Hasta La Gadget!

On Friday night’s episode of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” New York City queen Peppermint finally had a moment that many fans of the show knew was coming: a discussion surrounding her trans identity and the way it relates to her drag persona.

It was a highly personal and vulnerable conversation for Peppermint, who has been open about being trans since the show premiered earlier this year. But deciding when to share this with her fellow competitors and coming out on national television is no easy task, and one that Peppermint put an immense amount of thought and emotional energy into prior to the filming the show last summer.

There have been contestants who have come out as trans during the course of a “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season in the past, like Monica Beverly Hillz, and those that have gone on to transition post-”Drag Race,” like Carmen Carrera or Gia Gunn. But Peppermint is the first queen to be vocal about her identity from the moment the list of queens competing on her season was announced.

In this interview with The Huffington Post, Peppermint opens up about how she decided to tell her fellow contestants about her trans identity, the relationship, for her, between being trans and drag performance, and advice she would give other trans and gender non-conforming queens considering competing on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in the future.

The Huffington Post: First of all, congratulations for coming out on national television ― that’s a huge deal!

Peppermint: Thank you! I’ve actually been out for awhile but this is my first time speaking about it with this group of people, so I guess it’s a coming out! It’s a small and a big coming out at the same time.

Right ― it’s just more of a public coming out on this major platform. How did you approach sharing your trans identity going into “RuPaul’s Drag Race”?

Well, I think I took the same approach that I took in life, which was I didn’t necessarily have a Facebook announcement moment or like a “stop it all, everything changes” moment. I really just kind of wanted to become who I was supposed to be and continue to do what I was always meant to do – and I did! I just kind of morphed myself into a trans woman [laughs] and continued to kind of go about my daily life. The people who were in contact with me and in my life just kind of saw it in front of their eyes. So that was kind of my approach with the show.

I didn’t really want to come in and say, “hey everyone, I don’t know your names but I’ve got an announcement to make.” I just wanted to let me persona and my talent speak for themselves. And once I felt comfortable and established in the room and this group of people and knew that it was a safe space then I felt comfortable enough to share personal moments with them – including my trans experience.

You talked a little bit about this in the episode, but I would love to hear you talk more about the contention and distinction between trans identity and drag performance. Obviously you can’t speak for everybody when it comes to that but I’d love to hear your thoughts on what that relationship is like for you.

You know, it didn’t even occur to me until a certain time that there is a difference between drag and [being] trans. For me, for so long, just doing drag was me being able to express myself as a woman and make the choice to wear things that I felt were gorgeous and makeup and hair and all of that. And it wasn’t until much later and actually starting my transition that I realized that’s barely even what womanhood is about for all of those women. So once I wrapped my head around that I was kind of able to see the relationship between drag and trans in that, for me, the truth is that there’s a lot of wonderful places in great cities and groups of people and LGBT centers that are safe spaces for people of trans experience to kind of explore their identity and step into that realm. But, as we know, there are a lot of places that aren’t safe spaces and I think drag in most cities, at least in America, continues to be a safe space for someone to kind of experiment with gender expression – of course! Because that’s the name of the game for drag. And so that’s a really safe space for trans people to be able to kind of explore that. I think some trans people very quickly realize that performing in drag is not for them, and then some of us get hooked on it and want to do it every day!

But, as we know, there are a lot of places that aren’t safe spaces and I think drag in most cities, at least in America, continues to be a safe space for someone to kind of experiment with gender expression.

I think that this is definitely a dialogue that we engage in a lot within queer community. How do we help the larger world understand this really complicate relationship between these different shades of identity involving drag performance and trans identity.

I think the simplest way to put it is in the words of Monica Beverley Hillz who so bravely came out in season five of Drag Race, that “Drag is what I do and trans is who I am.” And I think that’s the simplest way to put it. I know that there’s a lot of nuances, just as there are in the human experience – there’s no one way to describe everyone. I think that’s what we should take away: there’s trans people who may have never set foot in a gay bar or been to a drag show. And there’s trans people who are drag queens and are at the gay bar every week ― just like there are gay men who never set foot in a gay bar. It’s really easy, especially when we’re talking about minorities, to kind of paint the entire community with one broad stroke and just say “all gay people are this” or “all trans people are that.” And this is primarily because we have very limited examples of who these people are in our media. So I think once we start to expand the different shades and shapes and sizes of the people in our queer community in media, then people will see that there are different types of trans people – some of whom are drag queens and some of whom are not. Drag is a job or career – it’s a way to make money, but it’s not necessarily the be all end all of a trans person’s existence. 

Very well said and I would even argue that you’re embodying that possibility model by talking about this right now and that’s really powerful and I commend you for that. As a trans woman, how are you impacted by gendered terminology on the show? What are your thoughts surrounding that?

