Jimbo’s entrance look for RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8 has ignited controversy online.
On 20 April, the cast for the forthcoming season was announced, with Jimbo joined by Alexis Michelle, Darienne Lake, Heidi N Closet, Jaymes Mansfield, Jessica Wild, Kahanna Montrese, Kandy Muse, LaLa Ri, Monica Beverly Hillz, Mrs. Kasha Davis and Naysha Lopez.
Jimbo memorably competed on the first season of Canada’s Drag Race, where she received overwhelming acclaim for her Snatch Game-winning impersonation of Joan Rivers and sashayed away in fourth place.
She made an iconic return on UK vs the World, where she introduced viewers to her bonkers alter-ego Casper the Baloney Ghost.
With her inclusion on All Stars 8, Jimbo makes history as the second international queen – after The Vivienne – and the first Canada’s Drag Race alum to compete on a U.S. season.
After the series released footage of the aforementioned contestants sashaying back into the werkroom, Jimbo’s big-breasted entrance look sparked discourse online.
Although breastplates aren’t uncommon for drag queens, some fans are claiming that Jimbo’s classic “bimbo” aesthetic is making a mockery of women.
Alongside photos of former contestants Katya and Trixie Mattel wearing breastplates, Twitter user @messys1ut said of Jimbo’s look: “I’m gonna say it as loud as I possibly can. These are NOT the same, and no, we aren’t ‘picking and choosing.’
“The first two are creating a feminine illusion, the last one is a mockery. I know you cis men think you’re smart by comparing them, but there’s a reason we’re okay with the former.”
“We’re not saying Jimbo using the body type is what’s offensive what is actually offensive is that she ONLY uses them for comedy and nothing else. It’s a bit hard to say she doesn’t mock women when her whole routine is centered around big boobs,” tweeted another.
While some took issue for Jimbo using her breastplate as a “punchline,” others celebrated her “pro-boob” artistic choice.
Irma Gerd, who competed on the third season of Canada’s Drag Race, defended Jimbo from the “misogynist” comments, saying the critics “are actually just outing themselves as bimbo-phobic”.
“Nobody is out here dragging the flat chested queens for mocking flat chested ppl. It’s clear that people are just projecting their judgement of empowered big titty ppl onto this,” said Irma.
Drag Race UK star Crystal said it was important to “listen to people within our community when they raise concerns about misogyny,” while continuing to explain that “big boobs do not automatically equal misogyny.
“That’s a super transphobic talking point that reduces women down to their anatomy. Equally, misogyny DOES exist in drag, and pretending otherwise is not a good look.”
One fan criticised the “selective outrage”, highlighting how past contestants have also worn “oversized breast plates” in the past, such as Drag Race season 13 winner Symone and season 12 finalist Gigi Goode.
Twitter user @WendyWithAGun added: “Yall maybe we should let people who have breasts decide whether or not Jimbo’s look is acceptable.”
Check out the comments below.
https://twitter.com/L0V3GALOR3/status/1649131293517422592
https://twitter.com/Sebastianh1405/status/1649208881472589825
The people calling jimbo a misogynist are actually just outing themselves as bimbo-phobic. Nobody is out here dragging the flat chested queens for mocking flat chested ppl. It’s clear that people are just projecting their judgement of empowered big titty ppl onto this.
— Irma Gerd 🇵🇸CEASEFIRE (@QueenIrmaGerd) April 21, 2023
It’s the selective outrage for me. Because plenty of well beloved fan favorites like Symone have done the whole oversized breast plates before (where it’s meant for comedic effect might I add) and I’ve never seen the level of outrage against them like I see for Jimbo. pic.twitter.com/qroFBvVeok
— Maxxy Rainbow 🌈 (@MaxxyRainbow) April 21, 2023
https://twitter.com/ValenciaVrsai/status/1649311023621349376
https://twitter.com/ValenciaVrsai/status/1649402717318574080
Unpopular opinion: Jimbo’s constant use of large breast plates is extremely pro-boob and the way people are so against it is more reflective of how afraid society is of large breasts than Jimbo’s drag. https://t.co/PyMtAX3pEU
— August Halbach (@agustyhall) April 21, 2023
What did Jimbo do exactly besides the breast plates since other queens do it too and drag often is comically overexaggerated depictions of gender…
— Aida Schiton 🇵🇸 (@aidaschiton) April 20, 2023
https://twitter.com/slvr_teeth/status/1649119049736151042
https://twitter.com/sonyaeclipse/status/1649289452274040832
https://twitter.com/WendyWithAGun/status/1649259461318672387
as a queer bio woman with big breasts, jimbo serves every time
— Lys Lee (@localpisces111) April 21, 2023
At a time when conservatives and TERFs are calling our art form misogynistic, maybe we should listen to people within our community when they raise concerns about misogyny? And not label them “silly young fans who don’t understand drag”?
— Crystal (@crystalwillseeu) April 21, 2023
It’s super complicated.
Big boobs do not automatically equal misogyny – that’s a super transphobic talking point that reduces women down to their anatomy.
Equally, misogyny DOES exist in drag, and pretending otherwise is not a good look.
— Crystal (@crystalwillseeu) April 21, 2023
The eighth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars premieres 12 May on Paramount Plus in the U.S. and on WOW Presents Plus in the UK.
All Stars 8 follows the finale of season 15, which saw GAY TIMES cover star Sasha Colby conquer over Anetra, Mistress Isabelle Brooks and Luxx Noir London, becoming the first trans woman of colour to win in the process.
The winner of All Stars 8 will join Chad Michaels, Alaska, Trixie Mattel, Monét X Change, Trinity the Tuck, Shea Couleé, Kylie Sonique Love and Jinkx Monsoon – our reigning “Queen of All Queens” – in the aforementioned Hall of Fame.
Check out the cast and their official promotional photos here.
RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars Season 8 will premiere exclusively on WOW Presents Plus in the UK from Friday 12th May at 8am BST followed by brand new episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars Untucked. Subscribe to WOW Presents Plus via https://uk.wowpresentsplus.com/
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