It was revealed that RuPaul’s Drag Race help garner in over $2 million in donations to the American Civil Liberties Union’s Drag Defense Fund.
To help fight against the oppression the community continues to face, a partnership between World of Wonder, MTV, and “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” was born in April 2023.
The Drag Defense Fund defends constitutional rights and creative expression in the LGBTQ+ community at a moment when they are under attack and have become a rallying cry for many GOP political leaders and activists.
“Thanks to the hard work and promotion of MTV, World of Wonder and the queens of Drag Race, the Drag Defense Fund continues to fuel our work defending LGBTQ+ rights across the country at a time those rights are under relentless attack,” said Josh Block, senior staff attorney for the ACLU’s LGBTQ+ and HIV Project.
Can I get an amen? 🗣️ Thank you, @CashApp! 👏 Head to https://t.co/r3x6qITnmp to learn more 💕 #DragRace pic.twitter.com/9H9dicOqXu
— RuPaul's Drag Race (@RuPaulsDragRace) April 20, 2024
“We’re so thankful for this partnership and the support it provides our critical work defending LGBTQ+ people, our rights, and our families.”
In recent years, the community has seen many anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced including a highly controversial drag ban across several states.
The fund has worked to defend various Pride events in Massachusetts and Tennessee. It has successfully blocked Texas, Florida, and Montana drag ban laws.
“The freedom to express ourselves and our gender identity in creative ways fuels artistry across our country and culture – and Drag is protected by the First Amendment like any creative expression such as dance, fashion, and music,” reads an official statement on the organization's website.
Donations for the Drag Defense Fund have been powered by a QR code that appears at the end of episodes of RuPaul’s RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars.
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