Lizzo Brings Drag Queens Onstage Where They’re Needed Most: At a Tennessee Concert
Lizzo really brought out the fabulous at her Knoxville show this past weekend.
The "Truth Hurts" singer kicked off the second leg of her The Special 2our in the Tennessee city on Friday, April 21, and she showed love and support for the state's drag community.
“In light of recent and tragic events and current events, I was told by people on the internet, ‘Cancel your shows in Tennessee,’ ‘Don’t go to Tennessee,'” Lizzo told the audience during her show. “Their reason was valid, but why would I not come to the people who need to hear this message the most? Why would I not create a safe space in Tennessee where we can celebrate drag entertainers and celebrate our differences?”
“What people in Tennessee are doing is giving hope, so thank you so much for standing up for your rights, protecting each other, and holding the people accountable who should be protecting us.”
Lizzo then led a cavalcade of drag performers — which included RuPaul's Drag Race stars like Aquaria, Asia O’Hara, Kandy Muse, and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo — as they sashayed down the stage.
Lizzo later shared the video of her onstage with the queens on Instagram, with the caption: "THANK YOU TO THESE BEAUTIFUL DRAG QUEENS FOR SHOWING THEIR PRIDE IN TENNESSEE."
Lizzo's show of solidarity was in defiance of Tennesse's so-called "drag ban" which was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee back in March, but a federal judge in the state temporarily halted the law hours before it was to go into effect.
Lizzo's remarks are just the latest way allies and members of the LGBTQ community are calling out lawmakers passing hateful anti-drag and anti-LGBTQ legislation. RuPaul recently spoke out against the "stunt queen" politicians, and the ACLU launched The Drag Defense Fund, which RuPaul's Drag Race, MTV, and World of Wonder donated to.
Multiple LGBTQ celebrities, organizations and businesses are also joining forces to kick off a new campaign: Drag Isn't Dangerous, which will culminate with a one-night-only fundraising telethon on May 7 where all net proceeds "go to relevant causes helping drag performers and trans people."
