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RuPaul thanks Emmys for 11 Drag Race nominations as LGBTQ rights are ‘threatened’

Shantay you stay!

By Emily Maskell

Words: Emily Maskell; pictures: WOW

RuPaul’s Drag Race is stunting pretty with 11 nominations in this year’s Emmys including the fiercely competitive Outstanding Competition Program category. 

Drag Race has some serious competition and will face off against The Amazing Race, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, Nailed It!, Top Chef, and The Voice.

The RuPaul empire is renowned in this category having won for four consecutive years. But will the winning streak continue?

 
 
 
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A post shared by RuPaul’s Drag Race (@rupaulsdragrace)

RuPaul has won the coveted title of Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program six consecutive times but is also facing some strong competition this year as Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness are also nominated.

In 2018, the show became the first to win Primetime Emmys in both categories (Outstanding Competition and Outstanding Host), a feat it has since repeated three times.

In the wake of the show’s numerous nominations, RuPaul released a statement via Instagram, thanking the Television Academy for the recognition but drawing attention to the continued fight for rights LGBTQ+ people face.

 
 
 
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A post shared by RuPaul (@rupaulofficial)

The star wrote: “As the basic human rights of the LGBTQ+ people are being threatened once again, I want to thank our peers in the Television Academy for acknowledging the achievements of the beautiful and talented souls that work in front of and behind the cameras at RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

“Through the miracle of drag, our spectacular Season 14 queens have touched hearts and opened minds around the planet.”

RuPaul concluded by thanking the production teams behind the show and noted that they will forever treasure the platform they have been given “to tell authentic queer stories,” adding that they pledge to continue to “spread light, love, and laughter.”

The Drag Race franchise is also being recognised for its technical and production prowess, with nominations garnered for the likes of production design, casting, cinematography, and directing.

All Stars joins Drag Race in nominations for Outstanding Picture Editing For A Structured Reality Or Competition Program.

Elsewhere in the franchise’s success, RuPaul’s Drag Race Whatcha Packin’ With Michelle Visage is up for Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction Or Reality Series

Drag Race: Untucked is also featured in the Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program category.

The Attitude July/August issue is out now.