Exclusive: RuPaul’s Drag Race star Tatianna discusses the show’s racism issue
Tatianna has discussed the racism issue on RuPaul’s Drag Race after a number of queens have opened up about the abuse they’ve received.
Season 10 stars The Vixen and Asia O’Hara recently discussed the shocking messages and threats they have had since they appeared on television, while RuPaul had to step in to defend season seven’s Jasmin Masters after she received death threats online.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, Tatianna said: “I personally have almost had the opposite experience. I am someone of colour but they never tell anyone I am someone of colour. I have done two seasons of the show and both seasons I have said ‘I am black and I’m Italian’ and it’s never something that is featured.
“I don’t know if it just doesn’t come up in conversation and that’s why it isn’t talked about but sometimes people don’t get the whole view of someone until you know their background to a certain extent. I always wish that was something shared a little more because when I do have things to say about race people go, ‘Well, you’re white, what would you know?’ I go ‘well… I’m not’.
“I do completely see how certain girls feel the way that they do about things that go on on the show.”
She added: “I think the fans do have a racism issue but it isn’t specific to RuPaul’s Drag Racefans, it’s specific to people. Any show that has a strong following, they get racist if something happens they don’t like.”
Tatianna likened the situation to black actress Anna Diop receiving racist abuse when it was revealed she would be playing Starfire in the Titans TV series, despite Starfire being an orange alien in the source material.
“I don’t think it’s a Drag Race issue, it’s people in general that have a race issue and when something happens that they don’t like, the first thing they do is call someone the n-word,” Tatianna said. “It’s not specific to Drag Race.”
The 29-year-old also discussed her controversial exit from the second series of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 2.