drag race .... really concerning