The Drag Queen Posse

A single death from HIV/AIDS is NOT worth a single person’s vanity, whether that person is well-known or not.

- The Drag Queen Posse

Lady Bunny, a long-time friend of Ru's did a bit not too long ago where she mocked Ru (as friends do) on America's Next Top Model and said (as we paraphrase): Girl, I know you got the AIDS but you can still run a comb through that wig!

Just a joke?

Is Ru afraid of being stereotyped as an African-American Drag Queen with...?

Everyone avoids asking THAT question, afraid to upset the Queen and her Wrath, but shouldn't one of the most visible personalities be able to talk about it? What does he have to lose? He's made a cultural mark in history that no one will ever erase. We know people will argue about a person's right to privacy, a valid point, but shouldn't a person in a position to do some of THE MOST GOOD, speak up?

Ru has arguably done more for HIV/AIDS awareness and fund raising than most. Eschewing fundraisers like Elton John's where it's all about flossing, to attend instead those events where most of the money raised goes to the cause itself, rather than overhead and egos. However, when one of the contestants can come out on national TV (on your very own eponymous show) and mention they are infected, but you continue to remain silent --- what are we to make of that? Even Nina Flowers said: Ongina has BALLS!" We agree --- that was hardcore (exploitational, perhaps...) --- on national TV.

Sometimes INACTION, is just as bad as the act of evil itself. In this sense, we're talking about allowing the shame and stigma of being HIV positive to continue to exist on a cultural level. By not speaking or acting up, culturally, we are allowing others to CONTINUE to marginalize, suppress, and label GLBT and positive people in a negative light.

Then again, it could always be something else...or, perhaps he holds the 'Lily Tomlin View:' I don't wanna' be anyone's role model or speak up on behalf of GLBT people (until, that is, I'm retired and have safely tucked away my money and career). To that we say: when will that be? How influential will you be then as compared to now, when you know that you have a lot of people's attention?

Here is a photo of Ru now at 50.

We know a lot of people with The Letters, and to us, in our opinion, that looks like a classic example of "facial wasting.” Now, before you ignite us with a flame war about stereotyping the face of a disease, or any other stereotype for that matter, you should read the forums below the picture. Every viewpoint is declared, and trust us, we’re being nice compared to some of the talk there.

No wonder those cameras are way, waaaay back on her show...at first, we thought it was only vanity, now we think that it's just more than that...and now it's not funny anymore.

Truly, NOTHING BUT LOVE to the Diva. She has, quite literally, blazed the trail in so many directions for everyone with her Nerve, Charisma, Uniqueness, and Talent; many of us are still so far behind, yet she honestly requires no introduction or synopsis. We do not pick on RuPaul because she's an easy target, we do it only because quite candidly, there's no one else at the top. Possibly the new daughter she is grooming will take up this mantle that she just perhaps couldn't carry, or chose not to? Yet, a part of us still yearns for one more historical, cultural landmark from the person that shattered so many barriers to race, gay visibility/equality, drag, and HIV/AIDS. Still, nearly 20 years after exploding into pop-culture consciousness with Supermodel (You Better Work), no one else can make the same awesome impact that we so desperately need this instant. Her successor has some big heels to fill, don't fuck it up.

Now, We Just Have ONE Thing To Say: SILENCE = DEATH.

This is a comment we received we feel encompasses a lot of people's initial reactions:

HIV or not for Ru, it is her choice to say something about it or not. As if she is deceiving us, its not really a point you can make since I notice your site has some big PR on it by stating the winner of Ru Paul’s Drag Race in tons of links on the web, but not a mention on your site. So a case of the pot calling the kettle black I would say.

Our cunty reply: Dear Blair in Hollyweird,

Honey, you need to do your research before you flame someone.

1.) In one of our earlier audio podcasts we directly discussed this topic, and one of our very own troupe members is HIV positive, and is not afraid to say so. This was over a year ago. Furthermore, she is also a fierce advocate for safe sex, having done a PSA with Daisy Deadpetals for Helix Studios (a porn company) about it. Additionally, she devotes a lot of her spare time at the local GLBT community centers doing outreach work, testing, and educating gay youths. By the way, thank you for pointing out that Ru's not fooling anyone.

Here is the link to the aforementioned audio podcast:

http://ftltea.podbean.com/2009/01/03/the-drag-queen-posses-first-national-podcast-heres-a-real-funny-one-from-the-archives/

2.) We DID mention who won on our site, but since a lot of people did not want it spoiled, we MOVED it to our Facebook Fan Page, and you can read about it at this URL:

http://artist.to/dragqueenposse/

So, now that we have addressed those issues on OUR side, who is calling the kettle black? WE ARE! The only thing we are NOT going to address is the whole personal privacy issue, because some people will see it one way, and some another. Like religion or politics, we’re bound to offend someone,a lot even, and many others will also agree with us. We’re not always here to post something to change minds, but sometimes just enough to provoke thought or discussion - like now.

HIV/AIDS rates (and that of other STDs) are soaring, and personal websites have even redesigned their profiles acknowledging the shift in people's attitudes towards the disease, so that it's no longer black and white about HIV/AIDS status, to now: ask me, don't know, don't care, no response. It used to be that the first words uttered between two men about to trick was: what's your status? Nowadays, some of them don't even talk to meet, they use online forums, hell, even Twitter to arrange a hookup.

HIV/AIDS is now marketed as a manageable disease to both young and old - like a common cold. It isn't. We rarely see the faces of the millions of people who do NOT tolerate the new medicines well, and which, to be quite honest, are nearly as toxic as the disease itself. The ads for said medications with hypermasculine, healthy-looking, handsome, home-erotic ideals are just that, advertisements, and nothing more.

We appreciate your comment, but we stand by what we said: Someone who is HIV positive, and is WORLD-FAMOUS and already WEALTHY, should have nothing to hide or fear. If any celebrity, whether RuPaul or not, were to out themselves as such, our community would RALLY to their side before Tweets could hit your mobile or inbox. If/When that happens, said person should then capitalize on the strength of that movement and do the kind of good that only their worldwide fame can accomplish.

A single death from HIV/AIDS is NOT worth a single person’s vanity, whether that person is well-known or not.

In conclusion, if anyone out there would like a massage by Blair, he can be emailed at his website.

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