Drag Race star Plane Jane has issued a response to claims that she was “so unserious” in the werkroom, after fellow season 16 castmate Q emotionally revealed her HIV status.
In the recent maxi-challenge the queens were tasked to deliver “drag awareness employee seminars.” Plane and Q were paired up by Mama Ru and given the topic, ‘Do you know your drag herstory?’
Ahead of the runway, Q confided in Plane that she was “doing something sentimental” for the theme, ‘Flashback: DragCon 1980.’ She explained how her outfit was “inspired by a generation of gay people that we lost to the AIDs epidemic in the 80s.”
Q then emotionally revealed: “I have also been HIV positive for two years now. When I first got my diagnosis I felt really lost and like I was super alone.”
In her confessional, Q further explained: “I tested positive when I was 24, I was mostly scared about how I was going to be treated by family and people around me who don’t understand it, because it is so stigmatised.
“You know people have said really awful, nasty things to me and almost dehumanised me. But I’m here, I’m on Drag Race and living my dreams. You know I have a loving husband who really supports and loves me, no matter what.”
Plane Jane answered: “Mama – kudos for saying that. For spilling.”
Q then continued to explain the stigmatism she has experienced in the medical system and the importance of having queer people in medical settings as “you really feel that difference in care.”
Later in the episode the pair were praised for their seminar as being the most “joke dense” out of all the presentations.
Michelle Visage continued to praise Q for her final runway look that was inspired by a Keith Haring print and AIDS awareness ribbon.
Ru told Q: “Thank you for inspiring us with your dress and for being so beautiful with your truth. We love you and we really love your courage.”
However, after the episode aired many fans went online to call-out Plane for being “unserious” in her response to Q.
“Plane Jane saying “thank you for spilling” after Q disclosed her HIV status is so sgdgdhdhdgdgdgdwffafw #DragRace,” one fan said.
Another added: “Can’t stop thinking about how this week on Drag Race Q talked about having HIV and Plane Jane literally was like ‘mama, kudos for saying that. for spilling’. How are gay people real.”
In response to the criticism, Plane defended her actions in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “Idk I meant it sincerely. Very proud of Q for sharing her status publicly on national television. That isn’t to say that I’m not severely socially impaired tho but I think we’ve all clocked that by now.”
Idk I meant it sincerely 🤷♀️ very proud of Q for sharing her status publicly on national television. That isn’t to say that I’m not severely socially impaired tho but I think we’ve all clocked that by now https://t.co/KvrVnni1bv
— Plane Jane Spaghetti (@the_planejane) March 17, 2024
Other fans have been quick to support Plane’s response, with on sharing: “As a Drag Race stan and Plane Jane apologist (her on-the-surface abrasive personality has grown on me), I truly, genuinely think she meant well. I believe she struggled to say something meaningful & sensitive in the moment, but still wanted to applaud Q’s bravery & vulnerability.”
In next week’s episode of Drag Race the queens “will be starring in a hot new design show Bathroom Hunties.”
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