‘What’s the Tea? A conversation with Michelle Visage and Jennifer Schweppe’ took place this past Friday, March 16 at Dolans Warehouse as part of the ‘academic meets activist’ series of The Hate and Hostility Research Group, at the University of Limerick.
The event was organised by Ms Schweppe and Dr Amanda Haynes, co-directors of the International Network for Hate Studies.
The event was filled to capacity and Ms Schweppe and Michelle Visage discussed gender identity, drag and being an ally to the LGBTI community.
Michelle is an American singer, television host, radio DJ, author, and television personality. She is a renowned LGBTQI ally and activist and television personality, best known for judging RuPaul’s Drag Race and currently appearing on Ireland’s Got Talent.
Since January 2011, Michelle has been a judge on the reality competition show RuPaul’s Drag Race, as well as its spin-off RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars. Michelle became a housemate on the fifteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother and left the house in fifth place. Michelle is one of the four judges on the ongoing first season of Ireland’s Got Talent, alongside Denise Van Outen, Jason Byrne and Louis Walsh.
Picture: Cian Reinhardt
Michelle Visage is an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ community in word and action and has been an ally to the queer community since day one.
Michelle spoke about where she thinks LGBTQ culture is headed in the modern era, “We are living in a more politically correct age than we’ve ever been and now words and labels that were deemed non-offensive and were used as terms of affection back in the ‘80s when I was living in New York are now considered slurs. This is affecting the community as it is killing it in some aspects and helping it in others.”
Jennifer Schweppe is a Lecturer in Law in the faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Limerick, and co-director of UL’s Hate and Hostility Research Group, as well as co-director of the International Network for Hate Studies.
“Core to the work of the Hate and Hostility Research Group is addressing prejudice and violence against minoritised members of society, and where thrilled to welcome Michelle Visage, an individual who has worked tirelessly as an advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community.” Jennifer Schweppe of the HHRG concluded.
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