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RuPaul's Drag Race UK criticised for lack of diversity in season 3 cast
18 August 2021, 12:32
Drag Race UK champion is crowned
Drag Race UK season 3 will be released in September.
RuPaul's Drag Race UK is being called out for its lack of diversity in the season 3 cast.
On Wednesday (Aug 18), the Drag Race UK season 3 cast was Ru-vealed. This series – which is coming to BBC Three in September – will see 12 queens showcase their Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent, and battle for the title of UK's Next Drag Superstar. Season 3 will also welcome its first cis-female performer in Drag Race herstory, Victoria Scone.
Following the cast announcement, people began criticising the lack of diversity in the season 3 line-up. As it stands, there's only one Black contestant, Vanity Milan. River Medway is half Singaporean, and Anubis has Egyptian heritage.
READ MORE: RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Meet the season 3 queens
Although Drag Race UK have progressed with gender inclusion, many have called on the casting team to do better and amplify the voices of other ethnic groups in the drag world and LGBTQ+ community.
"Why does uk drag race s3 have one singular black person in it I am so tired," one user tweeted. Another added: "This lineup is so white it is really not representative of the UK drag scene."
Don't have a hot take but this lineup is so white it is really not representative of the UK drag scene
— shivani dave (PRON: dah-vey) (@ShivaniDave) August 18, 2021
Did Pride in London cast this season of RPDRUK or something? https://t.co/B9shRofvee
why does uk drag race s3 have one singular black person in it I am so tired
— trophywifecore (@e4rthpersona) August 18, 2021
My only complaint about Drag Race UK Season Three thus far is there seems to be more racial diversity on Faye from Love Island’s lips than in the cast.
— David Chipakupaku 🏴🇿🇲 (@David_Chippa) August 18, 2021
This new Drag Race UK cast is looking very.... white. All the queens look great, but wheres the diversity?
— bernyferr (@bernyferr) August 18, 2021
This new Drag Race UK cast is looking very.... white. All the queens look great, but wheres the diversity?
— bernyferr (@bernyferr) August 18, 2021
looking at the three drag race uk cast pictures… there is a real problem in that casting team with casting queens that aren’t white and i can’t believe they’ve not addressed it yet?!? they do need a new team in for series four in my opinion there is no show on tv as bad for it
— hoops (@itsmatthooper) August 18, 2021
Absolutely fabulous to see the franchise's first AFAB queen on Drag Race UK, but where are the queens of colour at????
— j (@fka_j) August 18, 2021
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: British TV has a huge problem when it comes to LGBTQ+ intersectionality. This line-up proves that. https://t.co/lF79cqUjKd
— The TV Mindset (@the_tv_mindset) August 18, 2021
Drag Race UK have had comments about their lack of diversity since it started in 2019. In season 1, the series featured one Asian queen, Sum Ting Wong, and one Black queen, Vinegar Strokes. Meanwhile its second series featured a record three BAME contestants: Tayce, Tia Kofi and Asttina Mandella.
Drag Race UK are yet to comment on the lack of diversity this year. We will update you if they do.
