RuPaul has some sharp words for straight women who feel entitled to use gay bars as a carnivalesque stop-in for their shrill, slurry bachelorette parties.
Speaking with “Dinner Party Overload,” he says the trend is emblematic of a much larger problem: straight people who treat gay culture like it’s their own personal accessory.
Related: RuPaul’s surprising admission about her relationship
“Check yourself before you wreck yourself,” RuPaul says. “You know, this is an important thing: People who live in the mainstream and the status quo think that everyone else is there to serve them.”
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“People don’t know how to place me in their consciousness. They think, ‘Oh, you must be here to make me look good. That’s what gay guys are, right? You’re an accessory for my straight life.’ Just because your limited view is that everyone’s there to serve you and that you’re the only person in the world. It doesn’t work that way.
So I’m a brown-skinned gay man. You know, I do drag. Early on, I learned that I could do it well and make money. So people automatically ask me about beauty tips. And I get kids who write me and say, ‘I wish you could do my makeup for my prom?’ Or, ‘I wish you could do my makeup for my wedding?’ I’m like, ‘Bitch, I’m not a makeup artist. I’m an enter-taint-er! OK?’”
Related: But what does RuPaul REALLY think of Seth Myers’ shower bod?
While Ru emphasizes that straight people are welcome in gay bars, he strongly suggests they try to understand what the spaces are for in the first place.
h/t: The Grio
jkthsnk
Never loved them more.
FnameLname
Funny how people like Kathy Griffin are the worst offenders. She is constantly referring to her friends and some of her employees as “Her gays” or her “Hair and Make Up Gays”. Tori Spelling thinks everyone should have a few lying around the house..hoarding them because you know they are so addictive..she even made a video about it. http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6551630cd2/hoarders-untold-stori I know its a comedy but the message is clear. Gays are accessories. How cute for us.
dean089
Amen! I remember years ago when Oprah had the ‘Queer Eye’ guys on her show she said “Everyone loves the gays!” I thought to myself, yeah, they love us when we put on gayface and do a minstrel show. That’s not the same as equality, not even close. Kudos to RuPaul for putting it out there.
ShowMeGuy
Dear RuPaul,
Your attitude on the subject is real rich given your entire career is built upon exploiting the gay stereotype of DRAG.
You do not speak for me, BeeeOTCH.
The relationship dynamic between myself and my fruitflies isn’t any of your business.
man5996853
Drag isn’t a stereotype.
And he never claimed to speak for you, nor did he indicate that he gave a shit about your business.
DCguy
The fact that you got SO defensive over it shows that there is some major baggage there. Sorry drag queens frighten your sense of self so much.
myloginname
May I add stop calling grown gay men “boys”
He BGB
Some gay men enjoy being accessories. But I’m such a slob I doubt any straight woman would want to be seen with me ……
radiooutmike
I think I’d rather like being an accessory, but I am just a slob as well. Which is why no one thinks I am gay to being with.
So, any women who read here, I can be your GBF.