On Tuesday, RuPaul appeared on the Late Show where he spoke about his support in casting Gottmik, Drag Race's first out transgender male queen. The move was long anticipated and gained tons of praise from fans of the popular show.
“I walked into this thing with an idea of what drag is and the kids have a different idea. They keep changing it,”said RuPaul. “This season we have a trans man (Gottmik) on our show who is competing with the other drag queens. And this man is fantastic. Fantastic! So, I keep moving with what the kids are doing.”
In the past, RuPaul found himself in hot water after making problematic comments on non-cisgender queens.
During a 2018 interview with The Guardian, he famously said: "Drag loses its sense of danger and its sense of irony once it’s not men doing it, because at its core it’s a social statement and a big f-you to male-dominated culture. So for men to do it, it’s really punk rock, because it’s a real rejection of masculinity."
However, he has since apologized. RuPaul says it important “to keep an open mind.” But, at the same time he was unsure how a transgender male contestant would fit into the competition.
The host even went as far as to change the iconic catchphrase in order to be more gender inclusive.
An learning process
Despite the comments, Gottmik defended RuPaul. "Every single person in the world is growing and learning every day. So why is (RuPaul) not allowed to as well?" Gottmik says.
The called the host "an amazing, iconic drag performer who wants to keep pushing the boundaries like all of us."
Gottmik continues, "I'm so honored that I can come in and help get the RuPaul blessing to show the world that drag is for everyone."
Michelle Visage, a longtime judge on the show, says "the inclusion of Gottmik is wonderful for trans men out there who might think that they don't have a place on the show; they do."
While New Years Eve marked the premier of season 13, many also say it marks a new age in drag entertainment where they can see more inclusivity.