15 major LGBTQIA+ moments in pop culture in 2018

LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 17: Outstanding Reality-Competition Program winner RuPaul poses in the press room during the 70th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

RuPaul’s Drag Race wins an Emmy

Speaking of the Emmys and how queer TV was in 2018, there was another landmark moment at this year’s ceremony. After blowing up over the last few years and RuPaul taking home three Emmys for outstanding host for a reality-competition program three years in a row, RuPaul’s Drag Race was not only nominated, but won Best Reality Competition Series at the Emmys.

If you fast forward to the earlier seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race — which is an America’s Next Top Model-type competition for drag queens — the show was so much smaller and had a dedicated fanbase of mostly queer people. The show slowly grew and so did its viewership, until it hit Netflix a few years ago, and then switched from Logo to VH1 for the show’s ninth season in 2017. Now, the show has reached new heights, with the show’s stars becoming stars of their own right, and it finally got the recognition it deserved.

After thanking the 140 queens who had appeared on Drag Race, RuPaul had something else to say to people at home: “All of the dreamers out there, listen. If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an amen up in here? Now let the music play!” Besides taking home trophies for Best Host and Reality Competition Program, they also took home Emmys for costumes, hairstyling and directing.

This year also marked another achievement for Mama Ru: he landed a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! Yaaaaaas Ru, slay that Walk of Fame!