29-01-2025
Jinkx Monsoon on Trump's Transgender Military Ban: ‘This Isn't the First Time They've Made It Illegal to Be Us, We're Still Here'
Jinkx Monsoon walked the pink carpet at the Season 2 premiere of 'Sketchy Queens' Tuesday night in Hollywood. The Broadway star and'Drag Race All Stars' winner responded to Donald Trump's transgender military ban saying, 'This isn't the first time they've tried to make it illegal to be us, and we're still here.'
Late Monday night, Trump issued an executive order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military. The order was issued to 'ensure the readiness and effectiveness of our Armed Forces.'
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'This is the farthest we've come, and if they think that people will willingly go back into the shadows…I mean TV would suck without us,' said Monsoon, who has spoken out about Trump's anti-Trans rhetoric in the past. 'No one's going to want to get rid of us for TV's sake alone.'
Also in attendance were 'RuPaul Drag Race: All Stars' Season 9 winner Angeria Paris VanMicheals, BenDeLaCreme and trans advocate and drag queen Abigail Beverly Hillz. Hillz echoed Monsoon saying, 'Trans and gender diverse people are going absolutely nowhere. I have known who I am my entire life. I was born intersex, and I transitioned gender presentations when I was a teenager.'
Hillz called for people to remember 'our humanity.'
BenDeLaCreme reinforced the power of community coming together as LGBTQ+ rights come under attack from the Trump administration. He said, 'I think it's so important right now that everybody be doing more to get face to face. Get offline, meet your neighbors or get your friends together for a dinner party.'
He and Monsoon had recently wrapped their holiday tour which saw the duo perform in cities across the country. Said BenDeLaCreme, 'It's a really special thing to be able to do to make so many people laugh. To feel thousands of people in a room feeling the same emotions — it's such a gift.'
'Sketchy Queens' airs on World of Wonder's WoW Presents Plus every Monday and follows Monsoon and Krug in various sketches. Elaine Carroll, Brandon Rogers and Michael Vegas, and former 'Drag Race' stars Angeria Paris VanMichaels and Salina EsTitties are among the guest stars this season.
With the first episode titled 'Burn the Witch,' Krug teased what audiences can expect from the season: 'Some funny goofs, gags, and some glam.'
Monsoon also admitted she keeps her 'Drag Race' crown and scepter in her office on a shelf with 'other trophies.' Asked what's the one trophy she'd like to add to her shelf, Monsoon replied, 'Tony.' She added, 'But I want to get it when I fully earned it, not just because of a sensational moment. I want to get it when I fucking did the work, and everyone agrees that I got it.'
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