I’m just human, ‘Jesus’ drag queen tells senators

MANILA, Philippines — Controversial artist Pura Luka Vega fears for their safety following the condemnation by senators over their impersonation of Jesus Christ in a drag show.

“I don’t think I merit that much attention. I’m just a drag queen, a human being,” Vega said in a CNN Philippines interview, reacting to the senators’ statements criticizing them for “mocking” the Catholic faith in their drag show to a rock remix of the Lord’s Prayer.

“I don’t know if it calls for a national issue, having senators react in that way. But okay, I understand, but I hope they also understand it from my point of view,” they added.

The drag artist, who uses the pronoun they, defended their work at a queer safe space where they portrayed their relationship with religion, especially growing up Catholic and queer while facing discrimination by the church.

Vega said they would not apologize for their work, which they said helped them heal from their complicated relationship with religion.

“I feel like they want me to apologize. I apologize if it made them uncomfortable, but I really did that performance as a way for me to kind of heal the exclusion I have experienced as a Catholic, as a queer person being somewhat being made to feel that I don’t really belong,” they said.

In a dwIZ interview on Saturday, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri maintained his view that the artist should be charged for violating Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code, which penalizes “immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions and indecent shows” with six to 12 years imprisonment, a fine ranging from P20,000 to P200,000 or both.

Zubiri said he hoped the artist would repent for their sins, be “enlightened,” and undergo a “conversion” so that they would change their mind about continuing their work as a Jesus Christ impersonator.

“I am praying for his healing, his conversion, his enlightenment… God bless his soul. I hope he seeks enlightenment,” Zubiri said.

He said religion is no laughing matter with its history of martyrs sacrificing their lives to profess their faith.

The senator failed to mention, however, the Catholic Church’s religious wars that targeted heretics and non-Christians, as well as its current record of denying the LGBTQIA+ community’s right to a marriage or civil union.

“What is wrong is that they are making it an LGBT issue. I have not issued a statement that maltreats the LGBT. This is about respecting one’s religion and faith,” Zubiri said.

Senators Risa Hontiveros and JV Ejercito have expressed hopes the incident would not be used to derail the passage of a bill punishing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.