Essence journo demands to know why gay, black drag queen RuPaul's show doesn't have more diversity

Sarah D | 1:33 PM on September 23, 2019

In case you missed it, last night, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” took home another Emmy award. At first, you might realize just how problematic that is. But thanks to Essence journalist Danielle Young, now your eyes can be opened:

RuPaul gets called out for lack of diversity in Drag Race following historic Emmys win https://t.co/KjohfUu6vi

— PinkNews (@PinkNews) September 23, 2019

After RuPaul won his award, Young confronted him in the press room to “give him the space to address” his show’s lack of diversity:

In the press room at the @TheEmmys, I asked @RuPaul to address the diversity or lack thereof in his show @RuPaulsDragRace. And… pic.twitter.com/kL1EYxJQXK

— Danielle Young (@RhapsoDani) September 23, 2019

Honestly. This was my face the whole time. pic.twitter.com/J0OH4zR19v

— Danielle Young (@RhapsoDani) September 23, 2019

What bothered me about RuPaul’s response.

1. When I said he reps the LGBT community, he said also the BLT community. ?

2. He thinks bc he is Black, gay & a drag queen, that somehow is diversity quota is met.

3. He couldn’t quote The Color Purple.

4. Look at the “diversity.” pic.twitter.com/Kks07oYDsE

— Danielle Young (@RhapsoDani) September 23, 2019

Apparently the fact that RuPaul is a gay, black drag queen just isn’t diverse enough for Danielle here. And a “BLT” joke? Unacceptable. Why didn’t RuPaul run his crew picks by her before he hired them? Rude.

Let me be clear. I asked about diversity on @RuPaulsDragRace’s staff bc it honestly caught me off guard to see so many white men behind Ru in the press room. His show centers diversity & the staff seemingly doesn’t. As a journalist, I wanted to give him the space to address that.

— Danielle Young (@RhapsoDani) September 23, 2019

We’ve gotta say RuPaul handled it better than we would’ve. Young’s woke line of questioning didn’t merit anything other than an eye roll and a “girl, bye.”