I have been extremely busy the past few weeks so I haven't found the time to relish in this place the way I normally do and that's probably OK, since we are basically in drag purgatory right now waiting for this show to start (is this a run-on sentence, cause it feels really long).

After perusing through the posts here today, I felt really compelled to take a break from this subreddit (mind you, the only reason I get on reddit) and post my thoughts as to why... then I just decided to take a break without saying anything. THEN, I saw that /u/chewinggum_guy got 8 downvotes for posting about his cake day and someone PMed me about one of my posts, so I decided to publically vent before leaving.

I understand that the wait for the show has done two things. First, it has brought an influx of new users (welcome guys) and secondly, it has forced us to get creative and figure out things to talk about in the meantime. This is where some of my problems lie.

I miss the camaraderie that was here in between seasons (when I first started coming). There seemed to be a different level of respect (note: not a different amount of disagreements but a different level of respect) and I genuinely felt like I was making some rather cool, stranger-internet friends. In recent months, posts have been non-sensical... asking a sub based around drag to "be nice to each other" and "respect each other's feelings and opinions". I want to say for the last time that I never encountered this behavior before the posters saying this stuff showed up. I find the rest of reddit to be completely rude and judgmental and I did not have to deal with that stuff here. However; as a grown man, I found it, and find it, quite audacious for teenagers trying to discipline, monitor and police grown folks conversation. I understand that many of you are still used to the high school or college mentality of things where you don't express harsh opinions or get into heated debates because the atmosphere there is rooted in teaching respect. However; this subreddit is not foundationally based in the environment of high school. It is centered around the arena of drag which is harsh, biting, not politically incorrect, funny and direct.

This is where I find both positive and negative effects of RPDR becoming so mainstream and popular. "Normal" people are beginning to love the show, the characters and the art form... which is great... but when those people (yes, "those people") begin to interact with others who are affluent in the world of drag, they feel the need to monitor or change the disposition of NORMAL drag conversation, behavior and culture. Welcome to this world, but realize the realities of it before jumping in... or at least understand that you are learning.

User sensitivity in this sub has become INSANE. A while back I remember being in a debate with some people on here (because I love some good debate) and it brought me to actually question if people had hung around drag queens? "Tranny" and "faggot" get thrown around as terms of endearment (watch any James St. James or RuPaul interview) and harsh racial jokes are just part of reading. This rigid, unapologetic talk is done without question; because no one... NO ONE... is concerned if someone is a trans-phobe or racist. It is, in my opinion, laughable to think that someone that would, in our culture, support drag and spend their time on a site like this is either of those things. It is not anyone's place to change the dynamic of how drag culture, and on a broader note, gay culture, works.

Furthermore, and my biggest frustration and reason I am taking a break, is because of the BLATANT reverse racism that is happening in some of these posts. To call /u/heyheather a bigot because of her opinions is appalling and audacious and dare I say, if you were hanging out with a drag queen, they'd probably look at you like you were crazy. I personally have taken quite a bit of offense to users who have voiced these opinions about others while not knowing the user and not having proof to back up their statements. I take pride that my family, friends and employees make up more of the rainbow than most people that I have ever come across. So if you want to scuffle and start calling people racist because they have made a critique, or even an assumption, about a celebrity that this sub is designed to converse about... then let's roll. I am a white male. I came from nothing and worked for everything I have. I do not come on this subreddit to defend how insane it is for people to think that "white privilege" affects every white person, to apologize for someone of another race not being able to read or to be called a racist for my feelings on characters on a TV show. I come here to talk about drag queens. Some of you need the 5 G's desperately and realize that "it's just drag."

I'm deciding to take a break because I've actually found my feelings hurt and, thus, myself getting defensive and I have too many constructive things to be doing in my life than that. In the words of /u/drmcintyre (is that the right username?), I feel like my favorite little club got taken over by some group of hipsters.

I'm not offended by others opinions and I am quick to try and remedy anytime in my life when I feel like they are taking some sort of control of me. The fact that after clicking off reddit, I'm frustrated that people are purporting that others are racists is a huge red flag for me to take a break. I love debate... I love disagreeing... but I'm not sure that others understand that that is not the end of the world like some of us do.

For the most part, I find this to be a great community. But I find myself getting caught up or frustrated by the negativity that happens often and I'm just too old.

Friends, be quick to be wrong. Be slow to judge. Realize that we are here to talk about drag queens. Learn and know the culture and embrace it... don't try to change it.

And for everyone's sake... realize that if someone talks bad about a character on the show that is of color... it's not racist. It's a read. That behavior is appalling, childish and sets us all back a good 30 years.

sorrynotsorry