Did Ginger Minj post a fake tribute to Dolly Parton? The controversy explained

What is the Ginger Minj/Dolly Parton controversy?

The controversy stems from the parody account on X (formerly Twitter) WOW Parodies Plus accusing Minj of editing herself into a photo with Parton by superimposing herself over a photo of Parton and 4 Non Blondes singer Linda Perry.

The post claimed that Minj had used a fake photo in a 2019 post about her role in the Parton-produced film Dumplin that included a photo that was taken of them together on the red carpet at an event at the Grammy Museum.

The accusation included a GIF showing the supposed “edit” where Minj had photoshopped herself into a photo with Parton.

The post quickly went viral and picked up 2.5 million views. Despite coming from a parody account, some fans ran with it, calling Minj a liar in the comments and taking to the comment section of her original 2019 post to slam the drag queen for clout chasing.

The photo likely resurfaced because after the news of Parton’s passing broke, Minj posted a tribute on Instagram using the same red carpet photo with Parton.

“I’m so sad to hear about the passing of Dolly Parton, a one of a kind icon that will never be replaced,” the caption read. “I’m grateful for the few times our paths crossed and the kindness she showed not only to me but to everyone in the room. RIP, Angel.”

Is the photo with Ginger Minj and Dolly Parton fake?

Some fans were quick to call Ginger out for lying, but others immediately went to bat for her and pointed out that this “fake” photo with Parton was actually created with AI to make Minj look bad.

People took to the comments of the WOW Parodies Plus’ post to point out issues with the photo that prove it was made with AI, including someone who ran it through an AI detector.

One fan even found the original photos of Parton with both Minj and Perry. “These are the actual pictures. Editing a photo of a recently deceased Dolly Parton to have a go at Ginger is so disgusting, log off you freak,” they commented.

Dolly Parton drag impersonator Vancie Vega even commented on Minj's Parton tribute post to point out that the photo is real and was taken at an exhibit of Parton’s costumes that both she and Minj attended.

“This was an event for Dolly’s costume exhibit at @grammymuseum. FEW people were invited to have a photo with Dolly,” she wrote. "Ginger and I were 2 of the 20 invited.”

How did Ginger Minj respond?

In response to backlash from people who believed she had faked the photo she used in her tribute to Parton and her original 2019 post, Minj called out the “AI slop” and posted another photo with Parton from a different angle, along with other photos from the same event, to prove she wasn’t lying.

“It’s very disheartening that after the loss of an icon who was so special to so many of us, I have to defend a photo we took together at an event celebrating her career in 2019,” she wrote on X. “An event that was well-documented and shared alongside some of my drag sisters. I get that some of you want to believe the worst in me at all times, and you’re more than welcome to believe the AI Slop being passed around now, but it doesn’t make the narrative against me any more true. Anyway, here are some other pictures from the event, posted to my IG back in 2019.”