Watch Sasha Colby Be Honored by The House of Representatives
Members of the U.S. House took a moment to recognize and honor Sasha Colby, winner of season 15 of RuPaul's Drag Race.
RuPaul’s Drag Race is nothing short of a cultural phenomenon, with fans of all kinds tuning in to watch the show. The latest winner of the series has now even been celebrated in the most unexpected of places – the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Last week, members took a moment to recognize and honor Sasha Colby, the winner of season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, with one politician using her time on the floor to praise the queen.
Jill Tokuda, the Democratic representative for Hawaii’s second congressional district, took to the microphone to congratulate Colby on her recent victory.
“I rise today to congratulate Sasha Kekauoha, more famously known as Sasha Colby, on being crowned the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15,” the politician said.
“Throughout Drag Race she authentically represented her Hawaiian culture, talking about the legacy she is building for our home state, and about being Māhū,” Tokuda continued, using a phrase that is much more popular in the island chain, but which Colby explained to viewers at home watching all around the world. One organization defines that word–Māhū–as meaning, “third-gender people with additional spiritual and social roles.”
Tokuda also took the opportunity to speak out against the ongoing attacks on the LGBTQ community, signaling why she was honoring Colby in the first place. “Amidst ongoing attacks on our LGBTQ+ rights that particularly target trans people and drag queens, her win is not only well deserved, it gives us all hope.”
I spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to congratulate @sashacolby, for her historic win on @RuPaulsDragRace. In a country where trans people and drag queens are increasingly being targeted, Sasha's win is not only well-deserved; it gives us hope. pic.twitter.com/wzh2bIbFTK
— U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda (@RepJillTokuda) April 26, 2023
The representative’s speech was shared on social media as a way to show support for Colby and the trans community at large, and so the Democrat could show which side of this debate she lives on.
Colby’s win on RuPaul’s Drag Race made history, as she became the first openly trans person to win a regular season.
She follows in the footsteps of Kylie Sonique Love, who became the first trans winner of any season of the show when she took home the crown on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season six in 2021.
Colby also made her home state proud by becoming the first Hawaiian contestant to be named the champion.
The recognition that Colby received from the House of Representatives is a powerful example of how drag culture has become more mainstream in recent years, thanks in large part to the immense popularity of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Some politicians are happy to recognize the importance of representation and visibility for marginalized communities, including their LGBTQ constituents.
By celebrating Colby’s win, Tokuda and other politicians like her are sending a message of support to trans individuals and drag performers everywhere, which is very much needed when others are doing everything they can to fight them and even attempt to eradicate the community.
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