Peppermint blames Trump administration for lack of trans stars in The Traitors season 4
Peppermint says she hoped The Traitors season 4’s cast would be ‘more inclusive’. (Getty/Peacock)
Peppermint says she hoped The Traitors season 4's cast would be 'more inclusive'. (Getty/Peacock)
Drag Race royalty Peppermint has accused The Traitors US showrunners of falling “in line” with the Trump administration over season 4’s lack of trans representation.
The 45-year-old trans performer and campaigner said on Saturday (14 June) she was disappointed that season 4 of the US version of the reality-TV deception gameshow features no trans competitors.
The official line-up for the latest season of The Traitors was revealed in an Instagram post and included stars like Lisa Rinna, Stephen Colletti, Michael Rapaport, and Monét X Change.
The Traitors sees a band of contestants face a cavalcade of games and puzzles for a huge cash prize, all the while trying to decipher who among them is a “traitor” working to their own ends.
Reacting, Peppermint said in a statement to Out Magazine that, as a fan of the show, she was hopeful to see “more inclusion with the new cast,” but felt it had been lacking.
“After the current administration’s threats to punish those who include trans people in their respective industries – everything from healthcare and beyond – I knew many would fall in line.”
She urged reality-TV producers and casting directors to be “more inclusive” and “brave” with their casting choices, while noting The Traitors host, Alan Cumming, who wore a trans Pride pin at the 2024 Emmy Awards, “understands the importance of trans inclusion, especially in this time.”
Since his inauguration in January, Donald Trump has issued several executive orders and policies attempting to roll back diversity, Equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes aimed at helping marginalised communities, such as a trans and non-binary people, into employment.
Peppermint said that, regardless, she is a huge fan of The Traitors and was “so glad” to see Monét X Change among the season 4 line-up, adding that she “is going to be fantastic.”
There is no concrete premiere date for season 4 of The Traitors, though Peacock announced in May that the latest season would air in “early 2026.”
Other contestants slated to appear in the Scottish Highlands include Real Housewives stars Porsha Williams, Caroline Stanbury, Candiace Dillard Bassett, and Dorina Medley, as well as Big Brother season 14 winner Ian Terry.
