Trans 'Drag Race' Star Peppermint Responds to RuPaul's Controversial Interview
"RuPaul's Drag Race" Season 9 star Peppermint, who identifies as a transgender woman, is responding to the reality show's host RuPaul after he gave a controversial interview in which he discussed trans contestants and Peppermint herself.
When speaking to the Guardian, Ru said he'd "probably" not allow a transgender queen who has fully transitioned onto the show. He also discussed Peppermint, saying, "Peppermint didn't get breast implants until after she left our show; she was identifying as a woman, but she hadn't really transitioned."
After an outcry from fans and "Drag Race" stars, Ru eventually offered an apology on Twitter.
Not long after that, Peppermint wrote an op-ed for Billboard, directly responding to RuPaul, his comments as well as his apology.
"RuPaul kicked open so many doors for queer and gender non-conforming folks and is an absolute trailblazer in the world of drag. But recently," she wrote. "Ru made statements I disagree with."
Peppermint goes on to acknowledge the good Ru has done for the LGBTQ community and the drag queen community but still voices her disappointment.
"The most important takeaway is that one's transition, the beginning, the middle, and end, is entirely personal and cannot be categorized or measured in the context of being blessed by someone else's validation or approval," she adds.
Later on in her piece, Peppermint discusses RuPaul's apology.
"RuPaul issued an apology, which I think is an important step in this ongoing conversation," she writes. "It shows all of us, there is room for growth, education, and I'm hoping a bit of evolution.
"Unfortunately it won't be the first or last time we will hear a woman can't do something a man can," Peppermint adds. "I'm out to change that."
You can read Peppermint's full piece for Billboard by clicking here.