RuPaul’s Tone Deaf Advice to ‘Party and Dance’ in the Face of ‘Fascism’ Divides Fans

Drag icon RuPaul's recent post where he gave hopeless Americans advice on how to stand up against fascism has caused quite a stir on social media.

via: Pink News

RuPaul has divided fans after posting an Instagram video about the political climate in America, in which he said “fascism is back” and suggested the “only thing we can do” is “to party and dance”.

In the clip, RuPaul opens by saying: “Okay, there is no easy fix,” before arguing that education cuts have helped create today’s political moment. “We are talking 45 years of undereducation in this country, when they started defunding educational programmes in schools and everything,” he says.

He links that to a lack of “rational thinking or critical thinking”, adding: “They won,” before sarcastically continuing: “You know, fascism is back. Yay!”

RuPaul then says: “I mean, at this point, the only thing we can do, our only comeuppance, is to party and dance. And have fun, and laugh.” He ends the message with: “Join me.”

The post prompted thousands of comments, with reactions ranging from praise for “queer joy” as resistance, to criticism that RuPaul should be doing more given his wealth and influence.

One supportive comment read: “Queer joy has always been an act of resistance. Protect that joy as if your life depends on it, because it does!” A critical comment said: “I get what you’re trying to say but as a multi millionaire, there’s a lot more you can do to fight fascism.”

Fans debate “party and dance”

Posts and reposts of the video circulated widely on Twitter, with users arguing over whether “party and dance” was a call to stay visible and joyful, or a complacent response to a serious threat.

“We will join you, invite us to your house, mother! We can dance together under the disco balls 🪩” said one person on Instagram.

“Rupaul for president 2028,” said a viewer on TikTok.

Other people pointed out the history of queer people partying in the face of oppression and the power of queer joy.

“Queer joy has always been an act of resistance. Protect that joy as if your life depends on it, because it does!” was one well-liked comment.

Others pushed back, arguing that joy cannot be the only response.

Lushious Massacr urges “push back”

Drag queen Lushious Massacr also weighed in, agreeing that protecting joy matters but urging people to take further action.

She wrote: “YES, we must party and dance and NEVER allow them to take away our joy but that’s not all we must do. We must also FIGHT… not with violence but WE MUST PUSH BACK AT EVERY TURN and we have to learn to DEFEND ourselves. WE MUST PROTECT OURSELVES. NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SAVE OURSELVES.”

RuPaul's longtime friend Lady Bunny even took to social media, and gave her thoughts on the matter via their Facebook:

The Empress of Emptiness strikes again. Ru declares that fascism has won. And his answer? "Our only comeuppance is to party, and dance," it says. Not to organize, not which principles to organize around, & not who to vote for to ward off fascism. This is Met Gala attendee level of clueless. A rich, virtue-signaling liberal doing what they do best: saying something which sounds good, but which accomplishes 0.

Ru & I started our club careers together, as AIDS was also getting its start. So Ru knows what activism is. It’s ACT UP organizing a die-in outside St. Patrick’s because a bishop lied to say that condoms don’t protect you from HIV transmission. It’s organizers trying to get AIDS meds approved while their community's dying. The idea that you’d fight fascism with dancing is a slap in activists’ faces. While queer joy is important, it has no clear goals. Joy can refuel you for the fight. But what fight? You’d never know from Ru, probably because concrete solutions would alienate some of his fans.

“I been that bitch, yes I love that drama

Fishy, feminine up-and-comer

From the Clintons to the Obamas”. -Call Me Mother

Ru complains about the death of critical thinking, yet he isn’t able to connect do-nothing, centrist Dems helping usher in fascism. Ru lyrically boosts the Clintons & Obama, who honest, informed people denounce as sell-out war criminals. Nor is Ru able to call out pre-Trump aspects of fascism. The pattern of feckless liberals getting fascists elected is well-established in history. It was a factor in the rise of Hitler.

Did you know that one symptom of fascism is government uniting with corporations? Harris used Drag Race's set as a campaign stop, & her only ideology is serving corporate donors. Another symptom of it? Corrupt politicians enriching themselves. Nancy Pelosi, a former judge on Drag Race, is a poster child for this. Another symptom? Disdain for human rights, which all Dem leaders showed by funding Israel's attacks on Gaza and beyond. Not to mention that Paramount + is owned by billionaire zio Larry Ellison, a friend of/donor to far-right fascist Netanyahu. Also a big Trump donor, whose goal is to give Israel and right-wing values favorable coverage on TV.

Ellison's pushing for a merger with Warner Bros which would give him CNN and HBO, along with CBS, Paramount and more which he already owns. So Drag Race partners with fascists while Ru complains about them. Practice what you preach, Mary!

*****

I have been a fan of RuPaul ever since I saw him on shows like Geraldo and Ricki Lake back in the day. I have always admired a statuesque drag queen who was able to push his way into the mainstream at a time in the 90s when it wasn't acceptable to be an openly queer person of color. I even love how as a drag queen he was able to create an empire that helped make drag a global phenomenon.

So hearing RuPaul say some capitalistic bullshit like this when people should be fighting against the establishment now more than ever is why I no longer have any respect for him. This lazy, let them eat cake answer to dealing with fascism ain’t it. Giving up and accepting defeat is not an answer (it may be for centrist Dems whocould give a shit about whether they win or lose as long as they get to keep their positions), especially when you were an activist before Supermodel catapulted you to the mainstream. I guess this would be your solution when you’ve got Larry and David Ellison as your boss over at Paramount, and if you really tell your viewers to fight the real enemy (which would be the Trump regime and tech oligarchs) that could affect the future of Drag Race and your wallet.

What Mamaru needs to do is figure out why the last few seasons of Drag Race have been absolute chop, why Paramount has been cutting the budget on those Drag Race red carpet premieres, and speak less on politics if all you're going to provide is a bunch of hot air.