Garcia honors ‘American phenomenon’ RuPaul on House floor

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) paid homage to RuPaul Charles, the superstar drag queen and host of the reality series “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” on the House floor Wednesday, praising the barrier-breaking performer and Emmy Award winner for his commitment to uplifting the LGBTQ community.

“I rise to commemorate the start of Pride Month by honoring the one and only queen of drag, RuPaul,” Garcia said Wednesday. “RuPaul Charles has become an American phenomenon and an icon; nobody has more charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent than Charles.”

Garcia, one of just 12 openly LGBTQ members of Congress, is a fervent defender of drag as an art form and creative outlet. In a March interview with The Atlantic, Garcia pledged to protect and support drag queens.

Drag shows and performers across the country are targeted by threats, protests and violent action and Republican officials seek to pass legislation cracking down on where drag events can take place and who can watch them.

This year, four states — Tennessee, Florida, Montana and Texas — have passed laws that ban or heavily restrict certain drag performances. Tennessee became the first state in the nation to do so in March, attaching criminal penalties to performances that take place in public or where they may be seen by a minor.

A federal judge last week struck down that law as “unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad.”

Drag has also caught the attention of GOP leaders at the federal level, with several members of Congress seeking to restrict them.

In a letter sent last month to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, Republican senators asked for a response to media reports that the Navy used a TikTok drag queen to help reach potential recruits on social media.

“Where does the Navy draw the line on promotion of the personal activities of its influencers?” the senators wrote. “Would the Navy enlist burlesque or exotic dancers to reach possible recruits?”

Top defense officials earlier this month stepped in to stop a drag performance at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. The nation’s highest ranking military officer, Gen. Mark Milley, said banning drag shows on military bases was the “absolute right thing to do.”

Drag shows could also be a prominent issue in this year’s presidential primary, as Republican candidates including former President Trump take aim at LGBTQ rights more broadly on the campaign trail.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who launched his bid for the White House last month, has been a frequent and vocal critic of drag performances and signed legislation in May restricting them.

DeSantis last year filed a complaint against a Miami restaurant for hosting a drag event with children present, citing a 1947 state Supreme Court ruling that “men impersonating women” in a “suggestive and indecent” fashion constitutes a public nuisance. His administration filed a similar complaint against the Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation in February, after it hosted a holiday-themed drag show open to all ages.

Garcia said “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and its many spinoff series have “put drag in the global spotlight” and helped launch the careers of countless drag artists.

“But more importantly, the show has served as a critical space to discuss issues around inclusion, trans rights, mental health, and self-worth,” Garcia said. “And this message couldn’t be more important as the LGBTQ+ community continues to fight for equality and acceptance. The world needs more love and, yes, more RuPaul.”