RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under queen called out after unearthed blackface and racial appropriation photos

RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under star Scarlet Adams has been called out for wearing blackface, brownface and mocking multiple ethnicities in her old routines. 

The drag queen was announced as part of the first ever line-up of the Australian and New Zealand series at the beginning of March, but other queens have slammed her appearance considering her previous performances. 

Felicia Foxx, an Aboriginal queen, has now posted a string of photos on Instagram showing Scarlet in blackface, brownface, and in racially inappropriate costumes. 

These included photos of her dressed like a Japanese geisha, wearing a native American headdress, and mocking Aborigines by wearing blacked out teeth. 

‘I apologise in Advance as some of this content can be distressing, I deeply feel for every single culture that is disrespected in these pictures,’ Felicia wrote. 

‘MY CULTURE IS NOT A COSTUME‼️ 

‘It makes me sick to my core to see numerous people in the LGBTQ+ community who are profiting off of making a mockery and disrespecting peoples cultures. 

‘It makes me furious seeing my culture being dismantled, disregarded and s**t on and [Scarlet Adams] decided to wear this particular outfit including black face and two blacked out teeth on the 26th January Invasion Day…’ 

‘I fully understand that people make mistakes and grow from them but once you continue to take the piss out of numerous cultures on various occasions after you’ve been called out is concerning and down right vulgar,’ Felicia continued. 

‘Being a Proud, Aboriginal & Gay Man it’s only right I bring it to everyone’s attention that RACISM is very much alive on the Queer scene.

‘Silence is violence and I’d be stupid not to utilise my platform for doing exactly what I’m doing here!

‘My People & Our Culture Is Not A Joke For Any One Especially Privileged Dominating Cultures To Make A Mockery Out Of Us‼️‼️’ the queen ended. 

‘To think this is what will be on display and representing the Australian Drag scene on [Drag Race] an international television platform is disgusting. WAKE THE F**K UP.’ 

Scarlet has since spoken out about the photos, resharing a statement on Facebook titled ‘Atonement’, which was first posted in June 2020. 

In the message she admits that it happened and ‘won’t try to deny it’, saying she was ‘ignorant, young and f**ing stupid’, apologising and vowing to improve herself. 

She then updated the message with a ‘2021’ segment that read: ‘In recent days I have heard stories repeated about my past; rumours that I would like the opportunity to address directly and honestly. 

‘Despite this being a story I am deeply ashamed of, and something I had tried to forget. I’ve come to realise in recent years that taking responsibility and admitting my mistakes is an important learning experience, and something that has helped shape me as a performer, and mature as a person. 

‘There is no way to sugar-coat it, when I was a teenager roughly eight years ago I performed in blackface/cultural appropriation. I was young and I was ignorant. I am no longer that person.’

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