RuPaul and love

I’m not sure we all realize what a national treasure RuPaul Charles is. I’ve been catching up on back seasons of “RuPaul’s Drag Race" and “Drag Race All-Stars.”

If you’re not familiar, here are a couple of clip reels.

Drag Race Moments That Left TheJudges Gagging

Snatch Game’s Most Unforgettable Moments

Yes it’s entertaining to watch the queens’ antics, to understand where so many catch phrases and memes got their starts (Pork Chop, Stacy Layne Matthews, Club 96 and Miss Vanjie, for starters).

But what I love most is Ru’s undeniable love for his girls, how he reminds them they’re family, gently probes the thorny, comforts the distraught and calls out the bullshit. At the end of each regular season there’s a moment at judging where he shows each finalist their childhood photo and asks, “what would you like to tell your younger self?” It’s an emotional moment and I sob through a lot of them, because many queens come to drag from difficult, sometimes dangerous lives.

It’s a question I ask myself sometimes and honestly, it’s too emotional right now for me to answer it.

I thank you RuPaul, for the entertainment, the flat-out cackle laughs, the glamour, the activism, the forgiveness and the positive messaging: everybody say love!