Chicago-based drag queen The Vixen has opened up about receiving death threats following the latest emotionally-charged episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked.
The Vixen, who is known in her hometown for political performance art and activism, last week took Aquaria to task for provoking an argument with her and then playing the victim when she responded. In a confrontation, The Vixen said that by crying and playing the victim, Aquaria was setting up a narrative in which The Vixen was an "angry black woman" who was picking on "the little white girl".
It was a subject that many RPDR alumni had waited to see addressed.
“I was chilling,” The Vixen said of the initial argument. “You brought it over here, I brought it back, and all of a sudden, I’m a bitch.”
The Vixen then addressed the way racial narratives can be formed by viewers, saying: “You say something, I say something, you start crying."
She continued: "You have created the narrative that I am an angry black woman who has scared off the little white girl. So when you get super defensive and tell me that I’m being negative, when I’m just responding to what you brought to me, that will always read to these [pointing to cameras] as a race issue."
Vixen took to Twitter this week to thank fans for their support, tweeting: "Yes I have received plenty death threats etc but they don't compare to the amount of love coming in."
Aquaria also addressed her fans, insisting that she and The Vixen were still close, despite their heated exchange.
“Turns out a small amount of my fans don’t get the fucking picture even after I spelt it out in the most obvious words," she said.
“If you are STILL mad at what The Vixen had to say then please jump off the Aquaria train because I’m driving away without y’all. Trash."
She concluded: “If you are a racist fan of mine I don’t give a fuck about your existence and I am happy and proud to say that.”
Drag Race alumni were quick to back Vixen, showing their support on social media and reasserting the importance of the discussion.
Season 10 of RuPaul's Drag Race continues this Friday.
