Jaida Essence Hall slams racist abuse from Drag Race fans

RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jaida Essence Hall has slammed racist abuse from so-called fans after being targeted online.

The queen triumphed in season 12 of the flagship franchise of Drag Race before returning in the All Winners edition of All Stars in 2022, and will also appear alongside fellow champs Sasha Velour and Priyanka and fan-favourite Latrice Royale, as new hosts for the fourth season of We’re Here.

Despite making it to the final with three challenge wins before being crowned in her first appearance, Jaida has continued to be one of the franchise’s most underrated winners, something one X/Twitter user sought to rectify with an apprecation post.

“These past five days have been long, crazy, amazing and just honestly a lot,” Jaida wrote in reply and in reference to her current We’re Here press tour.

“But I’m just seeing this post and I just have to thank y’all so much for all this love and the constant love from a lot of y’all. I really do try my best and just want to make y’all as well as myself proud.

“Everything we do is not about being the prettiest, best dress[ed], most talented or funniest, and all that shady stuff. Sometimes it’s just about seeing and acknowledging people [who] make you feel something when you see them or their work, or about how much joy they bring to your world. And I see y’all too.”

But another X user decided to ruin the moment and comment that Jaida was a “mediocre” winner, adding: “We wanted Gigi Goode“, the season 12 runner-up.

Jaida calmly composed a reply, writing, among other things: “The people on this post, [me] and Gigi included, [couldn’t] care less about a person who thinks they are going to come online and bully, or make people feel bad.

“I hope one day you have enough love, courage and confidence to come from behind that screen and live a life where you love yourself enough to put yourself under the same scrutiny you put on to others… but again because I’m not a hater, I hope when/if that happens everything in your life is solid enough that you don’t break.”

In response, the user shared an image of Jaida’s face crudely photoshopped on to that of George Floyd, under the knee of the police officer who murdered him in 2020; an act which sparked the global Black Lives Matter movement. Gigi’s face was photoshopped on to Derek Chauvin, who is serving a sentence of 22½ years for second-degree murder.

Jaida responded by slamming racist fans of Drag Race, highlighting the specific issues faced by queens of colour who get their break on the franchise.

“These are the racist disgusting things that BIPOC [Black, indigenous, and people of colour] people who do [Drag Race] have to deal with in the fandom,” she said.

“Y’all have no idea how hard it is to keep dealing with this kinda stuff then smile and play cute on the internet because if we have the audacity… to speak up, it’s somehow flipped on how we can better handle it.

“We just supposed to smile. Even in our work… sick of this! Mind you, this is not any reflection of how my sis thinks, feels, moves or operates.”

Her comments have largely been met with messages of support, and criticism of the X user who attacked her.

Jaida is the latest in a line of Drag Race queens who have had to deal with racist threats after appearing on the show. Monét X Change and Pangina Heals have also spoken out.

We’re Here season four is due to begin on HBO on Friday (26 April) in the US, and will stream on Sky Go in the UK.