Editing RuPaul (section)

=== Relationship with transgender community ===
RuPaul has been the subject of multiple controversies regarding his comments and actions towards the transgender community. According to ''Vox'', he has a complicated relationship with this community, in part due to differing philosophies: through drag he seeks to mock gender and identity stereotypes, while in his view the trans community takes identity seriously.<ref name="Vox-2018">{{cite news |last=Framke |first=Caroline |author-link=Caroline Framke |date=March 7, 2018 |title=How RuPaul's comments on trans women led to a Drag Race revolt – and a rare apology |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/3/6/17085244/rupaul-trans-women-drag-queens-interview-controversy |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |quote=To understand why RuPaul has always been resistant to let go of what he finds to be harmless jokes, you have to understand that he built his career on the principle that no one should take themselves or gender particularly seriously. In fact, as he told Vulture, his vision of drag is that it's meant to "remind culture to not take itself seriously." When he gets asked about the trans community's relation to drag, he said, he just gets bored because "we mock identity. They take identity very seriously." |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708195225/https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/3/6/17085244/rupaul-trans-women-drag-queens-interview-controversy |url-status=live }}</ref> Nevertheless, ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' has featured a number of contestants who are [[trans women]], including [[Kylie Sonique Love|Kylie "Sonique" Love]], [[Carmen Carrera]], [[Jiggly Caliente]], [[Monica Beverly Hillz]], [[Kenya Michaels]], and [[Gia Gunn]], some of whom made their identity public while competing on the show.<ref name="gia-trans">{{cite news |last1=Rudolph |first1=Christopher |title=Former 'Drag Race' Contestant Gia Gunn Comes Out As Trans |url=http://www.newnownext.com/gia-gunn-trans-rupauls-drag-race/03/2017/ |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=LOGO News |date=March 31, 2017 |archive-date=September 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924140517/http://www.newnownext.com/gia-gunn-trans-rupauls-drag-race/03/2017/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="salandra">{{cite news |last1=Salandra |first1=Adam |title=11 Times "RuPaul's Drag Race" Celebrated The Trans Community |url=http://www.newnownext.com/rupauls-drag-race-transgender/04/2017/ |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=LOGO News |date=April 29, 2017 |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903183028/http://www.newnownext.com/rupauls-drag-race-transgender/04/2017/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Later seasons of the show have included contestants who had already disclosed their trans identity prior to their season beginning. In 2017, [[Peppermint (entertainer)|Peppermint]] became the first contestant to compete throughout her season as an openly trans woman and in 2021 [[Gottmik]] was the first to compete as an openly [[trans man]].<ref name="pep-gsn-2018">{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=Joe |date=March 6, 2018 |title=Was trans queen Peppermint told to dress 'as a man' on Drag Race? |url=https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/trans-queen-peppermint-told-dress-man-drag-race |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903222325/https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/trans-queen-peppermint-told-dress-man-drag-race/ |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=[[Gay Star News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Allaire |first=Christian |date=March 3, 2021 |title=Gottmik, the First Trans Man on Drag Race, Is Already a Winner, Baby |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/gottmik-rupauls-drag-race-fashion-star |access-date=June 2, 2021 |website=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]] |language=en-US |archive-date=May 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502123054/https://www.vogue.com/article/gottmik-rupauls-drag-race-fashion-star |url-status=live }}</ref> Other [[Gender variance|non-conforming gender]] identities expressed by former contestants include both [[non-binary]] ([[Jinkx Monsoon]], [[Aja (entertainer)|Aja]], [[Valentina (drag queen)|Valentina]], [[Divina de Campo]], [[Ginny Lemon]], [[Violet Chachki]],<ref name="valentina-nb">{{cite news |last1=Rodriguez |first1=Mathew |date=January 14, 2019 |title=Valentina Identifies as Nonbinary: "I'm My Own Gender" |url=https://www.out.com/entertainment/2019/1/14/valentina-identifies-non-binary-im-my-own-gender |access-date=January 24, 2019 |work=[[Out (magazine)|Out]] |language=en |archive-date=May 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508095733/https://www.out.com/entertainment/2019/1/14/valentina-identifies-non-binary-im-my-own-gender |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Sasha Velour]])<ref>{{cite web |last=Tirado |first=Fran |date=April 3, 2019 |title=Sasha Velour's New Solo Show Is an Homage to Her Gender Fluidity |url=https://www.out.com/drag/2019/4/03/sasha-velours-new-solo-show-homage-her-gender-fluidity |access-date=February 3, 2024 |website=[[Out (magazine)|Out]] |language=en |archive-date=March 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305014409/https://www.out.com/drag/2019/4/03/sasha-velours-new-solo-show-homage-her-gender-fluidity |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[genderfluid]] ([[Courtney Act]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ashenden |first1=Amy |date=April 25, 2018 |title=What does gender-fluid mean? Courtney Act explains how gender-fluidity set her free |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/04/25/courtney-act-gender-fluid/ |access-date=March 20, 2020 |work=[[PinkNews]] |archive-date=March 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301204302/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/04/25/courtney-act-gender-fluid/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Kelly Mantle]])<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yohannes |first1=Alamin |date=December 12, 2016 |title=Gender-fluid actor Kelly Mantle makes Oscars history |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/gender-fluid-actor-kelly-mantle-makes-oscars-history-n694926 |access-date=March 20, 2020 |publisher=[[NBC News]] |language=en |archive-date=April 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409174140/https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/gender-fluid-actor-kelly-mantle-makes-oscars-history-n694926 |url-status=live }}</ref> persons.

In 2014, trans activists and former contestants Carmen Carrera and Monica Beverly Hillz criticized the show's use of words such as ''[[tranny]]'' and ''[[shemale]]'', including the main challenge announcement phrase up to season 6, "You've got she-mail", which they described as [[transphobic]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Campbell |first1=Nigel |title=Carmen Carrera Clashes w/ RuPaul In 'Tranny' Controversy |url=http://instinctmagazine.com/post/carmen-carrera-clashes-w-rupaul-tranny-controversy |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=Instinct |date=May 27, 2014 |language=en |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903183038/http://instinctmagazine.com/post/carmen-carrera-clashes-w-rupaul-tranny-controversy |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="huffpo-ru-maron">{{cite news |last1=Nichols |first1=James |date=May 23, 2014 |title=RuPaul Responds To Controversy Over The Word 'Tranny' |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/rupaul-responds-tranny_n_5374897 |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=[[HuffPost]] |language=en-AU |archive-date=November 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171101143425/http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/rupaul-responds-tranny_n_5374897 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[RuPaul's Drag Race season 6|That year's season]] also included a "Female or She-male" segment that required contestants to guess whether various photographs featured [[cisgender]] "biological women" or "psychological women" (drag queens), causing further criticism.<ref name="slate-2014">{{cite news |last1=D'Angelo |first1=Rafi |date=March 19, 2014 |title=RuPaul's Drag Race&nbsp;Crosses the Line with 'Female or Shemale' |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2014/03/19/rupaul_s_drag_race_and_transphobia_why_the_shemale_game_was_offensive.html |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903183054/http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2014/03/19/rupaul_s_drag_race_and_transphobia_why_the_shemale_game_was_offensive.html |url-status=live }}</ref> RuPaul and the producers issued a statement promising "to help spread love, acceptance and understanding" and Logo TV removed the "You've got she-mail" phrase from subsequent broadcasts, replacing it instead with the phrase "She done already done had herses."<ref name="2014-april-response">{{cite news |last1=Nichols |first1=James |date=April 1, 2014 |title='RuPaul's Drag Race' Producers Respond To Claims Of Transphobia |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/drag-race-transphobia_n_5062692 |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=[[HuffPost]] |language=en-AU |archive-date=June 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240627014754/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/drag-race-transphobia_n_5062692 |url-status=live }}</ref> RuPaul criticized those attempting to police his language in bad faith and noted that ''tranny'' referred to [[transvestites]] and drag queens, not just trans women.