A ‘Drag Race’ drama with international implications.
After making headlines for dragging Lady Camden’s dancing skills and the Werq the World tour for mostly casting contestants from US seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Farida Kant has issued an apology post on social media.
On Tuesday, October 24, the Drag Race Italia star apologized for criticizing Camden and used PRIDE’s original reporting about this situation as a background for her Instagram story.
“My criticism was directed to the Italian system, which despite our efforts and ability does not invest in the Italian drag world,” Kant wrote in the post. “I find myself having to fight hard to carve out my space in environments that are not exclusively part of my community (LGBTQ+). I was wrong to bring up Lady Camden. I did it instinctively when watching one of her shows. I should have made a generic speech and for this I apologize, to her first and foremost.”
She continued, “Other than that, I am trying to do my part in Italy, which has always believed little in this art and in our community. I can only offer myself and my skills in the hopes that we are seen as human beings, artists, and no longer as a freak show.”
In her apology, Kant reinforced that she was making a point about the lack of inclusivity of Drag Race queens from international seasons in global tours like Werq the World, which PRIDE did point out in our original reporting.
“It is objectively and historically accurate that big touring opportunities for Drag Race queens are mostly offered to contestants who appear in US seasons of the show,” PRIDE’s original report read. It was also highlighted that casting decisions are made by tour producers of Werq the World – not by the cast members themselves – and that criticizing Camden’s skillset had nothing to do with the lack of global diversity in a tour.
