Rock M. Sakura Of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Opened Up About Her Past In Sex Work
In the wake of the horrifying mass murder of eight people, including six Asian women, at three Atlanta massage spas by a confessed killer who claims he has a sex addiction, drag queen Rock M. Sakura has opened up about her own experience in the sex industry. Rock, who is Filipino-Vietnamese American, tweeted that she worked in massage up until she was cast on season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. She kept this hidden out of fear that she’d be slut-shamed, blacklisted, or kicked off the show. But after Tuesday’s shootings, Rock decided it was important to come out as a former sex worker because “right now people need to see, need to hear, and need to know that we need to #stopasianhate, and protect sex workers.” She says any of the victims “could easily have been me.”
Here’s her initial tweet, the first of thirteen:
1/13
I have to get something off of my chest.Something that has been weighing very heavy on me for a long time now, but I feel needs to be said for me and for many other right now. I want to preface this with, I'm not sure how this will be taken,if people will support me or not,— Rock M. Sakura (@RockMSakura) March 18, 2021
Rock says she doesn’t think losing followers, receiving hate messages, or getting “cancelled” over her admission matters anymore. She says she’s long “felt the emotional weight of keeping this secret” from the drag community and fan base. When she got on Drag Race she lied and said she worked as a full-time queen. The truth was, her job in massage paid her rent in San Francisco and allowed her to pursue and fund her drag. Rock makes sure to add that she was never threatened by Drag Race or the community, but “the stigma of sex work, made ME believe that would be a consequence.” She says:
I want everyone to have perspective, that could easily have been me, it could easily have been people you care about and love. I have felt safety in the lgbt community, while I was working. I have felt strong and supported.
Please, I urge you, if you are a fan of me, of drag, and LGBTQIA+ person or ally, please help protect our community right now. Please keep Asian people safe.
She adds that, as Rock M. Sakura, she’s avoided talking about her sex life, as “Sakura is not Bryan.” Her drag is her way of expressing her love “for all things cute and kawaii, fun and wild”, but she thinks it’s important to use Rock’s platform to share this message.
Rock admits she’s scared, but doesn’t regret doing sex work, and doesn’t feel shame now that she’s come out publicly. She encourages people to support the families of the victims and says she’s gonna log off social media for a while because the decision to post this has given her anxiety.
The comments are filled with support and love from fans and drag queens like Trixie Mattel, Denali, Honey Mahogany, and Juice Boxx. Rock’s fellow season 12 contestants Widow Von’Du and Nicky Doll also voiced their support. And reigning queen Jaida Essence Hall made it clear that Rock’s past in sex work wasn’t the problem:
You know the only thing I’d ever hold against you is your farts. I support you and love you so much. https://t.co/Dsb4RTFobT
— Jaida Essence Yee-Hall Yall!!!! (@jaidaehall) March 18, 2021
Yep, it was her farts.
Pic: YouTube