Shania Twain has showcased her support for drag queens and the LGBTQ+ community amid the rise of anti-drag legislation in the US.
Over the last few months, conservative lawmakers have targeted drag shows and drag queens with harmful and strict bills.
On 23 February, Tennessee became the first state to ban public drag shows with the archaic Senate Bill 3 (per The Hill).
The horrific legislation – which was first introduced in November – would update an existing law banning “adult-oriented businesses” from operating within 1,000 feet of schools, places of worship and public parks to include “adult cabaret performances” – which are classified as performances featuring “male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest.”
The bill is now on the desk of the state’s Republican governor Bill Lee, who will likely sign the archaic legislation into law.
In response to the growing number of terrifying anti-drag bills, LGBTQ+ activists and allies have used their platforms to call out the hate, including country music icon Twain.
In a recent interview with GLAAD, the Grammy winner expressed her admiration for drag queens and their “inspiring” talent.
“Drag shows are so fun. I so admire the talent there, first of all, it takes a lot of courage,” she said.
“The make-up, the ability to put their own make-up on, and do such a beautiful job. I’ve learned a lot from drag queens. I watch their tutorials.
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“I’m very inspired by them. I think we need this inspiration. We need drag queens to share their talent with us.”
Elsewhere in her interview, the Queen of Me singer expressed her hope for the future of LGBTQ+ rights and the community as a whole.
“When I was younger, I would say I even resented society for just making anyone feel like an outsider. I’m an inclusive person, and we need more love in the world,” she explained.
“When I got into the industry, at the time, there was no being a member of the LGBTQ community [now], so many of the creatives in my teams are part of the LGBTQ community, so yeah, I feel great.
“It’s a sign that our society is just slowly getting there, or at least getting somewhere.”
This isn’t the first time that Twain has expressed her love and admiration for the art of drag.
In an exclusive 2020 interview with GAY TIMES, the beloved talent praised the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race for their “innovation and creativity.”
In 2018, the Woman In Me singer guest starred on the long-running drag competition series.
“First of all, I was so impressed by the talent and the make-up artistry. I was so blown away by the total transformation,” she explained.
“The styling, the beauty and the aesthetics! I am inspired by that, and I learn a lot watching the transformations. That’s one thing I really love about Drag Race, is that you get to see that… I enjoy the art direction of it all.”
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