Missouri Politician’s LGBTQ+ Slur Draws Harsh Criticism from Drag Race Stars

After Valentina Gomez, a political candidate in Missouri, shared a peculiar video advocating for a separate "f----t category" in the Olympics, stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race responded with strong disapproval. Bianca Del Rio, a Season 6 winner and renowned drag performer, commented on Gomez’s video with, “If only you had a f----t to properly wax your upper lip and eyebrows. No wonder you are bitter.” Gomez posted the video on her X account while debates were ongoing about Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer who was disqualified from the 2023 World Championships over a gender-related test issue.

Kandy Muse, known from Season 13 and All Stars 8, reacted sharply on X, saying, “GIRL F--- YOU! YOU PICK ME ASS BITCH.” Similarly, Shea Couleé, a winner of All Stars 5 and a future star in Marvel’s Ironheart, criticized Gomez on social media, calling her “a clown and a loser.”

In her provocative message, Gomez, who is running for Secretary of State in Missouri, indirectly referenced Khelif and criticized the Olympics. She argued, “These f----ts should get their own f----t category, because, before, if a man hit a woman, it used to land him in jail. Now, it gets you a gold medal at the Olympics.” Gomez also denounced the Olympics for allegedly mocking Christianity and women’s sports, asserting, “There’s no such thing as a chick with a dick. Keep women’s sports female.”

The controversy intensified after Angela Carini of Italy withdrew from a match against Khelif earlier this week. Khelif’s passport shows she was assigned female at birth, which aligns with the International Olympic Committee's standards for boxing. She was disqualified from the 2023 championships due to failing some unspecified eligibility tests from the now-banned International Boxing Association.

The situation further escalated when Nicky Doll from Season 12 and host of Drag Race France, along with Paloma, participated in a performance during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The performance, which some interpreted as a nod to the famous "Last Supper" painting, faced criticism from actress Candace Cameron Bure and British commentator Laurence Fox, who accused the drag performers of being pedophiles. Nicky Doll responded by threatening legal action against Fox, referring to his recent libel lawsuit loss to RuPaul’s Drag Race UK queen Crystal.

Nicky Doll later shared on Instagram her pride in performing at the Olympics, stating, “It was my absolute honor to perform in front of billions of people around the world and celebrate our Olympians. And remember, to those who were disturbed by seeing queerness on their screens: WE AIN’T GOING NOWHERE.”

These incidents come during a difficult period for the LGBTQ+ community, which has been experiencing increased violence against drag performers and legislative challenges targeting LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.