RuPaul On "Tranny"

"In the ACT UP age we called ourselves queers because we earned the right, we took the word back. But in reality, once you go even deeper, you know, you have to come from intent. And black folks call themselves the n-word all the time. It's because the intent is coming from a place of love. If the intent is coming from a place of hatred, that's different. But you can't legislate intent. You can't -- there's no way to do it.

"So, the truth is, you have to fix that individually on a one by one basis. If somebody calls you a green martian, would you be offended by it? No, you wouldn't be. Why? Because you know you're not a green martian. But if you're offended by someone calling you a 'tranny,' it was only because you believe you are a 'tranny!' So then, the solution is: Change your mind about yourself being a 'tranny'." - RuPaul, interviewed by Michelangelo Signorile.