‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ broke new ground in its most recent episode, available to stream on Netflix in the UK as of today (Friday 27 April), with a candid conversation about surviving sexual assault.
The cult show’s latest instalment featured an emotional moment from competitor Blair St. Clair, who revealed that she was sexually abused at a party while in college.
After judges Ross Mathews and Michelle Visage commented on Blair’s “sweetness”, she became tearful, telling them: “I’ve come from some really dark moments in my life, and I want to lighten them up and become more positive. I’m urged to find the daintiness because I feel dirty at times.”
She continued: “My first sexual experience — I was raped at a college party, and from that I’ve looked to find pretty things. It’s something I need to get over, but I’ve tried to turn positive the best I can.”
Blair received a show of solidarity from her sisters on stage as Miz Cracker physically reached out to her, while The Vixen joked she “can’t wait to find that motherfucker”, referring to the attacker.
The show’s official Twitter page also posted a message addressing the Indiana queen in the wake of the moving scene.
It read: “We love you so incredibly much. You are our family.
“Thank you for being brave, thank you for being vulnerable, thank you for being you. You are beyond courageous, and we are so proud of you and love you.”
The scene was also well-received by viewers, with some already referring to it as the show’s “#MeToo moment”:
While ‘Drag Race’ is known as fun, feel-good TV, the show has also provided a platform for competing queens to discuss a number of important issues in recent years, including HIV, mental illness, terrorism and topics relating to the trans community.
Earlier this week, season six finalist Courtney Act praised a conversation between The Vixen and Aquaria about race, and specifically highlighted the way black reality TV stars have been portrayed in the past.
New episodes of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ are streaming on Netflix in the UK every week.