Photo: BBC

RuPaul thanked the Television Academy for his Emmy nominations with a powerful statement on LGBTQ+ rights. 

On 11 July, the extensive list of nominees was finally announced ahead of the upcoming Primetime Emmy Awards. 

This year an array of LGBTQ+ inclusive shows landed nominations, including The White Lotus, Euphoria, Only Murders in the Building and Yellowjackets. 

For the fifth year in a row, RuPaul’s Drag Race earned a bevvy of nominations, including one for Outstanding Competition Program and another for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program. 

Shortly after the nominations were announced, Mama Ru took to Instagram and thanked the TV academy before shining a spotlight on the current state of LGBTQ+ rights. 

“As the basic human rights of LGBTQ+ people are being threatened once again, I want to thank our peers in the Television Academy for acknowledging the achievements of the beautiful and talented souls that work in front of and behind the cameras at RuPaul’s Drag Race,” she wrote. 

“Through the miracle of drag, our spectacular Season 14 queens have touched hearts and opened minds around the planet. 

 

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“We will never take for granted the platform we’ve been given to tell authentic queer stories and pledge to do everything in our power to continue to spread light, love and laughter.” 

RuPaul’s powerful statement comes a few weeks after he slammed Republican lawmakers for attempting to ban kids from drag shows.

Back in June, conservative Texas Rep. Bryan Slaton announced his plans to block minors from the LGBTQ+ inclusive shows. 

Slaton’s decision stemmed from a viral family-friendly drag show that took place at the Mr Misster bar in Dallas, Texas.

On 17 June, Ru described the archaic proposals as diversions during his appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden. 

“It’s a diversion tactic to take the narrative away from the gun debate into something [else], to scare people into thinking about something else, and they’ve been successful.

“They have changed the narrative away from the gun debate into this drag queen thing. Y’all want to help your kids? Take away them guns, that will help your kids. Drag queens ain’t hurt nobody. You’re born naked, and the rest is drag.”

You can watch the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards on 12 September on NBC.