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# RuPaul shows support for trans drag artists
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/rupaul-shows-support-for-trans-drag-artists/
- Published: 2021-01-08T14:14:23.000Z
- Updated: 2021-01-07T16:38:39.000Z
- Description: RuPaul has spoken out in support of trans drag artists, after the Drag Race franchise has been continuously criticised for its lack of trans and non-binary inclusion.
- Author: Rachel Badham
- Tags: Arts, News, Television, Drag Queens, Drag Race, LGBTQ, Rupaul, Trans inclusion, Transgender

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/rupaul-1.jpg)

**RuPaul** has spoken out in support of trans drag artists, after the *Drag Race* franchise has been continuously criticised for its lack of trans and non-binary inclusion. In 2018, RuPaul faced backlash after telling [**The Guardian**](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/mar/03/rupaul-drag-race-big-f-you-to-male-dominated-culture?ref=scenemag.co.uk) he was unlikely to allow trans contestants on the show, saying: *“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.”*

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/gottmik.jpg)

Gottmik

However, in a recent appearance on *The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,* RuPaul said the most important lesson they learnt from *Drag Race* was *“to keep an open mind”* in relation to the meaning of drag and its importance to gender diverse communities. Season 13 of the Emmy award winning show features the first trans-masculine contestant, [**Gottmik**](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/cast-of-drag-race-season-13-announced/), to ever star in *Drag Race*, who RuPaul praised: *“I walked into this thing with an idea of what drag is and the kids have a different idea. They keep changing it. This season we have a trans man who is on our show who is competing with the other drag queens and this man is fantastic.”*

They continued: *“I keep moving with what the kids are doing.”* Season 13 also saw RuPaul change one of the most notable *Drag Race* catchphrases to make the show more inclusive of trans, non-binary and gender diverse contestants. Nearly every episode of the US show has shown Ru saying: *“Gentlemen, start your engines, and may the best woman win”*, however the opening episode of the 13th season saw the host alter the phrase to *“Racers, start your engines, and may the best drag queen win*” in a move to include gender diverse drag queens.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvWQHaYnMXU?amp](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvWQHaYnMXU?amp&ref=scenemag.co.uk)