RuPaul gets a new signature Build-A-Bear (gold heels sold separately)
Build-A-Bear Workshop, the stuffed animal company, has unveiled a new collaboration with TV personality RuPaul, host of drag queen competition show "RuPaul's Drag Race." The new stuffed animal is part of the company's "Bear Cave" line, which collaborates with various brands like "Star Wars" and "The Black Panther."
The teddy bear portrays RuPaul, whose full name is RuPaul Charles, in his signature drag. The bear wears a gold dress and matching eye shadow with a blond wig. Gold heels are sold separately.
The teddy bear draws inspiration from the lyrics of RuPaul's iconic song "Cover Girl." "Cover BEAR! Put the fur in your walk. Head to paw, let your whole body talk," reads the description.
The company is known for its brick-and-mortar stores where people can create their own stuffed animals. It collaborates with many popular kids-focused brands, like Disney, but their "Bear Cave" collection has "expect unexpected collabs and unique giftable plush." Other collaborations include bears that look characters from "Ted Lasso" and "The Office."
The RuPaul bear gained attention online when fans of "RuPaul's Drag Race" shared their excitement. Drag queen Jaymes Mansfield, who appeared on the ninth season of the show, restyled the Build-A-Bear's hair, as did season 12 contestant Gigi Goode.
Drag —which traditionally features men dresed as women who perform singing, dancing and comedy acts— has become a polarizing issue in the U.S. Tennessee passed a Republican-backed bill that banned drag queen performances in public places, but a federal judge blocked it just before it went into effect last week.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker issued the temporary injunction after a LGBTQ+ theater company sued Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy and the state to block the bill, according to the Associated Press.
The bill changed the definition of adult cabaret in Tennessee to mean "adult-oriented performances that are harmful to minors." And while it did not explicit use the term "drag queen," it classifies "male or female impersonators" as adult cabaret performers, just as strippers are.
In the complaint, the Friends of George's theater company says the law is too broad."The law prohibits a drag performer wearing a crop top and mini skirt from dancing where minors might see it, but does not prohibit a Tennessee Titans cheerleader wearing an identical outfit from performing the exact same dance in front of children," the initial complaint reads.
Parker agreed that the law is too broad. "Does a citizen's private residence count? How about a camping ground at a national park?" Parker wrote. "Ultimately, the Statute's broad language clashes with the First Amendment's tight constraints."
Rep. Chris Todd, the Republican who introduced the bill, said the legislation seeks "simply to clarify exactly what is intended in the law that we've had for many decades, but makes it very clear to the public what is crossing the line as harmful to minors."
Opponents of the bill, like Democratic Tennessee state representative Gloria Johnson, say the bill is not meant to protect children, but to target the LGBTQ community.
"I'm curious how many drag shows you've been to, and I'm curious why targeting this?" she asked during a hearing on the bill in the Tennessee House. "It seems like a bill that is directed at a particular community…This seems to be directed specifically at hate. I haven't seen any evidence of a single damaged child from any of this."
