'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABggQAAIDAQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQFABESEyJBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFBhEBAAEDBQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAESEDBCIxUbH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AM2Y+fm6OVnVrKWHNqr8IJlBSFlljT3jQqQPIk+wPQuVj5MmZSdqcRLVoiT4/So5zj9YCaHkflUW3C0cDxvnPdf/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Drag Queen Marti Cummings was recently invited by US President Joe Biden to attend the Respect for Marriage Act signing ceremony at the White House.
Cummings took to Twitter to share an image of the digital invitation and thanked the President and first lady Jill Biden for giving them the opportunity. They wrote:
“To be a non-binary drag artist invited to the White House is something I never imagined would happen. Thank you President & Dr. Biden for inviting me to this historic bill signing. Grateful doesn’t begin to express the emotions I feel.”
The invitation comes as the House passed legislation that made it mandatory for the federal government to recognize same-gender marriages in states where it is considered legal.
However, shortly after Cummings shared the invitation, some of their past tweets about defunding the police resurfaced online. According to Fox News, the drag artist ran an unsuccessful campaign for the New York City Council in 2020 and included defunding the police as part of their campaign.
A look into Marti Cummings past controversial tweets
Marti Cummings is a renowned drag artist known for their activism and prominent campaigns to help the LGBTQ+ community. However, the performer previously sparked controversy with some of their tweets.
On their now-private Twitter account, Marti Cummings reportedly wrote in June 2020:
“I’m a proud fem queer nonbinary drag artist who wants to defund police & fund education, affordable housing, social work & I’m running for city council along w lot of other queer candidates & we are going to fight for you the people not police unions, not real estate, but for you.”
In another tweet, they added:
“Yes we want to defund police. Yes we want to abolish ICE. No we won’t settle for anything less and will continue to fight for this to happen.”
Earlier this year, the performer reportedly tweeted about “ACAB Coffee” and supported the acronym that stands for “All Cops are B******s.” Cummings continued to tweet their support for defunding the police to invest in the community and said:
“It’s still defund the police and invest in community for me! Funding militarized police over education, housing, mental healthcare, parks, free transportation is mind boggling.”
Cummings also tweeted a video singing Baby Shark and performing drag in front of a child at a 2019 event. They also supported the idea of introducing drag to children and wrote:
“Anyone who thinks drag isn’t for children is wrong. Drag is expression, and children are such judgment-free beings; they don’t really care what you’re wearing, just what you’re performing.”
While Marti Cummings has strongly expressed their support for “defund the police,” the White House has not been involved in the movement. Fox News reported that President Biden said “the answer is not to defund the police” during a New York Police Department event in February.
As Cummings' tweets made the rounds on social media, they turned their Twitter account private.
Everything to know about Marti Cummings
Marti Cummings is a drag artist, TV personality, and political figure based in New York City. According to their official website, Cummings has been a “regular fixture in the nightlife” and enjoyed a decade-long career in drag.
They have performed up to six regular shows a week and sold out concerts at 54 Below, Lincoln Centers Big Apple Circus, Dixon Place and regularly tours the world with Atlantis Cruises. They also served on the Board of Directors for the Ali Forney Center for Homeless LGBTQ Youth and the Advisory Board of Equality NY.
Cummings has also been the co-chair of Drag Out the Vote and served on the NYC Nightlife Advisory Council and Community Board 9. The performer also ran for the city council in NYCs 7th District.
They also released a Christmas album titled A Very Mary Holiday featuring Broadway stars like Tony Award winner Cady Huffman and Tony Award Nominee Daphne Rubin-Vega.
Marti Cummings has also appeared on shows like The X Change Rate, Shade Queens of NYC, Dragged on Yahoo! and The Marti Report on LOGO, among others.
