Build-a-Bear has unveiled its latest teddy bear creation — a drag queen bear inspired by Drag Race‘s RuPaul. The new stuffed animal features the bear in exaggerated drag make-up and comes with a gold-sequined dress, gold pumps, and a flowing blonde wig.
The RuPaul bear retails for $56, or $64 if you want the gold-strapped heels. RuPaul announced the new creation in an Instagram video posted Wednesday in which he referred to the bear as a “she” — even though drag queens are men.
“I am so excited because today is the day I unbox the RuPaul Build-a-Bear,” he said. “Here’s the birth certificate right here. I’m so excited… I’m going to open the box and see what she looks like.”
Build-a-Bear launched the RuPaul drag queen bear through its specialized brand known as “The Bear Cave,” which is geared toward people 18 and older. But the company also spotlights the RuPaul bear prominently on its homepage adjacent to family-friendly stuffed animals as well as a cross-promotion with the Girl Scouts for kids parties.
The company’s official site also uses “she/her” pronouns when referring to the drag bear.
“RuPaul Bear is ready for any Eleganza Extravaganza thanks to her signature wig, gold sequin dress, and matching shoes included in this glamazon gift set. The RuPaul logo is also featured on her gold paw pad,” the site says.
Screenshot: Buildabear.com
Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Build-a-Bear has for years been a family-friendly brand where parents can take their children to create custom-made stuffed animals. The company frequently partners with popular shows and movies to create new bear characters, including toys inspired by The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Pokémon.
But this appears to be the first time Build-a-Bear has teamed up with a drag queen.
“Two iconic pop culture institutions join forces for this one-of-a-kind collector’s item made in tribute to the world’s most famous drag queen,” the company’s site says.
Drag culture is aggressively promoting itself to children, with drag queen story hours becoming commonplace in public libraries. Drag performers are also inviting children to watch them perform in shows that are frequently raunchy and sexual in nature.
As Breitbart News has reported, a growing number of states including Florida and Tennessee are cracking down on drag performances for children on the grounds that the content is too sexually explicit.
Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com
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