News
Drag Queens Shine At Olympics Opening, But ‘Last Supper’ Tableau Draws Criticism
PARIS — Drag queens took center stage at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, demonstrating the lively and prominent role of the French LGBTQ+ community — while also drawing criticism for a tableau evocative of “The Last Supper.”
The stunning four-hour concert took place along the Seine River and featured global singers such as Celine Dion and Lady Gaga, who are regarded as LGBT icons. The event combined historic and modern French culture with a touch of kitsch, ending with a flotilla of boats transporting thousands of Olympians.
Drag Queens Shine At Olympics Opening, But ‘Last Supper’ Tableau Draws Criticism
Nicky Doll, who was on the 12th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and hosts “Drag Race France,” took part in a high-octane fashion runway segment alongside “Drag Race France” Season 1 winner Paloma, Piche from Season 3, and Giselle Palmer. Initially, they stood along the runway, staring intently at the strutting models. They later joined in, demonstrating their style.
Le Filip, the recent winner of “Drag Race France,” expressed “surprise” and “pride” in the ceremony’s size and representation.
“I assumed it would be a five-minute drag show with LGBT representation. I was amazed. “It began with Lady Gaga, followed by drag queens, a massive rave, and a fire in the sky,” they explained. “It was like getting crowned all over again. I’m proud to see my friends and LGBT folks on the global stage.”
Among their daring performances was a tableau that appeared to be inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” with the drag queens and other performers arranged in the form of Jesus Christ and his apostles. This section received a lot of attention—and different emotions.
“The French government understands what it is doing. They aim to present themselves in the best possible way. “They showed no restraint in their expression,” Le Filip told The Associated Press.
Drag Queens Shine At Olympics Opening, But ‘Last Supper’ Tableau Draws Criticism
On the other hand, prominent far-right lawmaker Marion Maréchal criticised the performance on social media.
“To all the Christians of the world who are watching the Paris 2024 ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France that is speaking, but a left-wing minority ready for any provocation,” she wrote on the social media platform X, a sentiment shared by religious conservatives around the world.
“… because decapitating Habsburgs and ridiculing central Christian events are really the FIRST two things that come to mind when you think of #OlympicGames,” Eduard Habsburg, Hungary’s envoy to the Vatican, wrote on X, referring to a scene depicting Marie Antoinette’s beheading.
Thomas Jolly, the opening ceremony’s artistic director, later clarified that the references to “The Last Supper” were not his goal.
Le Filip responded to criticism of the scene with humour and sadness.
“It feels like the remarks of someone who didn’t make the guest list. We could all laugh together. “It’s sad to me,” they said.
Inter-LGBT President James Leperlier was more cautious, stating that France still needs to make substantial progress towards inclusivity.
“We know that the LGBTQ community in France differs from what the ceremony depicted. There is great progress to be made in society about transgender persons. “It’s terrible that they have to go on trial to legally change their identity,” Leperlier stated.
He also emphasised the gap in acceptance, claiming that the community is not seen in other official ceremonies and “has difficulty being heard.”
“If you watched the opening ceremony last night, you would think it was normal, but it is not. “France attempted to demonstrate what it should be, not what it is,” he stated.
Drag Queens Shine At Olympics Opening, But ‘Last Supper’ Tableau Draws Criticism
The opening ceremony featured drag, and the voguing nightlife scene in France has seen a comeback. Madame Arthur, a cabaret club established in 1946 after World War II, is one of the world’s longest-continuously operating LGBTQ+ theatres. It debuted as Europe was only beginning to comprehend the scope of the widespread slaughter of members of the LGBT community during WWII and is currently undergoing a tremendous rebirth.
Drag is more than simply a sport; for many minority French populations who feel isolated as a result of contentious politics and the scars left by anti-gay marriage riots a decade ago, it is a resistance statement. Many LGBT Black and Arab adolescents, particularly those from Paris’ less affluent and religiously conservative suburbs, as well as others who feel disconnected from French society, find voguing and drag events to be safe spaces where they can express themselves without fear of repercussions.
Despite the outcry, Le Filip believes the opening ceremony will eventually transcend controversy.
They told me, “The message of the show is freedom, and it’s a good postcard for France.”
SOURCE | AP