RuPaul's Drag Race's Symone has a message to legislators in Arkansas, her home state, who recently voted to deny transgender kids gender-affirming care.
"I don't think that trans people wanting to be themselves and wanting to have medical attention and all of these things is really the concern you need to be having in our state, specifically when there's so much poverty, and so many people who go without education," the drag performer told The Advocate.
"How dare you try to legislate someone's existence on this earth?" she asked. "It's disgusting. You don't have the right to do that to people."
Symone also offered a message to transgender kids whose rights "are being legislated away" across the nation as conservatives attempt to pass dozens of bills targeting them.
"Don't lose hope. Keep fighting. Don't let them think that this is a win. And to not be discouraged by it," Symone said.
"There is still hope, there's still light, there's people around the world and the country who are behind you. So don't feel alone and don't feel like it's over just because this happened."
Symone added that, prior to Drag Race, she was "just a little girl from Arkansas who had a dream." And she hopes her success can motivate other marginalized folks to reach for the stars. "Let my run inspire you to do anything and everything you want to do in this world," she said.
