Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York

You may have already heard about the recent controversy surrounding a Black History Month parade at a Los Angeles elementary school. I read all about it on a very popular e-zine. Wondering how the two are connected? Step into the spotlight: RuPaul.

When first approaching this article, I thought the issue at hand was the fact that RuPaul was being questioned as a black role model and rejected by his ethnic community. This was until I dug deeper and realized that the teachers who selected the public figures for the parade were all Caucasian. Many have commented that the pictures of OJ, Rodman and RuPaul were included the procession as a joke; as a convicted robber/kidnapper, a disruptive basketball player and celebrity drag-queen would never be considered as “role-models”. Or would they? The general consensus is that OJ and Rodman are completely unsuitable, as their rise to fame as sports superstars has since been overshadowed by their well-documented misdemeanors. In a story of black and white, RuPaul is smack bang in the middle of the grey area, which surprises me as he is a successful, well-known black personality who has never been suspected of murder, convicted of robbery/kidnapping, or charged with spousal battery.

While some acknowledge RuPaul’s achievements, are others really saying that because the entertainer chooses to perform dressed in drag, he doesn’t provide a positive image for children in the black community? Ludicrous! RuPaul is a man who became famous by refusing to color within the lines, conform to “popular” society ideals or embrace the “mundane”. Sounds pretty inspiring to me! For all the Venustraphobes (people with a fear of beautiful women) out there; it’s important to remember that not everyone has walked the road of self-discovery. For young people growing up, struggling to discover who they are and where they fit in, RuPaul shines like a beacon of hope. Sounds like a cliché I know. I mean, I’m not saying that all confused boys should run to their mothers’ closets in search of eternal happiness…just that with realistic role models they can look up to, they can dare to dare to be different.

RuPaul himself said “My hope is that my career will be a shining example to children everywhere that life is more meaningful when you are not afraid to see all colors of the rainbow."

P.S. RuPaul’s Drag Race is one of the funniest shows I’ve ever watched. If he’s not an “American Idol”, I don’t know what is. Expand your horizons.

Image courtesy of insidesocal.com