Carson Kressley Expertly Explains Why RuPaul's Drag Race Is So Important To Pop Culture

With American government officials putting all their energy into outlawing drag queens from performing in public, and denying healthcare to queer and trans people (while continuing to ignore mass shootings), RuPaul's Drag Race judge Carson Kressley perfectly sums up why the long-running show is so important to the rainbow mafia.

Here's what he told the Star Observer:

“Visibility is so important. You could be in Malaysia or Milwaukee, and you can see people on Drag Race being celebrated for exactly who they are,” Kressley explained.

“Often they’re people that have not had an easy time getting to where they are. They may not have been celebrated much before but a light has been shone on them and their craft.

“That’s very powerful for young people to see. It says, ‘Hey, I feel different or I feel marginalised, but I see people who are being celebrated for being exactly who they are. I can be proud of myself as well’,'” he added.

This is exactly why I say visibility is vitally important. It helps young queer people feel that they aren't alone when they see someone like themselves on TV. I also feel networks need to create more programs featuring queer personalities, both scripted and non-scripted. Drag Race shouldn't be the only visibility LGBTQ people are getting.