One step at a time is my thought. It would not be a bad thing if the producers and writers of the show decided that they wanted to carve out more space to expand and get a little more breathing room when it comes to terminology and words and definitions. I don’t necessarily think it is as crucial, specifically because I know that when I’m working as a drag performer, the definition and expectation is that you are a gender non-conforming person.

It’s really easy, especially when we’re talking about minorities, to kind of paint the entire community with one broad stroke and just say ‘all gay people are this’ or ‘all trans people are that.’ And this is primarily because we have very limited examples of who these people are in our media.

Did you ever feel the pressure to present in any certain type of way while out of drag when you were competing on the show?

Well, this is an extremely difficult, personal and very heavy kind of thought process for me. No, I didn’t feel any pressure directed at me from anyone else. I really had to address the pressure that I put on myself. What is a woman? What do I look like? What does my natural body say? And how do I feel about that? I’ve had to address that stuff throughout my life and I probably will again – this calls into question possibility. Do I really need to feel the pressure to sit in front of the mirror and put on a bunch of makeup and wear a whole bunch of jewelry, makeup and perfume just to go to the grocery store? What if I just wash my face and present my natural self – will people say that I’m a man? I mean that’s really a scary thing and a hard thing to deal with and accept for a lot of trans people. And a part of passing has to do with safety and not being targeted, and of course I felt safe I didn’t think I was going to be abused or anything. But the truth of the matter is an hour before I start getting into drag, I take a shower and I have short blonde hair, no makeup on and my body looks like one that most people would say, “oh that’s a man.” And I don’t like that but it’s the truth! And I have to deal with that. And so I wanted to go into each challenge as natural as possible, I didn’t want to have to put on a bunch of makeup and then take it off and put it back on again. And before the show I would wear hair as a trans woman every day ― my daytime hair. I have a daytime look which involves wigs and makeup and hair and I didn’t want to have to de-drag in order to drag again because then I would be at a disadvantage.

That’s extremely personal and I appreciate you sharing that. Finally, what would you want to say to any trans or GNC person that’s thinking about or going to compete on drag race in the future?

I think number one, absolutely do it. I think if you have faith that you are a stellar drag performer and you think you have a lot to offer to the world of drag and have already contributed to the world of drag, then I say “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is meant for you. Whether you see an example of yourself or not, you will be that person. So just do it! And I do think, kind of going back to the last question that you had, you may have to be really ready to shed a lot of the ― I don’t want to say security blanket ― but a lot of the things that you use to protect yourself in every day life when you’re going into a thing like “Drag Race.” And that’s not necessarily unique to a trans person or trans experience – I think every person who goes to “Drag Race” or any reality TV show has to be ready to be vulnerable or be exposed or be without their security blanket – whatever that is. And that includes people of trans experience.

Laverne Cox told me about an experience she had where she was traveling through the airport and was in a rush and she was misgendered by the airline personnel at the gate. And she had a choice to kind of either stay there and argue with the person so that they knew the right thing to say, or just keep it moving because she doesn’t have time and doesn’t want to miss her flight. And the truth is, whether I’m wearing hair or however I’m presenting, it doesn’t negate my womanhood.

I’ve always been a woman! And my womanhood is never at stake based on what someone says about how I look or how I present or whether you’re a drag queen or not or whether you’re transition or whether you have surgeries – none of that matters. Your womanhood or your manhood if you’re a trans man or whatever your gender identity – you’re born with it! That’s my belief. And even though it takes some people awhile to realize it and kind of come into their own, it’s always inside of you.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Justin Trudeau is setting social media on fire. Again.

Canada’s prime minister put on this firefighter’s jacket whilst visiting crews in Regina, in the Saskatchewan province, on Thursday:

Trudeau’s sporting of the mustard yellow garment was enough to get many Twitter users all hot under the collar.

Here’s a sampling of the responses:

type=type=RelatedArticlesblockTitle=Related Coverage + articlesList=58ca483ee4b0ec9d29d8bdd3,58f4e975e4b0b9e9848d5c67,58e66c19e4b05894715ebe13,58b6e879e4b0a8a9b787edac

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

CHANTILLY, Va. ― Do Hannah Risheq a favor. Don’t tell her she should be focusing on her wedding plans.

Risheq, 25, is getting married later this year, and of course she’s thrilled. But as she knocks on doors and hits events in this Fairfax County suburb, introducing herself as a Democratic candidate for the state House of Delegates, people keep telling her she’s too young to run for office ― she should be out having fun, maybe planning that wedding.

“This is something that drives me up the wall,” said Risheq. “A wedding is a party. A wedding isn’t going to decide my fate as a citizen. This is more important.”

“I wonder if they would say that to a man,” she muttered.

