Drag Race judge thanks Strictly for giving LGBT people boost
MICHELLE Visage t hanked Strictly Come Dancing for giving her a platform to teach “that there is more to life than the binary” as she was eliminated from the competition.
The US star — who is known from being a judge on the reality television series RuPaul’s Drag Race — received her marching orders on last night’s results s how f oll owing a dance- off against Saffron Barker and AJ Pritchard.
She posted a lengthy message on Instagram afterwards, saying that her last dance with her professional partner Giovanni Pernice was “about shedding light on a group of people who deserve recognition and would otherwise not get it”.
“I’ve learned in this life you must take big risks in order to affect change,” she told her 1.4m followers.
“Gio and I chose our couple’s choice to Vogue to bring a part of the underground gay ballroom scene to a massive show like Strictly.
“We are SO proud of the dance we did, but for me, it wasn’t about judges’ scores.
“It was about shedding light on a group of people who deserve recognition and would otherwise not get it.
“I owe my life to the LGBTQIA+ community, so as an ally I try to bring attention to them, their love, their struggles, in any way that I am able to.
“In this instance it happened to be through dance and hear this: Voguing IS dancing.”
Visage went on: “THANK YOU SO MUCH to EVERYONE for all the love you have shown me on this strictly journey.
“Welcoming this 51-year-old mum into their lives through their telly weekly, voting for us, letting this American know she’s welcomed into the British Public has meant SO much to me. I am BEYOND grateful.
“Through this experience I have made great new friends and a partner in Giovanni who will be in my life forever. This experience has been one I’ ll cherish FOREVER.”
Strictly continues on BBC One.