‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ strut stuff on National Mall
The cast of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” took to a different kind of stage Monday morning, sashaying down Washington’s National Mall to promote the ninth season of the Emmy-nominated reality series.
The cast of eight “Drag Race” alumni arrived at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in appropriate style, serving looks inspired by the patriotic comic book superheroes Wonder Woman and Captain America in the colors of the American flag. They posed for photos in front of the reflecting pool, against the backdrop of the iconic Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol.
“It feels like progress,” said “Drag Race” Season 14 contestant Angeria Paris VanMicheals, reflecting on the significance of promoting the show in the nation’s capital.
“In this moment, I feel very proud of my country and just the fact that we’re able to do stuff like this now,” she said. “It kind of shows how far we are coming as a country — slowly but surely, we get there.”
Drag performances have become a political flashpoint in recent years and are increasingly targeted by threats, protests and violent action by opponents who say drag is inappropriate for children. Lawmakers in at least a dozen states this year filed legislation meant to curtail performances on public property or where they may be seen by a minor.
Most Americans oppose laws restricting drag, an NPR-PBS NewsHour-Marist poll found.
Laws limiting where and how drag performances can take place passed in six Republican-led states last year, though four of them — in Florida, Montana, Texas and Tennessee — are currently unenforceable because of federal court orders. GOP leaders in Congress have also sought to crack down on drag shows, and top defense officials in June banned drag performances on military bases after pressure from House Republicans.
At least three provisions in federal funding bills passed by the House last year included bans or heavy restrictions on drag performances. Those provisions, and others that targeted access to gender-affirming health care and certain diversity initiatives, were not included in the final $1.2 trillion spending package signed by President Biden in March.
A 2022 bill introduced by now-House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) sought to prohibit federal funds from being used for “sexually oriented” events for children, which Johnson at the time said includes family-friendly drag shows and drag queen story hours.
Performers and LGBTQ advocates have defended drag as a form of self-expression that challenges societal norms and promotes inclusivity. They reject claims that drag is inherently sexual or inappropriate for young people.
“Our voices are still trying to be silenced in so many ways, and it's important as a queen with a voice to be able to utilize it and be able to utilize it for the good, because people do listen,” said Shannel, who competed on the first season of “Drag Race” in 2009. “I think more than ever, especially with the election coming up, it is just vitally important to be able to use your voice and to spread the word.”
“Drag is so powerful,” said “Drag Race” Season 11 contestant Nina West. “We represent such a diverse community that is definitely a pivotal and important voice, especially in elections.”
LGBTQ people played a pivotal role in Biden’s win in 2020, a Washington Post analysis found, and both Biden and former President Trump have sought to attract LGBTQ voters ahead of the November election. The “Drag Race” cast will wrap up their visit to Washington with a meet-and-greet with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at a popular gay bar in Washington’s Logan Circle neighborhood and a screening of the new season at the Motion Picture Association.
“’Drag Race’ does kind of provide this massive platform and visibility, so to have us here is remarkable,” said West. “But I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that there are queens here doing the work every single day. There are drag queens all over this city who are standing in equality in this fight, and I hope that we are only able to amplify that message.”
This season’s queens will compete for charity for the first time, with the winner awarded a $200,000 donation to an organization of their choice. Season 9 of “All Stars” will premiere on May 17 on Paramount+.
Date: |
Filter
-
Joey Logano claims pole for NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro
Christopher Bell's crew wins pit crew competition.Yahoo Sports - Sports - NASCAR -
NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro 2024: Race format, rules, how to watch, stream, preview, picks
The All-Star Race returns to legendary North Wilkesboro for the second year in a rowCBS Sports - Sports - NASCAR -
2024 NASCAR All-Star Race: North Wilkesboro DFS lineups, Fantasy picks, odds, driver pool, rankings by expert
Mike McClure, a professional daily Fantasy sports player with over $2 million in DFS winnings, has locked in his expert NASCAR picks, daily fantasy lineups, fantasy NASCAR projections and sleepers for the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race at North ...CBS Sports - Sports - NASCAR -
2024 NASCAR All-Star Race picks, odds, lineup, time: Model reveals surprising North Wilkesboro Speedway picks
SportsLine simulated the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race 10,000 times as the NASCAR Cup Series returns to North Wilkesboro SpeedwayCBS Sports - Sports - NASCAR -
NASCAR All-Star Race 2024 starting lineup: Joey Logano wins pole at North Wilkesboro
Logano earned the top starting spot in qualifying Saturday as massive amounts of rain wreaked havoc on All-Star weekendCBS Sports - Sports - NASCAR -
2024 NASCAR North Wilkesboro picks, All-Star Race best bets, odds, time: Proven expert high on Chase Elliott
Steven Taranto has hit six winners this year and reveals his picks and racing best bets for the NASCAR at North Wilkesboro Speedway exhibition raceCBS Sports - Sports - NASCAR -
2024 NASCAR All-Star Race props, North Wilkesboro odds, expert picks, lineup: Use Denny Hamlin in NASCAR bets
Phil Bobbitt and Steve Greco revealed their NASCAR picks for the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro SpeedwayCBS Sports - Sports - NASCAR -
WSL title race 'all comes down to this'
Former England players Ellen White and Katie Chapman say Chelsea have the upper hand on Manchester City going into an 'exciting' final day of the Women's Super League.BBC News - Top stories -
‘We were all going through traumas under one roof’: the drag queen adoption drama inspired by real life
Daf James’s life was upended when he and his husband adopted three kids – and he knew he had to write about it. As Lost Boys & Fairies hits the screen, the writer and cast talk about queer lives, Welshness and what makes a family click. Lost Boys ...The Guardian - World -
Stars win race to the Western Conference finals: Keys to their rise,
Dallas is halfway to a Stanley Cup. Here are the biggest trends so far and which ones will stick in the next rounds.ESPN - Sports
More from The Hill
-
Former NATO leader says pro-Palestinian campus protesters should not ‘be applauded’
Former NATO commander James Stavridis criticized the pro-Palestinian protestors Sunday, claiming they should not be the ones who are applauded. “The young men and women who built that pier are the young Americans who should be applauded,” ...The Hill - Politics -
It's a poll, not a crystal ball
No poll six months from Election Day can tell us what will happen.The Hill - Politics -
Why Biden's China tariffs could hurt his climate agenda
As President Biden strives to prove his pro-manufacturing and anti-China credentials ahead of his likely election rematch with former President Trump, his far-reaching climate agenda could pay a price. Biden this past week hiked tariffs on ...The Hill - Politics -
Biden’s Morehouse speech exposes his 2024 political problems
President Biden will set foot on a college campus Sunday for the first time since universities around the country became hotbeds for protests over the Israel-Hamas war. Biden is delivering a commencement speech at Morehouse College, an ...The Hill - Politics - Joe Biden -
Trump’s hush money defense in question as criminal trial nears close
Questions are flying about whether Donald Trump will put up a defense in his historic hush money criminal trial as the Manhattan district attorney’s office winds down its case-in-chief this week. The former president’s attorneys, it seems, don’t ...The Hill - Politics - Donald Trump