Risheq, who is a social worker, is about as atypical a political candidate as it gets. Besides being a young woman, she is both Muslim and Jewish ― her dad is a Muslim immigrant from Palestine, and her mom is Jewish American. She’s running an entirely grassroots campaign that doesn’t take corporate money, and is trying to unseat a Republican incumbent, James LeMunyon, who has held the seat since 2009.

Risheq’s bid for Virginia’s 67th District is a long shot. She just announced her candidacy last month, which didn’t leave her much time to build name recognition or fundraise ahead of the mid-June Democratic primary. And she has two Democratic opponents; one of them, 38-year-old local leader Karrie Delaney, has been campaigning since September and raised more than $68,000 in the first quarter of 2017. Risheq has raised $7,000.

But the way Risheq sees it, she knows the policy issues key to this race, and she has the energy and desire to fight for a community that she loves. That’s what it really takes, she figures. Even if she doesn’t have the most money, she’s more interested in having the best, most organized volunteers rallying support for her.

Risheq has two master’s degrees: one in social work from nearby George Mason University, and one in public health from Columbia University in New York. She moved back to Virginia in January after finishing her most recent degree, and says she doesn’t see the point of waiting 10 years to run for office if she’s ready now.

“The thing is, they say they want young people to get involved. And then when you show up after getting an education and getting life experience, and you come back to your hometown and you are ready to make the difference, they’re like, ‘Well, you’ve been gone too long,’” she said, throwing her arms up. “Well? I’m 25. When did you want me to get involved? So, I’m here.”

Risheq is a novice, sure, but she’s got a distinct advantage: her timing. She embodies the spirit of what is driving the Democratic Party forward right now.

The past few months have seen tens of thousands of people, outraged by Donald Trump’s presidency, signing up to help elect Democrats to office or to run for office themselves. EMILY’s List, an organization that backs female candidates, said last week that it’s heard from more than 11,000 women in all 50 states interested in running for office since Trump’s win.

This resurgence of progressive activism has already led to some stunning developments. Earlier this month, a Democratic congressional candidate in Kansas nearly pulled off a shocking win in a heavily Republican district. In Georgia, 30-year-old Democratic newcomer Jon Ossoff is heading into a runoff race for a congressional seat he almost won outright in a longtime GOP district. Democrats in Illinois, many of whom had never run for office before, just won a spate of local elections in Republican regions.

There’s something going on in Virginia, too. Last week, Democrat Jacqueline Smith won a special election for Prince William County Circuit Court Clerk, a low-profile job but one that she has after defeating Republican state Del. Jackson Miller. He had far greater name recognition and was widely favored to win, having outraised Smith 6-to-1. That race was the first time Virginia voters have gone to the polls since Trump’s win in November.

Amanda Litman, a co-founder of Run For Something, a grassroots organization that recruits and trains progressive millennials to run for office, sees Risheq as part of the next generation of leaders. The group, which has heard from 9,000 people under the age of 35 interested in running for office, has been connecting volunteers with Risheq’s campaign.

“Hannah is an amazing candidate ― exactly the kind of person Run for Something exists to help,” Litman said. “She’s passionate, smart, willing to do the work, and her personal experience as a young woman and Arab-American will make the Virginia legislature a better, more representative governing body.”

Policy-wise, Risheq is a pretty typical Democrat. She’s pro-choice. She supports LGBTQ rights. She supports protecting the Affordable Care Act and expanding Medicaid. She’s particularly focused on the need for more resources for mental health and substance abuse services. But her background has given her some experiences others don’t share.

She remembers how it felt when she was a child living in Asheboro, North Carolina, and someone burned down her parents’ restaurant.

That wasn’t long after her parents found a business card from the grand wizard of the North Carolina Ku Klux Klan taped to the front door of their restaurant, with a warning written on the back: “Either you leave now or we burn the place down.”

They relocated to Greensboro and opened a new restaurant, and business boomed until the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Customers, aware her father was Muslim, stopped coming. Her parents lost most of their friends. They had to close the restaurant and struggled to regain financial footing. It took its toll on Risheq, whose grades plummeted in school. She started attending a Christian church so people wouldn’t see her as Muslim or Jewish.

“We were isolated. We received hate mail. We were discriminated against,” said Risheq. “I was not invited to birthday parties ― things as a child that are really important to you.”

That changed when her family moved to northern Virginia in 2010, where they felt welcomed as a multicultural, multi-religious household. Her parents started a successful business. Risheq thrived, living in a community where, at last, she felt diversity was celebrated.

So when Trump became president, Risheq worried that his divisive rhetoric would drown out voices like hers and erode the goodwill in her community. She looked around at what she could do and learned about the upcoming elections for the state House. She also learned how white and male the state legislature is: Just 17 percent of Virginia legislators are minorities, and 19 percent are women. She decided the best way to protect her community was to represent it.

