Maxime Bernier decries 'leftist logic' after Ottawa praises RuPaul's Drag Race contestant

People's Party LeaderMaximeBerniersent a tweet Tuesday attacking what he called the "leftist logic" that praises female impersonators while branding whitepeople who wear dreadlocks or blackfaceas racists or perpetrators of cultural appropriation.

Berniersaid it was illogical for drag artists wearing makeup and women's clothingto be celebrated as a source of diversity while the actions of others notably whites who adopt some of the physical characteristics ofracial minorities aredemonizedas discriminatory.

The source ofBernier'sangst is a tweet from the official Twitter account run by Global Affairs Canadathat praised Toronto-based drag queen Brooke LynnHytes, who will be the first Canadian to appear on the Emmy-award winning reality program RuPaul's Drag Race. That show sees drag queens compete for the title of America's Next Drag Superstar.

"Canada is behind you as (you) strut your way towards becoming one fierce superstar!" the tweet reads.

Blackfacehas a long and complicated history in North Americaand is widely regarded as deeply offensive. Its origins date back to19thcentury minstrel shows that saw white performers paint their faces a darker tone to mock black Americans.

The earliest of these shows ridiculed enslaved Africans on Southern plantations, depicting black people as lazy, ignorant, cowardly orhypersexual, according to the Smithsonian'sNational Museum of African American History and Culture(NMAAHC).

'Let's provoke some head explosions'

The history of drag performance is murkier. Female impersonation has been a partof stage performances for generations.

Drag queens have been a fixture of gay bars in the West since at at least the post-Second World War era. Performers, typically gay men, dress in women's clothing and sometimes impersonate famous 'gay icons' to entertain patrons.

After receiving backlash for his tweet, Bernier said: "Let's provoke some head explosions among social justice warriors." He also saidblackface is a"non-existent phenomenon."

The Quebec MP then re-tweeted a follower who said Bernier does not have "a problem with some dude throwing on a dress and makeup" butwas merely highlighting "the left's hypocrisy when it comes to standards of self-expression."

Bernier, a self-described libertarian, has shown support for gay and lesbian Canadiansin the past, publicly backing achange to the Conservative Party policy declaration that had defined marriage as aunion between a man and a woman.

"Maximesupports constitutional equality for all, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientationor gender," a note on hiswebsitereads.

When asked about Bernier's tweet, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said it was proud to promote Hytes' appearance on the TV program.

"The promotion and protection of the rights of LGBTQ2 people worldwide is a priority for our government, and we will continue to champion respect for diversity, inclusion and the human rights of all people everywhere," he said.

The show in question is hosted byRuPaulCharles, a pioneering drag queenwho helped bring the gender-bending performance art into the mainstream. He also has faced backlash for comments about transwomenthat some have called offensive.

Berniercondemned "agitated journalists" Tuesday for "freaking out" and making inquiries about atweet he himself had sent only hours earlier, saying the media should instead focus on more important issues like his stance on pipeline development, equalization and corporate welfare.

It's not the first timeBernierwho narrowly lost the last Conservative leadership race in 2017before startinghis own upstart populist party has stirred the pot onsocial media as he looks to pry voters away from the other major parties ahead of October's federal election.

'They have the right to their own opinion' | Maxime Bernier

6 years ago

Duration 9:29

Maxime Bernier, leader of the People's Party of Canada joined Power & Politics to discuss his recent tweets, the party's new candidate and China.