RuPaul’s Drag Race star Pearl Liaison has sparked outrage from fellow drag queens after he posted several photos wearing blackface.
On Thursday, Pearl Liaison, whose real name is Matthew James Lent, was slammed by drag race stars The Vixen and Silky Nutmeg Ganache over his usage of blackface, according to a report by Pink News.
The blackface photos, which have reportedly since be deleted, featured Pearl with skin darkened by brown foundation, inflated lips, and long press-on nails, clad in a hot-pink shirt and tie-dye shorts. The caption for the photo read, “Skipper’s all grown up now.”
Okay let’s run with what Pearl said about this not being blackface but rather it’s meant to just be a woman with a bad tan. I think white people need to be more conscious of how things like this come off regardless of intent pic.twitter.com/SjW3U5aFFB
— EssenceofDrag (@EssenceofDrag) August 10, 2023
“When people carelessly play with blackface and using slurs etc I think the public outrage overshadows the private hurt that we go through. These daily reminders that this world isn’t safe, welcoming or sensitive to our feelings is overwhelming,” Drag Race season 10 star The Vixen reacted on Twitter.
When people carelessly play with blackface and using slurs etc I think the public outrage overshadows the private hurt that we go through. These daily reminders that this world isn’t safe, welcoming or sensitive to our feelings is overwhelming. pic.twitter.com/fEMOEOsNX0
— The Vixen (@TheVixensworld) August 10, 2023
“White people paint their skin the shade of people who have to defend their skin shade and [they’re] surprised they have to defend their choice,” The Vixen wrote in a follow-up tweet.
White people paint their skin the shade of people who have to defend their skin shade and their surprised they have to defend their choice
— The Vixen (@TheVixensworld) August 10, 2023
Season 11 drag queen Ganache reposted the photo, saying, “RuPaul should’ve just talked to her off camera ’cause now she mocking Ru in her younger years.”
Ganache was reportedly referring to an incident between Pearl and RuPaul during the filming of season seven, in which the Drag Race judge told the contestant, “Nothing you say matters unless that camera is rolling.”
Pearl, who first appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2015, reportedly responded to the backlash in an Instagram Story, insisting that the character in his photos was “not meant to resemble any background other than my own.”
“She’s platinum blonde/blue eyes & meant to have 2000’s Britney-esque tan,” Pearl added. “I certainly didn’t mean to hurt anyone and will refrain from using any kind of tan at all when creating characters in the future. I’ve removed the post [so] as to not continue to offend people.”
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.