Why RuPaul's Drag Race is the New (and not demeaning) Miss America Pageant
First, a brief statement on why the Miss America Pageant is a ridiculously demeaning and outdated tradition that shouldn’t exist anymore.
The Miss America Pageant has always had a pretty bad reputation for being racist, sexist, and horrible for the self-esteem of real women everywhere; each year crowning their version of the perfect woman. The idea of watching a bunch of women parading around in bikinis and performing cheesy choreographed dance routines in an age where beauty is subjective and every woman is the “perfect woman” is a serious step backwards.
Now, let’s talk about why RuPaul’s Drag Race is amazing and should render Miss America obsolete.
RuPaul’s Drag Race has inspired a whole new genre of fandom for the younger generation; including young girls. Where these girls would usually be idolizing the beauty queens perpetuating unrealistic ideas of female beauty, they are now looking up to fierce, diverse, and proud queens who preach confidence and being apologetically yourself at all times.
The show was released in 2009 by its producer, host, and drag celebrity RuPaul. Since its start, it's transformed from a cult favorite to a national phenomenon where thirteen fabulous and talented drag queens compete for the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar and a $100,000 cash prize. The show has been honored with awards such as the TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming and the MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Reality Competition.
The most recent season of RuPaul’s Drag Race was a game changer for the legacy of drag queens in America. Not only was this it’s debut season on VH1, moving from its previous spot on the lesser viewed station Logo, but season 9 winner Sasha Velour set a new standard for the intelligence that a queen can possess and the difference that America’s Next Drag Superstar can make.
Velour is a self-proclaimed “amateur drag historian” and a Fulbright Scholar. Her victory in season 9 was more than just the beginning of a singing career like many of the queens that came before her; she has used her platform and cash prize to empower and bring light to the the LGBT+ community and other queens across the country. One of her main ventures of queer activism is her magazine, Velour, that features issues in the drag community.
It was more than just Velour that inspired viewers this season, however. The show aired conversations about important topics like eating disorders in the queer community as well as iconic moments such as the first queen coming out as transgender and another queen coming out as HIV positive. The contestants come in all shapes and sizes and promote self love at every corner. As RuPaul says at the end of every episode: “If you don’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?”
Can I get an amen?
