In 2023, I wrote a piece about Lala Kent appearing on The View, explaining during her interview why Rachel Leviss chose to go by Raquel at the time. After telling the story, Lala joked, “So, identity issues have been happening for a long time.”
In the article, I criticized people like Lala for having a problem with Rachel’s chosen identifier. I felt it distracted from the plentiful valid reasons to truly criticize Rachel. I also pointed out that the way we refer to others is a display of decency and a recognition of humanity.
Shortly after that article was published, Rachel would choose to go by Rachel again. The move was criticized by many outlets and by her former Vanderpump Rules co-stars. Now, it would seem Lala and her castmates are looking to do some back-pedaling to rewrite history.
Lala blames Rachel for the group’s name weaponization
On the February 27 VPR After Show, the cast took an entire segment to discuss Rachel’s name to forego “Raquel” and go by Rachel. Lala was somewhat confused by the decision, asking, “It’s like taking her power back? What was the reasoning for it?”
Scheana Shay answered, “That we were weaponizing her legal name against her, and this was, yes, her way to take her power back and to become…” James Kennedy finished the thought: “Reinventing yourself. It’s coming out with the new.”
Lala defended, “People weren’t weaponizing her name. It was just all in good f*cking petty fun. I mean, you’d f*cked up. Like, you’ve literally conditioned us to call you Raquel for many [years]. That would be like me being like, ‘Everyone must call me Lauren now.’”
She went on with fake tears, “‘You calling me Lala is like, weaponizing and that’s not who I am anymore.’ It’s like, no, these people have known you as that name for many years.” Is it just me, or does that not sound rather victim-blamey?
For the most part, fans did not agree with Lala’s defense. As one commenter on YouTube wrote, “The bullies did weaponize Rachel’s name.” Another wrote more specifically, “They put it out there and knew the childhood reason behind it and used it against her to dehumanize her. That’s weaponizing her name.”
Vanderpump Rules Season 11 continues Tuesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK THE VPR CAST WEAPONIZED RACHEL’S NAME? DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH LALA?
