RuPaul’s Drag Race: Charlize Theron delivers powerful message to season 16 queens
Charlize Theron told the Drag Race season 16 queens that the wave of hate drag performers and LGBTQ+ folks are facing in the US is ‘coming from a place of fear’. (Drag Race/MTV)
RuPaul’s Drag Race guest judge Charlize Theron once again stood up for the LGBTQ+ community when she gave an impassioned speech to the queens of season 16.
The Oscar-winning actor surprised contestants on the newest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race US when she sashayed into the Werk Room for the season premiere on Friday (5 January).
At the opening of the episode, Theron shared homemade malva pudding – a sweet South African dessert – along with some words of wisdom with the queens. The Monster actor urged the group to remain strong amid a growing wave of hateful legislation in the US targeting drag performers and the LGBTQ+ community.
“I just wanted to say, given the climate in our country right now, there is a lot of energy being put toward your community not existing,” Theron told the competitors.
“I truly believe that all of that is coming from a place of fear.
“The beauty of who you guys are, what your community brings to all of us and the truth of who you are and represent will come out.
“Don’t give up.”
In a sweet heart-to-heart with the queens in the Untucked aftershow, Theron elaborated further about how she wanted her two young children to grow up in a world where they feel accepted.
“I have two small children, and I want them to grow up in a world where they know what it means to accept what’s not you, what is different and love that, to not be scared of that, and to embrace it, and that’s my job as a mom,” she said.
“I feel like we’re living in a day and age where our words can so easily be weaponised against us.
“I worry about us, as people, and what we can do to each other, and how powerful it is when you love and how powerful it is when you hate. One destroys and one builds.”
Charlize Theron has long established herself as a drag and LGBTQ+ ally, making her the perfect addition to the latest season of Drag Race as a guest judge.
The Atomic Blonde actor revealed in 2019 that her eldest child, Jackson, is trans and has shared gushing updates about both of her daughters in the years since.
In May, during the Drag Isn’t Dangerous telethon, Theron vowed to “f**k up” anyone who goes after drag queens.
“In all seriousness, there [are] so many things that are hurting and really killing our kids, and we all know what I’m talking about right now, and it ain’t no drag queen,” Theron said.
“If you’ve ever seen a drag queen lip sync for her life, it only makes you happier.”
The telethon raised over $500,000 with all of the proceeds going to LGBTQ+ organisations like GLAAD, GLSEN, Black Queen Town Hall, Trans Justice Funding Project and more.
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 is available to watch on MTV in the US and WOW Presents Plus internationally.
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