The RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 9 queens have been seemingly everywhere for weeks, garnering headlines. In a performance that quickly became a cultural flashpoint, drag performer Gottmik’s recent appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars has ignited significant backlash from conservative commentators.
Gottmik, the first transgender man to compete on the show, delivered a memorable “A Tail and Two Titties” runway look that highlighted their top surgery scars adorned with red crystals. The performance, which included a scrubs-colored latex mini-skirt and a high ponytail, was praised by fans but drew sharp criticism from right-wing figures.
Prominent conservative X (formerlyTwitter) hate account Libs of TikTok mocked the look, leading to a wave of reactions. Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News and NBC personality turned online troll, tweeted, “This ideology is sick.” She called the performance “misogynistic.”
This whole ideology is sick & obviously misogynistic. https://t.co/WF59Odky2B
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 26, 2024
Anti-trans advocate Riley Gaines took to X multiple times, calling gender-affirming surgery “exactly what Satan wants you to believe” and labeling it “the most diabolical medical scandal in history.”
Don’t you realize this is exactly what Satan wants you to believe?
Satan wants you to feel insecure. He wants you to believe that YOU can alter God’s intentional creation made uniquely in His image.
The premise of the gender ideology movement is that mortals can play God. https://t.co/BhSUNPQ64d
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 26, 2024
Gottmik’s performance was widely celebrated within the LGBTQ+ community and by fans of the show. One viral tweet hailed the look as “one of the best runways in the history of the show.”
The person added, “Conversations are being had, and an impact has been MADE.”
this is actually one of the best runways in the history of the show, and the fact that it’s causing such a stir in conservative media is actually a big part of the reason. conversations are being had, and an impact has been MADE. gottmik is that bitch. pic.twitter.com/a1XEscfc0M
— chroma 🇵🇸 (@abstort) May 27, 2024
Gottmik’s depiction was especially notable for its personal significance, reflecting the performer’s journey and experiences as a trans man. The runway, part of the show’s inaugural charity season, earned Gottmik another victory and a $10,000 donation to Trans Lifeline, a support organization for transgender people.
In an interview following the episode, Gottmik addressed the art and the controversy surrounding his performance. “I really made sure that I was hitting home with this message: it’s my own personal journey,” GottmiktoldThem. “It’s not self-mutilation at all like everyone online is trying to push. It’s truly gender-affirming surgery that changed my life. I would not be here today without that surgery, honestly.”