[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
Well, this is horribly disappointing. Shangela, one of the breakout stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race, has now been accused by several different men of sexual assault. A bombshell report from Rolling Stone on Monday has exposed the allegations, some of which were already taken to court. Allegations mostly involve the drag performer — whose real name is Darius Jeremy “DJ” Pierce — getting the victims too drunk to give proper consent before making his move.
Five accusers spoke to RS over a 16-month research period. Their stories span from 2012 to 2018 and are documented in text messages, DMs, and legal docs. One man alleged victim said Shangela tried to anally penetrate him in a bathroom closet after he’d rejected the star’s advances. In an already settled lawsuit, Shangela was accused of buying drinks for a production assistant on the HBO show We’re Here — and then using his inebriation to rape him.
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In an upsetting twist, three of the accusers were ready to go public last year as well but were thwarted by… well, capitalism. The exposé was going to be on Buzzfeed News, which unfortunately shut down in April 2023.
The five accusers all told Rolling Stone they were trepidatious about coming forward publicly with the allegations against Shangela. They’ve all been drag performers or at least big fans. And they’re all queer. So naturally they see what’s going on in this country and were rightfully worried right-wingers trying to fan the flames of anti-LGBT and drag hysteria would use it as fuel. After all, conservatives are happy to ignore dozens of reports each year of youth pastors and sports coaches taking advantage of kids — while claiming the laws they’re passing against drag performances are to protect children. Even though this has nothing to do with child abuse, we do expect it will be used that way. But ultimately they had to come forward with the truth — they just hope Pierce the individual will be the one facing consequences here. Same.
You can read the massive full report HERE.
[Image via MEGA/WENN.]