Hello, hello, hello everybody!
I am back, back, back again to wish you all a very happy Pride Month! Say it loud and say it proud! Even louder for the people in the back! We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re ready to make it clear. Whether you’re out and proud, not out yet, or still questioning and exploring your identity, Pride is for YOU! You’re welcome here, you’re valued here, and you belong here - never forget that.
This month, Fandom’s Community Team is honored to celebrate and highlight the LGBTQIA+ community through the theme of Looking Back & Moving Forward, a powerful reminder of the progress we’ve made and the challenges we still face in creating a world where everyone is empowered to be their most authentic selves without fear of discrimination.
Pride is a celebration that began as a protest, and while we’ve come a long way since then, there is still a lot of work to be done in the fight for equal rights. In the United States, homosexuality was a criminal offense as recently as 2003 and same-sex marriage was not made legal until 2015. Events like the Stonewall Uprising paved the way for the forward progress of LGBTQIA+ rights today, but even over 50 years later, we are faced with a record number of 500+ anti-LGBTQIA+ bills sweeping the nation since the start of this year. I’d like to invite you all to speak up, get involved, and uplift the voices of LGBTQIA+ folks this month (and every month), as we need your support now more than ever.
We have a lot of exciting programming lined up for y’all in the coming weeks, with a focus on a community that is very near and dear to my heart - the Drag community. Drag is a performance art form that has been a cornerstone of queer culture for over a century, blurring the lines of what people think they know about gender. Drag itself is a protest, with drag queens such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera becoming trailblazers at the forefront of the Stonewall riots that jump started the gay liberation movement, and the first “queen of drag” was William Dorsey Swann, a formerly enslaved man whose drag balls were some of the first recorded acts of resistance in queer history, back when it was dangerous to dress in drag in public spaces.
More recently, drag has been thrust into the mainstream, in part thanks to the success of shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race and popular events such as drag brunches, drag bingo, and drag story times, where drag artists read books to children in public libraries. Unfortunately, with more visibility also comes more scrutiny, resulting in anti-drag legislation being proposed in at least 14 different states in the U.S. Even in the wake of uncertainty, drag is a community that promotes love and acceptance above all, and they need our love right now, so we want to shine a light on some incredibly talented drag artists who are challenging gender norms and bringing entertainment to folks all around the world. We’ll have some videos, some written interviews, and even the much anticipated tournament bracket on the Drag Race Wiki - just to mention some of the fun things coming up. I’m eager to share all of this with you throughout the month, so we hope you join in on the celebration!
Hear From the Queens at RuPaul’s DragCon[]
Queens gather for the ceremonious Pink Ribbon cutting
The Community, Content, and Events Teams here at Fandom had the great pleasure of attending RuPaul’s DragCon in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. With the Drag Race Wiki being one of the largest LGBTQIA+ communities on our platform, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to put the power of Fandom behind a community of people that shares and exemplifies the same values - bringing joy to others.
While we were there, we got the chance to talk to some of Drag Race’s fiercest queens - Alexis Michelle, Angeria Paris VanMicheals, Honey Davenport, Jiggly Caliente, Laganja Estranja, Lala Ri, and Mistress Isabelle Brooks. We asked them to share their journeys from their first time in drag to becoming the legends they are today, inspiring others to truly express themselves without fear. They discussed what they would say to their younger selves (inspired by the show) and what they hope the future holds for themselves, for drag, and for the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole (and how allies can get involved to make that future a reality.)
Watch below to hear their stories and find out more about positive actions you can take to uplift the drag community and the magnificent artists within it. As someone who adopted the Drag Race Wiki in 2016 and has had my life changed through the art of drag, listening to and learning from these Queens in person was truly a dream come true for me. I hope you find as much hope and inspiration in their words as I have.
Listen to LGBTQIA+ Artists[]
We also have a new Pride playlist to add to our collection this month! Curated by queer folks for everyone to enjoy. You might be surprised to find that some iconic Pride anthems are absent from this playlist, but we wanted to do something a little different and shift the focus entirely to LGBTQIA+ artists. You’ll find a diverse range of artists across a variety of different genres, so there should be something in there that speaks to everyone. My hope is that you will discover someone new that resonates with you, so turn up the music while you're doing some editing throughout the month. You’ll find some songs from the Queens above on there as well, so please show them your support!
Get Involved[]
As we talk about moving forward, we must look back and recognize that progress would not have been made without action. Action promotes change, and every action you take, no matter how small, is making history. One of my favorite quotes by Desmond Tutu comes to mind - “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” We must speak up, speak out, and speak loudly. We must support and uplift one another. We must celebrate the things that make us all different and unique. We must be bold and unafraid to be our authentic selves, and we must lead with love, because a little bit of love goes a long, long way.
We’d love to see everyone get involved this Pride Month in whatever ways you can. Highlight LGBTQIA+ creators and characters on your wikis, re-design your communities with a Pride theme or logo, craft your own Pride blog or campaign, or participate in our community programming. We highly encourage you to share your efforts with us and your Wiki Representative as the month goes on, so we can all celebrate and share in the love together!
To echo the Queens in the video, please support drag - not only by watching Drag Race or showing love online, but also by showing up in person and supporting your local drag artists. Support queer media and buy from small queer businesses. Donate to LGBTQIA+ organizations such as the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, the Trevor Project, and the ACLU Drag Defense Fund. And most importantly, listen and learn from the stories and experiences of LGBTQIA+ people, and educate yourself on the impact of the struggles we’ve historically faced. Understanding each other is the first step to truly promoting love and acceptance for all.
And remember, at the end of the day, despite all of our differences, we’re all born naked… and the rest is drag.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with and/or questioning their identity, or if you would like to learn more about LGBTQIA+ culture and history, please check out the resources below:
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