VH1's reality competition show RuPaul's Drag Race is a fun, campy good time with a message, and Symone is making sure theirs is heard loud and clear. RuPaul's Drag Race has been enthralling fans and newcomers of drag for thirteen seasons. It has spawned several spin-offs, including All-Stars, Holland, Thailand, Canada, and soon Spain and Australia. The show has no signs of slowing down and is changing the way people perceive drag queens.
Symone is the break-out star on season 13 of the long-lasting Emmy-winning show and is making her mark on the competition that will last for years. She has brought high-class fashion, impeccable comedy, and a genuine wit to the show that invigorates the season and makes each moment worthwhile. She is a queen with a message and is not shy to share it through her actions and fashions. One particular message hit home unlike any other on episode nine, Snatch Game.
Snatch Game is the episode every fan of Drag Race waits for with anticipation; it is when they get to see their favorite queens act like famous historical figures and gay icons. Symone chose to impersonate Harriet Tubman in a hilarious but respectful send-up of the underground railroad hero. Then in a double hit of meaningful and poignant messaging, Symone dressed in a gown on the runway that paid tribute to the black lives lost by police brutality in the United States. The front of the gown was immaculate and white, and when she turned around, there were two gunshot wounds and on her fascinator (the theme for the week was "fascinating fascinators) was the phrase "Say Their Names." Check out Symone's Instagram showing the gown in motion:
"Say Their Names" has become a phrase said far too often in the United States due to the profound proliferation of police brutality. People of color, and particularly Black people, are murdered by police who usually do not face justice for their crimes. When major protests were happening last summer, one phrase rang true in every demonstration, "Say Their Names." It is a call to never forget the lives lost at the hands of police who have abused their position time and time again.
Symone brought a meaningful and lasting message to the runway, one that will not be forgotten. They are enacting change with their drag, and that is at the heart of what drag is. It is an art form that is transgressive, an art form of the people. On TV, RuPaul's Drag Race is all about camp and fun, and it is supposed to be. But bringing a message like Black Lives Matter to the show adds a level of nuance that audiences need. No matter where Symone lands in RuPaul's Drag Race, they have made an indelible mark on the show and the culture surrounding it.
RuPaul's Drag Race season 13 airs Fridays at 8pm EST on VH1.
Sources: EW, Symone/Instagram