Six veteran drag artists and former “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestants announced Thursday the launch of Drag PAC, the country’s first political action committee led by drag artists.
Founding members include drag powerhouses Jinkx Monsoon, BenDeLaCreme, Peppermint and Monét X Change. The PAC, they said, is their response to growing anti-LGBTQ hatred and violence and legislation that threatens to nullify their rights.
“We, as queer people, have to recognize that we are part of a community and the reason we have the ease of life we have now is because many people have worked for decades to make this happen. It’s our job to keep things moving in the right direction,” said two-time “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant BenDeLaCreme.
“Much of this political rhetoric has real-life effects and consequences for people of multiple marginalized identities,” said Peppermint, who placed second on the ninth season of the Emmy-winning reality show.
The performer and transgender rights activist made her Broadway debut in 2018 in the musical “Head Over Heels,” inspired by The Go-Go, becoming the first trans woman to take on a leading role.
“Every time people who attack the queer community come back to the table, it’s sharper, stronger and more impactful, and it hurts more and more,” she said.
The Drag PAC’s launch comes amid a tidal wave of legislation targeting LGBTQ people across the country. More than 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced this year in state legislatures, according to the ACLUand 39 became law.
In Congress, Republican-backed proposals would ban transgender student-athletes from competing according to their gender identity and unravel new protections for transgender students instituted by the Biden administration. Amendments added this month by House Republicans to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would prevent funds from being used for gender-affirming health care and drag events and would prevent military installations from flying LGBTQ Pride flags.
Drag performers earlier this week met with House lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to lobby for the Equality Act, federal legislation that would make sexual orientation and gender identity protected classes, as well as the Transgender Bill of Rights, a historic resolution that would strengthen civil rights protections for trans and non-binary Americans.
Those conversations have been largely productive, drag performers Jiggly Caliente, Brigitte Bandit and Joey Jay told The Hill this week.
“I feel like I was able to shed some light on areas that maybe they hadn’t thought through, and it was fun to see their gears shift a little bit,” Joey Jay, who competed on Season 13 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” said of the Republicans. of the Chamber with whom she met. “I even received some questions from them. They were taking some notes and were very honest.”
“Drag queens have always been our community leaders in the queer community, and they are some of the most public-facing, boldest and bravest members of the community,” said Dylan Bulkeley-Krane, one of the Drag PAC organizers. “Just existing as a drag queen is showing political resistance and turning gender norms upside down.”
The Drag PAC’s main focus leading up to the end of the November election will be mobilizing Gen Z voters, Bulkeley-Krane said, leveraging drag stars’ large social media platforms to get their fans to the polls. The group plans to release a series of light-hearted videos that make the election process more palatable and engaging for LGBTQ youth.
“Have you seen how invigorated ‘Drag Race’ fans are?” Bulkeley-Krane said. “This is our community and it needs to be harnessed and led in the right direction so that queer people across the country don’t have to live in fear.”
Endorsement of political candidates is likely to come later. “For now, we’re taking our time with this,” he said. The PAC also plans to recruit more local drag performers as it grows.
“We’re in the middle of something historic,” says Monét X Change, winner of the fourth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.” in a video released this week by Drag PAC. “This is the most important election cycle for the rights and freedoms of queer people in our lifetime.”
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