“I want to make sure that everyone, especially children of nontraditional backgrounds or identities, feels comfortable and accepted being who they are,” she said. “My parents taught me a lot about compromise and about bringing splintered groups together. A lot of my friends are part of different marginalized groups, LGBTQ groups, other young women. I’m running because I want to give a voice to everyone.”

They say they want young people to get involved … Well? I’m 25. When did you want me to get involved?
Hannah Risheq

Risheq hosted a couple dozen people at her house for a campaign launch party last Sunday afternoon. Her parents were there, quietly refilling trays of dolmas and macaron cookies for people to pick over as they mingled and met Risheq. Her father, Khaled, admitted he was a little surprised she wanted to run for office so soon, but said he understood why she’s doing it.

“Between her mom’s background and my background, she felt urgent about needing to do something,” said Khaled. “I came from the Middle East. Every time I go back, I feel it’s the same. Why? It’s because it’s the same people, nobody else from outside the system … For this country, it’s really, really important for young people to take over. We don’t want to have the same old, same old.”

Some of the party’s attendees, like Kelly Carnes and Jen Renken, drove 45 minutes from Washington, D.C., to meet Risheq and see how they could help her campaign. They left thinking they may do some phone banking for her.

“We admire that Hannah is taking the initiative to get involved and do something,” said Carnes, 32. “We feel overwhelmed in D.C., where there are so few representative positions that we can hold there. To make a difference, we can come out here and give encouragement and rally for the cause out here.”

Risheq won over at least one voter that day. Kevin Hicks, a 47-year-old engineer who lives down the street from her, said he walked over to see who this young female candidate was that he kept hearing about. After she spoke to the room, Hicks said he really liked her advocacy for stronger mental health services in the district and her emphasis on inclusion.

“I work in the technology industry, so I work with people that are [in the U.S. with] H-1B [work visas], and I really have come to value our immigrant population,” said Hicks. “It elevates the competitive nature of everything.”

Hicks brought his daughter Louise, 17, who is too young to vote but has been following Risheq’s race. She said she’s on an advisory council to her high school’s board, and has noticed that while her community is diverse, its leadership is not.

“When I went on [Risheq’s] website and read, ‘I’m a millennial, I think millennials should get involved,’ I was excited,” said the teen.

Louise’s father is excited, too. Though Risheq might take heat for being too young and lacking the experience to represent a district of nearly 80,000 people, he said, given how politically divided the country is, Risheq may be just the kind of leadership needed right now.

“I might vote for her just because she doesn’t know anything,” Hicks said with a laugh. “I think she’s got a good case to say, ‘I’m going to listen to people.’ At least, she’ll get my support.”

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

MSI has carved a name for itself in the realm of gaming laptops, and this time around they intend to awe the masses with the all new GP62X and GP72X Leopard series. These are gaming machines that you can bring with you while you are on the move, allowing you to get your gaming fix in without missing a beat. MSI intends to redefine gaming performance by offering a gaming laptop that has a 120Hz 5ms screen, a NVMe M.2 solid state drive which will certainly break existing bandwidth limitation, and updated SteelSeries RGB keyboard with Silver Lining print.

Screen tearing and jitters will no longer plague your mobile gaming sessions, thanks to the all new full HD 120Hz panel with 5ms response time. Such an ultra-fast refresh rate will allow you to react instantly to your game, resulting in a true blue MSI gaming experience. The GP62X and GP72X Leopard series gaming laptops will be equipped with a NVMe solid state drive, allowing gamers to experience the full performance potential of the latest SSD technology that has extreme read speeds of up to 2,200MB/s. Apart from that, this particular range comes with an Intel 7th Generation KabyLake processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM that can be further expanded to 32GB, and up to a GeForce GTX1060 graphics card.

Your keyboard movements will not be slow and clunky thanks to the upgraded RGB keyboard by SteelSeries that includes SteelSeries Engine 3 support. Thanks to the SteelSeries Engine 3, gamers are able to personalize their playing style through the customization of each key, where you can change the keyboard’s backlight color. SteelSeries’ GameSense will also enable the colors of the keyboard to change according to in-game action. Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Minecraft are two such titles that support GameSense.

Already available, the MSI GP62X and GP72X Leopard gaming laptops will retail from $1,099 and goes all the way up to $1,599.

Press Release
[ MSI gaming laptops continue to break new ground copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Google needs to be in the hardware business. It’s infiltrated nearly all aspects of our lives to an alarming degree. It controls our emails through Gmail, knows where we go through Maps, has a list of every person we communicate with via Android, and understands our every interest thanks to its search engine and…

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