Paul Ruiz: A Story of Courage to Be Yourself in an Intolerant World

In a world that continues to be intolerant of marginalized groups, RuPaulo, the legendary drag queen, never had any desire to hide his true identity. Instead, he embraced the aspects of his identity that might have stood in his way and turned them into the building blocks of a brilliant career and community. Even before global recognition, RuPaul was convinced that there was no reason to belittle himself.

In his new memoir, "House of Hidden Meaning," the icon delves into his experiences living as a gay black youth in Atlanta in the 1970s. RuPaul reveals that at times he felt disconnected from both communities.

"I was very confused. I thought every gay person had the same experience as me," he said in accepting Out Magazine - the Advocate's sister publication - as its March/April cover star. "I thought thinking outside the box had something to do with homosexuality, but it doesn't."

On the one hand, RuPaul witnesses the life of a religious black community that is religious during the day but goes to brothels with transsexual sex workers at night. On the other hand, he experiences a cool community of "white male homosexuals" who despise anything related to race or femininity.

RuPaul explains that even as his career progressed, he still encountered "encounters with masculine white male homosexuals who looked at me with an intense hatred, an outward self-loathing; their internalized homophobia was like a sneer of contempt."

RuPaul notes that both groups were in hiding and both tried to distance themselves from the same things. However, as he began to build relationships based on authenticity, these factors eventually became his greatest strengths.

"As I got older, I realized there were different experiences," he said. "When I found my true tribe, what we had in common was thinking outside the box. We were Bohemians who knew that the emperor didn't wear any clothes. Our credo is 'Don't be fooled by superficiality, face the truth.'"

RuPaul's story is not only one of self-acceptance and courage, but also one of finding one's place in an unforgiving world. His experiences and wisdom provide inspiration for all who seek self-identity and community identity.