ST. LOUIS — As RuPaul would say, teddy bears are born furry, and the rest is drag.
The ºüÀêÊÓƵ-based Build-A-Bear Workshop has released a RuPaul stuffed bear in collaboration with the country’s most famous drag queen. The 62-year-old entertainer is best known for producing, hosting and judging the reality TV show “RuPaul’s Drag Race,†which has won 26 Primetime Emmy Awards.
The RuPaul bear wears a gold lamé gown and curly white wig, and comes with optional gold ankle-strap heels.
Build-A-Bear has extensive licensing deals with everything from “Star Wars†(including a fully outfitted Mandalorian bear) to mustache-wearing “Ted Lasso†bears to bears wearing the uniforms of every major football, basketball, baseball and hockey team. The RuPaul bear is a similar collaboration.
But the RuPaul bear comes at a time when some politically conservative groups are claiming drag performers intentionally try to sexualize children. The state of Tennessee recently passed legislation banning drag shows in public places, and other states are looking to follow suit.
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The RuPaul bear is only available .
Officials at Build-A-Bear did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The RuPaul bear sells for $56; the optional heels cost an additional $8.