Drag Race star BenDeLaCreme calls out hypocrisy of anti-drag and anti-trans bills
Drag Race star BenDeLaCreme has addressed the hypocrisy of anti-trans and anti-drag bills making their way through US state legislatures.
During an appearance on MSNBC, Jonathan Capehart asked DeLa to discuss Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender children and teens. “It’s really a terrifying time for so many reasons for the queer community,” she told the host. “We’re being set back so far.” “My personal attachment to the trans healthcare attacks is not only that I have a huge group of friends through the drag community, who I have a personal relationship with, who are trans, I also have a trans partner and there is so much fear around how people are going to continue to live their full, authentic life,” she continued. “I know people who are starting to figure out how they’re going to hoard hormones in case in their state, suddenly they don’t have access to the things they need.” DeLa further explained that such legislation “fuels this fire of violence, this perception that trans people are less than, that trans people are somehow trying to disrupt society, trying to do something to your children or your way of life, rather than trying to go around their own business.” READ MORE: Tennessee bans public drag shows and gender-affirming care for children As well as the bill banning gender-affirming care for trans youth, Tennessee’s governor, Bill Lee, signed one preventing drag performances from taking place on public property or in places where minors could be present.
Although the word “drag” does not appear in the bill, the definition of adult cabaret has been changed to mean “adult-oriented performances that are harmful to minors”.
