Jinkx Monsoon Tells Fellow Drag Queens to Support SAG-AFTRA / WGA Strikes and to Reject Studio Offers

In the midst of her critically acclaimed and largely sold-out world tour, Everything At Stake, two-time RuPaul's Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon took time to not only speak out in support of the SAG-AFTRA strike, but also told them not to accept any offers from studios should they be approached.

Posting to her social media from her "very humid dressing room," the Jinkx spoke her pro-Union words of wisdom to "fellow drag entertainers, fellow queer artists, fellow queer entertainers, content creators, [and] influencers." She waxed philosophical about how hard it is for Queer artists everywhere living from gig to gig, never certain where the next paycheck will be coming from, and how the prospect of rejecting paying gigs— particularly when they're from major studios—can be incredibly daunting. But that's exactly what she instructed them to do.

 

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Monsoon admits upfront that she's a member of SAG-AFTRA and therefore has a vested interest in the outcome of these strikes, but pulling no punches she goes on to warn people of what they'll be should the decide to cross the picket lines and accept work: a scab. If you're unfamiliar with the term, a "scab" is someone who crosses a picket line during a strike to accept work for the company the workers are striking against. The term goes back to the early 1800s and when you're labeled a scab it usually means you'll be blacklisted once the strike is over.

"SAG will no longer consider you eligible to ever join the actors union. This could affect your career in the long run when this strike is over. Taking a job right now could prevent you from getting work in the future." But even more pressing, Jinkx reminds potential scabs that they'll be directly "undermining the efforts we are trying to make." And as the Jinkx makes clear, you don't have to be a member of SAG or the WGA to be considered a scab if you cross the picket line. Anyone (current union members or otherwise) who takes work that directly hinders the unions' strikes will be considered a scab, which is not a cute look professionally (or personally for that matter).

There have been rumblings that the strikes will last through the fall, and there are rumors that the studio executives plan to drain the union members dry financially until they even begin their side of the negotiations. But whatever the case is, Queer artists need to stay strong and stand with the unions. Strikes are almost always movements rooted in a fight for equality, justice, and fair treatment... fights the LGBTQ+ community know all too well. Kudos to Jinkx Monsoon for being such a vocal advocate.

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