"As someone who has deconstructed life's hilarious facade, RuPaul has broken 'the fourth wall' to expand on the concept of mind, body, and spirit. This unique perspective has allowed RuPaul to break the shackles of self-imposed limitations, but reader beware, this is a daily practice that requires diligence and touchstones to keep you walking in the sunshine of the spirit.
Once you're willing to look beyond the identity that was given to you, a hidden world of possibilities will open its doors. That is RuPaul's secret for success, not only in show business, but in all aspects of life, especially in navigating the emotional landmines that inhibit most sweet, sensitive souls. If you think this book is just about 'doing drag', you are sorely mistaken because for RuPaul, drag is merely a device to deactivate the identity-based ego and allow space for the unlimited."
According to Wikipedia, RuPaul Andre Charles (born in 1960) is an American drag queen, television personality, actor, musician, and model, known for producing, hosting, and judging the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race. RuPaul has received several awards, including Primetime Emmy Award, GLAAD Media Award, a Critics' Choice Television Award, Billboard Music Award, and a Tony Award, and has been dubbed the "Queen of Drag".
In later shows we could see trans contestants who had already disclosed their trans identity prior to their season beginning. In 2017, Peppermint became the first contestant to compete throughout her season as an openly trans woman.
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. 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. RuPaul and the producers issued a statement promising "to help spread love, acceptance and understanding" and Logo TV removed the controversial phrases. In 2018, RuPaul gave an interview to The Guardian in which he stated that a post-transition trans woman would "probably not" be accepted onto the show, noting that at the time of competition and Peppermint had not yet had breast implants.
After facing criticism on social media and from former contestants for his remarks, RuPaul compared trans drag queens who had transitioned to athletes who had taken performance-enhancing drugs. 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." Since he made these statements, multiple transgender contestants have competed on the show.
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