Arts & Entertainment
Trixie Mattel criticized for racist joke about picking cotton
The ‘Drag Race’ winner stands by the performance


Trixie Mattel (Photo by Jagc Photography)
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 3” winner Trixie Mattel is under fire after a racist joke from a roast in Denver, Colorado resurfaced online.
During the show, Mattel is roasting fellow “Drag Race” star Latrice Royale.
“I couldn’t decide what to wear so I wore this. It’s just like a cotton. Latrice picked it,” Mattel says.
When some of the audience members started to boo and groan Mattel replied, “Oh, is that too far, Denver? What did you forget to invite your black friends tonight?”
Some people on social media also didn’t find the joke funny including transgender model Munroe Bergdorf.
“Dear @trixiemattel … You do not get to ‘make racism funny’. This may have been a joke but calling any black person a slave for laughs is really fucking stupid, insensitive and plain old racist…,” Bergdorf tweeted. “It also shows the extent to which you lack understanding of how pop culture can set a bar for what people think is publicly acceptable behaviour. Drag Race fandom is already hella racist and problematic when if comes to treatment of the shows black queens…
“So instead of trying to turn black history and trauma into a joke for your own gain… How about you use your platform to resist that mentality, rather than perpetuate it? Be the solution, not the problem. This is racism thinly disguised as comedy,” she added.
Dear @trixiemattel … You do not get to ‘make racism funny’. This may have been a joke but calling any black person a slave for laughs is really fucking stupid, insensitive and plain old racist… pic.twitter.com/N15UGyaHbz
— Munroe Bergdorf ?? (@MunroeBergdorf) July 5, 2018
It also shows the extent to which you lack understanding of how pop culture can set a bar for what people think is publicly acceptable behaviour.
Drag Race fandom is already hella racist and problematic when if comes to treatment of the shows black queens…
— Munroe Bergdorf ?? (@MunroeBergdorf) July 5, 2018
So instead of trying to turn black history and trauma into a joke for your own gain… How about you use your platform to resist that mentality, rather than perpetuate it? Be the solution, not the problem. This is racism thinly disguised as comedy.
— Munroe Bergdorf ?? (@MunroeBergdorf) July 5, 2018
Despite the backlash, Mattel stood by her joke tweeting, “If you think drag queens apologize for jokes at a roast, you watch too much TV.”
If you think drag queens apologize for jokes at a roast, you watch too much TV.
— Trixie Mattel (@trixiemattel) July 5, 2018
Music & Concerts
Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’

Singer Tom Goss will bring his “Bear Friends Furever Tour” to D.C. on Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing Co.
Among the songs he will perform will be “Bear Soup,” the fourth installment in his beloved bear song anthology series. Following fan favorites like “Bears,” “Round in All the Right Places,” and “Nerdy Bear,” this high-energy, bass-thumping banger celebrates body positivity, joyful indulgence, and the vibrant spirit of the bear subculture.
For more details, visit Tom Goss’s website.

Friday, May 2
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at P.F. Chang’s. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, May 3
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
Sunday, May 4
“The Chateau Drag Brunch” will be at 12 p.m. at Chicatana. Enjoy fabulous Mexican food and cocktails while being entertained by a rotating cast of the DMV’s best drag performers. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
“The Bubble: Queer Brooklyn Comics in DC” will be at 5 p.m. at As You Are. Queer comedians Charlie Flynn, Evan Lazarus and Keara Sullivan are coming down from NYC for a night of fun as they split an hour of standup comedy. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Monday, May 5
“Center Aging Monday Coffee & Conversation” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Tuesday, May 6
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected].
Wednesday, May 7
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older queer women can meet and socialize with one another. We will have discussion, activities, and a chance for you to share what you want future events to include. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, May 8
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.
South Asian Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The peer support group is an outlet for South Asian-identified LGBTQ individuals to come and talk about anything affecting them. It’s a secure, judgment-free environment to discuss relationships, sexuality, health, well-being, identity, culture, religion, or anything that is on your mind. For more details, email [email protected].
Sports
English soccer bans transgender women from women’s teams
British Supreme Court last month ruled legal definition of woman limited to ‘biological women’

The organization that governs English soccer on Thursday announced it will no longer allow transgender women to play on women’s teams.
The British Supreme Court on April 16 ruled the legal definition of a woman is limited to “biological women” and does not include trans women. The Football Association’s announcement, which cites the ruling, notes its new policy will take effect on June 1.
“As the governing body of the national sport, our role is to make football accessible to as many people as possible, operating within the law and international football policy defined by UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) and FIFA,” said the Football Association in a statement that announced the policy change. “Our current policy, which allows transgender women to participate in the women’s game, was based on this principle and supported by expert legal advice.”
“This is a complex subject, and our position has always been that if there was a material change in law, science, or the operation of the policy in grassroots football then we would review it and change it if necessary,” added the Football Association.
The Football Association also acknowledged the new policy “will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender by which they identify.”
“We are contacting the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game,” it said.
The Football Association told the BBC there were “fewer than 30 transgender women registered among millions of amateur players” and there are “no registered transgender women in the professional game” in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The Scottish Football Association, which governs soccer in Scotland, is expected to also ban trans women from women’s teams.
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