Part 5/13:
Sabrina Carpenter’s performance epitomized a deliberate throwback to the early 2000s pop culture—a nostalgic callback to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, with low-rise jeans and rain-soaked dance routines. Interestingly, her act included drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race holding signs supporting trans rights and drag culture, blurring the lines between performance and activism.
Some critics argued that her aesthetic and the accompanying messages reflected a cultural appropriation, where supposed irreverence masking deeper ideological positions was evident. The sign “In trans we trust,” for instance, pushed into the realm of blasphemy and provocative rebellion rather than genuine solidarity, highlighting the shift from authentic activism to performative spectacle.