Manila Luzon says that Drag Race ‘missed out’ by banning her period dress on All Stars 4

RuPaul’s Drag Race stalwart Manila Luzon has reflected on her ‘banned’ period pad dress from All Stars 4, saying the show ‘missed out on a really great opportunity.”

Manila Luzon first appeared on season three of RuPaul’s Drag Race way back in 2011, before later appearing on All Stars 1 just over a year later – not managing to snatch the crown on either.

But Luzon later returned to dominate yet another season, All Stars 4 in 2018, becoming the obvious frontrunner until Naomi Smalls infamously told her that life wasn’t fair and sent her packing.

During her third time, Luzon’s runways looks were impeccable – including the ones we didn’t see. Shortly after episode four aired, which features a Swerves and Curves runway theme, the queen took to Instagram to let fans know that the look she wore on the show was not her first choice, and that Ru had “banned” her original garment.

The dress mimicked a period pad, with Luzon writing at the time, “Ru said my ORIGINAL Curves & Swerves Runway look was in “bad taste” and production told me to wear my back up. I was really looking forward to wearing this gown that I think celebrates a perfectly normal human experience!”

Luzon has now reflected on not wearing the pad dress, saying that the show “missed out on a really great opportunity” – and that she wishes she had worn the original dress anyway.

“I had figured that it would be a little controversial, it was definitely the look I wanted to wear,” Luzon told season 14 star Maddy Morphosis on the latter’s podcast Give It To Me Straight. “But that was the one outfit on All Stars 4 that I had a backup for.”

Luzon admitted that she was “kind of” expecting production to not let her wear the dress, continuing, “my problem was that I asked. I knew better to ask. I should have just done it, and asked for forgiveness.”

“I was told by production that I should wear my other one instead.”

“I thought the idea and concept of the maxi-pad dress would do what drag is supposed to do, and push your ideas and thoughts on what’s glamorous…” she explained.

“I, having been on Drag Race before, knew that I had so many female fans out there, especially young women, who are not quite comfortable with [that aspect of their body]. I wanted to make a statement that celebrated something that was quite normal… and I wanted to glamorise it.”

“I thought it would have been a great addition to the show,” she explained. “I feel like they weren’t ready for it, and production is run by men, and I don’t think there were enough people – women – in charge. And they missed out on a really great opportunity,” the double All Star continued.

“They make dick jokes, ass jokes, shit jokes, p*ss jokes every season. How is menstruation any different?”

New episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17 air on Fridays on MTV in the US and WOWPresents Plus internationally.

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