Guess who’s (almost) back in the house? It’s RuPaul’s Drag Race, baby, returning to MTV in early 2024 with its sweet 16th season!
The closest thing we have to an exclusively gay sport has dropped its roster of talent for the season ahead with the traditional “Meet The Queens” video, showing off the fierce fourteen queens who will be throwing it down for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar.”
Honestly, it’s always an overwhelming day for us diehard Drag Race fans as we try to keep track of who’s who and which queens we’re ready to stan from the second they enter the Werk Room.
With that in mind, we’ve done a little internet sleuthing to track down some out-of-drag photos of each queen and put together this handy guide, so you can remember the faces—and the mugs—you’ll be rooting for all season long. And, who knows, maybe you’ll be crushing on them all season long, too!
So, catch up on the RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 “Meet The Queens” video, then click through below to learn more and see what these queens look like behind the drag illusion.
Louis
Perhaps I’m old fashioned, but to me, drag is dressing as the gender opposite to that which you identify (or any gender if you’re non-binary).
When I start seeing costumes (eg horns), it stops being drag for me. Otherwise, what is to stop someone dressing as a character from World of Warcraft and claiming it as drag (rather than cosplay)?
Also (before the haters come for me) I know some cis and trans women have competed (I think a cis woman even won Germany’s recently), but to me a (cis or trans) woman dressing as a woman (even an exaggerated one) isn’t drag. Beyoncé has (had?) her alter ego “Sasha Fierce” who dressed differently to Beyoncé. Who carried herself differently to Beyoncé. Was Beyoncé a drag queen when being Sasha Fierce? I’d argue not and I’m not sure I’ve ever heard Beyoncé refer to herself or Sasha as drag – so where is the difference?
abfab
You’re asking US? LOL
It’s interesting and no ones gonna hate you, Louis. I did drag twice. 4th grade and then 12th grade Halloween. FUN!
I really miss the drag clubs of DC. Now that whole area is a damn baseball stadium. The joy is gone.
MISTERJETT
call me old fashioned, also, Louise, but i agree with you. i don’t see the horns and wings and clown make-up and things like that as drag. costumes, but not drag. i was watching videos on youtube of shows from The Baton in Chicago and all of the queens were made-up and glamourous female impersonators and not one cat face among them. also, Rupauls LIP-SYNC FOR YOUR LIFE, is more gymnastics and calisthenics that lip-syncing, but if that’s what it takes to get a “shantay you stay”, then go for it.
snowmack
you’re right – this is an old fashioned way of thinking. drag, like all art forms, is always changing and evolving. you have a right to have a preference to what kind of art (in this case, drag) you want and like to consume, but to go out of your way to call it not drag just because it isn’t in line with what you think drag is, is downright disrespectful and not at all what this community is about.
bachy
Vaudevillians.