A designer spoke out after the decision to highlight a young drag queen divided the internet.
Videos by Rare
HuffPost gives some backstory on the 9-year-old boy who loves to transform into drag queen Lactatia. Lactatia’s story was featured in ELLE Magazine and ended with a surprise visit from Vivacious, a drag queen who competed on season six of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
This 8-year-old boy loves transforming into drag queen Lactatia—& he won't let other people stop him from doing what makes him feel accepted pic.twitter.com/JKcxykYUKL
— ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) September 2, 2017
Since the video, House of Mann owner A picture of Lactatia wearing a sequin onesie designed by the shop faced so much criticism that Hilton addressed it on Twitter.
woke up to countless tweets telling me “kill yourself” and calling me a “pedo” after we announced 9 year old drag superstar Lactatia as our new HOUSE OF MANN covergirl…
If you can’t handle a kid in a sequin onesie, maybe the future isn’t for you! pic.twitter.com/7HPbwzbMYX
— Brandon Hilton (@BRANDONHILTON) January 6, 2018
I think this new generation of drag kids is brilliant and inspiring!@Desmond_Amazing and Lactatia are the future! @TheHouseofMann is just making sure they look SICKENING!
people will talk no matter what, might as well give them something FIERCE to look at! pic.twitter.com/Vx5JB7aFvL
— Brandon Hilton (@BRANDONHILTON) January 6, 2018
In the LGBT community we support one another, because we have all had a lifetime of being discriminated against.
We opened our store only a few months ago, we started by making dressing gowns, then purses, onesies, men’s underwear and even sunglasses.
— Brandon Hilton (@BRANDONHILTON) January 9, 2018
In our eyes we are just learning to versify our capabilities and products. When Lactatia picked a custom onesie from us, we did not think to discriminate against her due to her age. Lactatia has the right to wear a onesie.
— Brandon Hilton (@BRANDONHILTON) January 9, 2018
When she sent us photos, to post among the other posts of our customers in their House Of Mann costumes, we didn’t think to discriminate.
Because we made men’s underwear and made a onesie for Lactatia does not mean that we condone child abuse.
— Brandon Hilton (@BRANDONHILTON) January 9, 2018
Others came to his defense, accusing the critics are sexualizing the entire ordeal.
Look Dude. It's not Twitter or Brandon's fault you perverts who like to throw the word "predator" and "sexualizing" around like confetti don't know who Lactatia is. The only ones sexualizing him are people like YOU.https://t.co/uqZ0UnvW1j
— Bipolar Bear (@MiscDarke) January 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/ItsNotEmmi/status/950909129840832514
https://twitter.com/Lillielgee/status/950846818585280512
What's pornographic in this?
— Melanie D'Artigo (@d_artigo) January 9, 2018
One observer even encouraged critics to direct attention towards another clothing brand.
Y’all go troll H&M now… obviously they racist. 🙄😂😂 pic.twitter.com/RvTtoxZ6rF
— Antonio (@acobyevo) January 9, 2018
(H/T Twitter)
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