<ref name="advocate-2014-ru-response">{{cite news |last1=Peeples |first1=Jase |date=May 26, 2014 |title=RuPaul Further Responds to Transphobic Accusations: 'I've Been a "Tranny" for 32 Years' |url=https://www.advocate.com/&#91;primary-topic-path-raw&#93;/2014/05/26/rupaul-further-responds-transphobic-accusations-ive-been-tranny |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=[[The Advocate (magazine)|The Advocate]] |archive-date=December 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205070412/https://www.advocate.com/%5Bprimary-topic-path-raw%5D/2014/05/26/rupaul-further-responds-transphobic-accusations-ive-been-tranny |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="salon-2014">{{cite news |last1=D'Addario |first1=Daniel |date=May 27, 2014 |title=RuPaul's aggressive tirade in defense of the term 'tranny' |url=https://www.salon.com/2014/05/27/rupauls_aggressive_tirade_in_defense_of_the_term_tranny/ |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=[[Salon (website)|Salon]] |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903215234/https://www.salon.com/2014/05/27/rupauls_aggressive_tirade_in_defense_of_the_term_tranny/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2018, RuPaul gave an interview to ''[[The Guardian]]'' in which he stated that a post-[[Gender transitioning|transition]] trans woman would "probably not" be accepted onto the show, noting that at the time of competition Peppermint had not yet had [[breast implant]]s.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Aitkenhead |first1=Decca |date=March 3, 2018 |title=RuPaul: 'Drag is a big f-you to male-dominated culture' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/mar/03/rupaul-drag-race-big-f-you-to-male-dominated-culture |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en |archive-date=January 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190127040806/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/mar/03/rupaul-drag-race-big-f-you-to-male-dominated-culture |url-status=live }}</ref> After facing criticism on social media and from former contestants for his remarks,<ref name="advocate-2014-2018-changes">{{cite news |last1=Reynolds |first1=Daniel |date=March 10, 2018 |title=The Meaning of RuPaul's Apology: What Changed From 2014 to 2018? |url=https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2018/3/10/meaning-rupauls-apology-what-changed-2014-2018 |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=[[The Advocate (magazine)|The Advocate]] |language=en |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903215219/https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2018/3/10/meaning-rupauls-apology-what-changed-2014-2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> RuPaul compared trans drag queens who had transitioned to athletes who had taken [[performance-enhancing substance|performance-enhancing drugs]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Duffy |first1=Nick |date=March 5, 2018 |title=RuPaul compares transgender drag queens to Olympics drug cheats, doubles down on Drag Race 'ban' |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/03/05/rupaul-compares-transgender-drag-queens-to-doping-athletes-doubles-down-on-drag-race-ban/ |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=[[PinkNews]] |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903215259/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/03/05/rupaul-compares-transgender-drag-queens-to-doping-athletes-doubles-down-on-drag-race-ban/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He subsequently expressed regret for the hurt caused by his remarks, and that the only screening criteria for contestants were "charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent."<ref name="towle-2018-regret">{{cite news |last1=Towle |first1=Andy |author-link=Andy Towle |date=March 6, 2018 |title=RuPaul Tweets 'Regret' for 'Hurt I Have Caused' to Trans Community for 'Drag Race' Eligibility Remarks |url=http://www.towleroad.com/2018/03/rupaul-transgender/ |access-date=September 3, 2018 |work=Towleroad Gay News |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903215201/http://www.towleroad.com/2018/03/rupaul-transgender/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Since RuPaul made these statements, multiple transgender contestants have competed and won on the show.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[TheWrap]]|title=RuPaul's Drag Race: All the Transgender Queens (Photos)|author=Yee, Lawrence|date=January 27, 2023|url=https://www.thewrap.com/rupauls-drag-race-transgender-contestants-kylie-sonique-love-jiggly-caliente/}}</ref>