Logo, RuPaul's Drag Race Respond to Antitrans Slurs

The network and producers behind RuPaul's Drag Race have issued statements responding to harsh criticism lobbed their way after the show featured an episode many trans people found offensive.

Earlier this month, RuPaul's Drag Race featured a segment titled, "Female or She-male." The segment's use of the antitransgender slur was widely panned as transphobic. In the days that followed, a number of publications — including The Advocate — ran pieces documenting the online backlash aimed at the show, Logo TV, and media advocacy organization GLAAD.

The show has long been viewed by some transgender individuals as transphobic, making use of slurs explicitly labeled as "defamatory" in GLAAD's trangender media reference guide. For his part, RuPaul has long defended the use of such slurs — specifically the word "tranny" — going so far as to speak out against celebrities who have apologized for public use of the word in a 2012 Huffington Post interview.

"It's ridiculous! It's ridiculous! I love the word 'tranny,'" RuPaul told Huff Po when asked his opinion on Lance Bass apologizing for using the word. "I hate the fact that he's apologized. I wish he would have said, 'F-you, you tranny jerk!'"

Nearly two weeks after the "She-male" episode first aired, the producers of RuPaul's Drag Race issued a statement responding to allegations of transphobic rhetoric, while media watchdog organization GLAAD also provided insight into the work it's been doing behind the scenes with Logo and Drag Race.

"We delight in celebrating every color in the LGBT rainbow," the show's executive producers wrote. "When it comes to the movement of our trans sisters and trans brothers, we are newly sensitized and more committed than ever to help spread love, acceptance and understanding.

The channel which hosts RuPaul's Drag Race, Viacom-owned Logo TV, also responded to criticism, promising to improve its coverage of trans individuals, though stopping short of admitting any wrongdoing.

"We have heard the concerns around this segment," Logo's statement reads. "We are committed to sharing a diverse range of trans stories across all of our screens and look forward to featuring positive and groundbreaking stories of trans people in the future."

GLAAD followed up this morning, issuing a statement explaining its relative silence on the issue since the controversial episode first aired.

"The morning after the segment aired GLAAD staff reached out to Logo and shared our own concerns, as well as the feedback we heard from the trans community," writes GLAAD's associate director of communications, Nick Adams. "We also talked directly to the producers of RuPaul's Drag Race."

The blog post continued, responding to some criticism that GLAAD did not publicly respond to the problematic statement in a timely manner:

"The mistakes made in this segment should not be repeated. Words are important and have tremendous power. Since 1999 we have stated in our Media Reference Guide that anti-trans slurs are defamatory: 'These words only serve to dehumanize transgender people and should not be used.' The network and the show's producers heard that from us — and from those of you who spoke up. It's a message that GLAAD staff (trans and cis) have shared with countless LGB and straight producers, reporters, celebrities, and media executives. Some writers and trans advocates questioned our entire commitment to trans people because we did not post about this issue on our site immediately. Why was there not an immediate post? We know from past experience that dialogue and education are the most effective ways to create substantive and lasting change in the media, and today's statements are the beginning of new conversations with this network and this show. Speaking out against certain words is only one part of creating a safer and more just world for trans people. Reaching that goal will require telling the stories of trans people in a way that destroys stereotypes and humanizes our existence. GLAAD is committed to telling those stories. We will continue to work with trans women who have gained visibility through their inclusion on RuPaul's Drag Race — women like Carmen Carrera and Monica Beverly Hillz. We will work with Logo as they follow through on their commitment to share diverse and groundbreaking stories of trans women and men. We will continue working to create more opportunities in all media (mainstream and LGBT) for trans people to talk about the beauty and diversity within our community. We hope you will join us in our other current campaigns to help the first trans woman perform at Carnegie Hall, end discrimination against trans women at Crossfit, and bring mainstream media attention to the Trans 100. Culture-changing work is a marathon, not a sprint. The specific details of GLAAD's work with the media are not always visible, but our commitment to fair and accurate representations of trans people in news and entertainment media is unwavering."

In a personal blog post Saturday, GLAAD board cochair and best-selling author Jennifer Finney Boylan expressed mixed feelings about what has become a very contentious series of events: