According to a gay man who wears women’s clothing as a career, not a trans person, RuPaul: ‘the only difference between a drag queen and a transsexual is $25,000 and a good surgeon.’
That’s intentionally confusing to his viewers, both straight and gay (and primarily cisgender) who watch his show because his mainstream celebrity and his throwing around the t-word towards anybody with a penis wearing a dress, despite their actual gender identity, makes him seem like an expert on the topic when in fact he is anything but. And for what? As a trans woman in the marketing industry, I fail to see what he stands to gain other than a platform for his obvious superiority complex.
Trans people fought at Stonewall and alongside the LGB for equality for decades. We’re still really waiting for our pivotal moment, and the LGB have already made clear their lack of support. They feel like their rights are our rights despite the reality that they are most certainly not. RuPaul would be wise to consider this when attempting to be a T spokesperson when in fact he is a G person with a bully pulpit and male privilege.
Separate the T? Yes, please. But if the LGB were really our supporters and had a shred of loyalty, they wouldn’t want to let us go.
On RuPaul and Separating the T from the GLBT
According to a gay man who wears women’s clothing as a career, not a trans person, RuPaul: ‘the only difference between a drag queen and a transsexual is $25,000 and a good surgeon.’
That’s intentionally confusing to his viewers, both straight and gay (and primarily cisgender) who watch his show because his mainstream celebrity and his throwing around the t-word towards anybody with a penis wearing a dress, despite their actual gender identity, makes him seem like an expert on the topic when in fact he is anything but. And for what? As a trans woman in the marketing industry, I fail to see what he stands to gain other than a platform for his obvious superiority complex.
Trans people fought at Stonewall and alongside the LGB for equality for decades. We’re still really waiting for our pivotal moment, and the LGB have already made clear their lack of support. They feel like their rights are our rights despite the reality that they are most certainly not. RuPaul would be wise to consider this when attempting to be a T spokesperson when in fact he is a G person with a bully pulpit and male privilege.
Separate the T? Yes, please. But if the LGB were really our supporters and had a shred of loyalty, they wouldn’t want to let us go.