Katy Perry Faces Backlash After Drag Performer Alleges She Tried to Undress Her

Following a cheeky joke about Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance, Katy Perry is catching heat for something much more serious. The controversy started after actor Ruby Rose replied to a post about Justin’s set. Not long after, a drag performer shared a separate story on Threads, alleging Katy once tried to undress her during a backstage interaction.

Katy initially got pulled into the conversation after Complex Music posted her reaction to Bieber’s performance. She kept it playful in an Instagram video, joking, “Thank God he has premium,” before adding, “I don’t wanna see no ads.” But that small jab quickly turned serious when Ruby jumped into the comments and made a serious accusation.

Drag performer Jordan L’Moore posted to her account on Threads after Ruby’s allegation started trending. L’Moore said the incident happened during a backstage meet-and-greet after a Fillmore show. According to L’Moore, Go-Go’s drummer Gina Schock introduced her to Katy. She said Katy’s energy shifted after learning she performed in drag.

L’Moore alleged Katy said, “You do DRAG?” before pulling her out of line and toward a dressing room. She claimed Katy pushed a costume on her and started pulling at her clothes when she objected.

“I'm like STOP, but she's not stopping,” she wrote. “At this point her manager comes in and basically shuts it down while she’s starting to pull at my jeans. He's like, 'Katy you have to go sign the posters for the girls upstairs, we don't have time for this!' And he leads her away while she's arguing with him. I feel relieved that I'm not going to be forced into a tutti-fruity costume that absolutely won't fit me, and I'm shaken.”

According to Ruby’s Threads posts, she alleged Katy sexually assaulted her nearly two decades ago at Melbourne’s Spice Market nightclub. “Katy Perry sexually assaulted me at Spice Market nightclub in Melbourne,” Ruby wrote in response, per Them. “Who gives a s--t what she thinks.”

In another reply, Ruby described a graphic alleged encounter at the club and said multiple people witnessed it. Ruby also wrote that she had “just left the police station.” However, Ruby said she wasn't sure whether she would legally pursue the matter.

“It has taken almost two decades to say this publicly,” she said. “Though I am so grateful to have made it long enough to find my voice, it just shows how much of an impact trauma and sexual assault takes. Thank you for seeing me.”

Katy’s camp did respond to Ruby. Through a representative, Katy told Variety that the allegations were false.

“The allegations being circulated on social media by Ruby Rose about Katy Perry are not only categorically false, they are dangerous reckless lies,” Katy’s rep said. “Ms. Rose has a well-documented history of making serious public allegations on social media against various individuals, claims that have repeatedly been denied by those named.”