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MAGA’s resident drag queen will now be known as a “costume artist”  

Lady Maga
Lady Maga Photo: Video screenshot/Twitter

Drag for thee, but not for me.

That’s the message from self-described MAGA “costume artist” Lady Maga USA, a red state-popular drag queen and one of Donald Trump’s biggest fans.

Lady Maga is the creation Ryan Woods, a recently sober Salt Lake City native and a member of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. He’s racked up nearly 14K tweets promoting the Trump and MAGA agenda since the twice-impeached former president rode down the escalator in 2015.

Now Lady Maga says she’s not a drag queen, but a “costume artist” who is a man who dresses up in women’s clothing, wears makeup, and displays feminine mannerisms. Whether that’s “puerile” or not is up to the Tennessee cop who could arrest her.

“As I’ve stated, I now prefer to call myself a costume artist—not a drag queen,” tweeted Lady Maga. “The drag world was a way I could use my talents, but they destroyed their credibility with predatory filth. I’m a performer. I can play any cosplay character. My artistry is about creativity & fun! 🌸”

Woods, who is gay, has been doing drag for years but only came up with his MAGA-themed creation in 2019.

He’s been a pariah among the drag community ever since.

And according to one Salt Lake drag artist, even before.

“I only personally worked with them once, and never booked him because of his Lady Maga and hateful rhetoric against trans people,” popular Salt Lake City drag performer Tara Lipsyncki told LGBTQ Nation. “He was ostracized for sure after he came out as Lady Maga, but that wasn’t the whole reason.”

“He was ostracized because of his online attacks towards many in the community here and just being drama backstage at shows. Many performers have been ‘canceled’ for similar behavior to what he did. The whole Trump love was just the icing on the cake.”

Lady Maga’s cake was on full display earlier this month at CPAC, the far-right gathering of conservative faithful, where the “costume artist” was a hit with attendees happy to grab a selfie with the Trump-loving not-a-drag-queen and prove their broad-mindedness.

“CPAC was a 4-day magical roller coaster,” Lady Maga posted to Twitter. “I didn’t have a minute to myself. Smiles, love, cameras, interviews & non-stop photos. What an honor to have grown to this level. I’m exhausted but blissful. I walk with God’s angels now.”

Lady Maga’s reception at CPAC was an improvement over her welcome at Donald Trump’s Million Man March in December 2020, where she spoke to the crowd of election deniers on the Washington Mall in the weeks leading up to the January 6 insurrection.

“Shame!” they shouted at the drag queen dressed in red, white, and blue.

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