Drag Race star Alyssa Edwards calls out Ken Paxton for ‘disparaging’ her name
Drag star Alyssa Edwards responds to Rep. Ken Paxton for ‘disparaging’ comments. (Getty Images)
RuPaul’s Drag Race star Alyssa Edwards has publicly challenged Texas attorney general Ken Paxton by sharing what she called an “open letter” in an X post.
She started the letter by saying: “I’m not sure I fully understand your motive or intention in attempting to disparage my name, my character, or my reputation. But I do know this: the way we choose to speak about others often says far more about our own character than it ever will about theirs.”
Edwards’ response comes after Paxton took to X to call her “sick and twisted” after his Democrat senate opponent James Talarico called Edwards his favourite drag queen.
Paxton posted a minute-long video featuring Edwards in confessionals, dancing and pointing out children in the video with her.
A drag star takes on Texas politics
Edwards’ decision to address Paxton publicly lands in a state where LGBTQ+ visibility and drag culture have repeatedly been pulled into political fights.
Paxton has been a central figure in Texas culture-war disputes that affect LGBTQ+ people.
In June, he filed a lawsuit against the city of Denton over a Pride Month event called “Big Gay Swim Day”, arguing it could violate the state’s sex-segregated facilities law.
In December 2025, Texas also introduced a tip-off system encouraging people to report trans people in bathrooms, tied to enforcement of the Texas Women’s Privacy Act.
Edwards also listed her multiple achievements in her letter to Paxton, making it clear that she’s a choreographer, entreprenuer, and mentor, as well as a drag performer.
She listed her Beyond Belief Dance Company as a space for young people to “discover their creativity and ignite their passion”, helping them to pursue professional dance careers.
