On my google email account I have google alerts set up to keep me somewhat aware of what is going on in the world. One alert that I have set up is “drag queen” and as I was checking my mail yesterday this headline caught my eye: Blast From the Past Series – Too Fat to be a Drag Queen? I was like the eye of Sauron and immediately honed in on it and had to know what it was all about. I kept thinking is there some fatphobic bullshit going on. Apparently, back in the day, everyone's favorite plus-sized girl Ricki Lake did a special where she brought people on to confront their drag queen friends about their weight issues.

I nearly died – it was like Jerry Springer met Too Wong Foo. These friends were some mean S.O.B.s talking about their 400 pound drag queen friends nearly causing their plane to crash on the way to the set. More unfortunate than that is that some of the intervening friends were fellow drag queens. To be a drag queen means placing yourself in the center of the public eye and open yourself up for scrutiny. There is some fear and hateration toward drag queens so why would you compound that with more criticism from within your community. Also, don't be judging your plus sized friends when you are a fugly queen yourself.

I think one of the best parts of drag queenary is self-expression and becoming who you want to be. Most of the queens sound comfortable with who they were and used their weight as a crucial component of their stage persona. I say, that if you are comfortable with who you are and have fans that love and support you then what business is of it of your friends to judge you in such a way.