RuPaul to ‘Drag Race’ critics: ‘Bitch, you need to get stronger’
By Josh Haggis
RuPaul has hit back at critics who have labelled Drag Race “transphobic”.
The popular reality series, which sees 14 drag queens compete for the title of ‘America’s Next Drag Superstar’, has recently completed its sixth season – click here to find out who won.
In April, makers LOGO TV made the decision to remove the iconic “you’ve got she-mail” phrase from future episodes of Drag Race, after they received complaints from viewers claiming the terminology was transphobic.
In an interview on podcast WTF with Marc Maron earlier this week (May 19), RuPaul defended the show’s right to use language as it sees fit, saying: “Does the word ‘tranny’ bother me? No. I love the word ‘tranny’.”
The entertainer – full name RuPaul Andre Charles – went on to say:
“You know, if your idea of happiness has to do with someone else changing what they say, what they do, you are in for a fucking hard-ass road. You can be whatever the hell you wanna be, I ain’t stopping you. But don’t you dare tell me what I can do or what I can’t — say or can’t do. It’s just words, like, ‘Yeah, you hurt me!’ Bitch, you need to get stronger.”
The full podcast can be heard here.
Meanwhile, RuPaul has recently released the video for her new single Sissy That Walk, which co-stars the three finalists from the latest season of Drag Race, Adore Delano, Bianca Del Rio and Courtney Act – click here to watch it.