Toyota: Oh geez, here we go! Let's do this. As far as problematic characters, I think it's okay if it's done correctly. RPDR/Snatch game is a pop culture microcosm, and so meta, and already such a critique of many of society's issues, so I like when a queen can dig into something in the world of the media and make it humorous. For the the first round of Trannika Rex, Nico, and Lucy Stoole's Crash Landing, I impersonated Kim Davis. She's a shit human and hurt a lot of people, but I got to turn that into something funny and turn the tables.

Chad: Right! I saw that! That was at the peak of her fifteen minutes of infamy!

Toyota: Mine too! Thorgy as Michael didn't skirt around any of his issues, but he also showed that this person was a human being, and a very talented, but damaged, one.

Chad: I mean, I really liked the performance, but I could see how someone would have a problem with him making light of what may have been sexual abuse.

Toyota: That's very true. There's always a question with artists--can you appreciate the art but despise the artist, or are they inseparable?

Chad: I hope people like my art despite me being a terrible human being.

Toyota: Let's face it, most celebs/artists have a facet about them that should not be glorified

Chad: So very, very true. Some of them even host reality shows about drag queens.

Toyota: Bloooooop. Are we going there?

Chad: If you have some thoughts you'd like to share on Ru's recent interviews and such, I'm happy to hear them!

Toyota: In all of my years of school, and also as a teacher, I don't feel knowledgeable enough to speak on this, but I am going to anyway, because I'm an American, and that's what we do. A few quotes from an interview with RuPaul and a follow-up tweet have incited quite a bit of controversy in our community.

Chad: About the inclusion of cis-women and trans performers into the Drag Race?

Toyota: Yeah, they're kind of different issues, but also kind of the same. Ru said that drag mocks gender, and trans people take gender very seriously, so while the general public thinks they're similar, they're opposites. Not the exact quote, but that's the gist.

Chad: Right, I think that's a fair summary of that particular point.

Toyota: And with that statement, he widened this already present "us vs. them" gap between gay men and trans women. It's driving a wedge between people and further boxing and labeling and other-ing, which are all things that the queer community doesn't need more of.

Chad: Right, well said.

Toyota: One side of the argument is that he's entitled to his experience and opinion, and we can't fault him for feeling the way he feels.

Chad: True. It's his show, he can cast whomever he wants.

Toyota: But as pretty much the biggest icon of our community, he's got a platform and a megaphone, so he should use that to help as many people as possible. It's not just about casting. It's this idea that all trans people take identity so seriously and "drag queens" don't. It's obviously not that cut and dry. It was just a small answer in a much longer interview, but the way he just easily dismissed the issue was painful. I know tons of queens who still take their gender and masculinity very seriously and only do drag as a job.

Chad: Right, and trans performers who have a lot of fun with gender norms!