Halleloo, Drag Race is growing up nicely. Season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race premiered January 7th, and the show has already made history: not only is this is the first reality TV show with two openly trans women in the cast, but it is also the first Drag Race episode where trans women dominated the episode, by winning both the Mini Challenge and the Maxi Challenge.
Contestants Kerri Colby (photo above left) and Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté, (right), both from Los Angeles, were introduced in the first episode, with Kerri winning the Mini Challenge photo shoot, and Kornbread winning the talent competition in the Maxi Challenge by performing a lip sync to her own original song.
As of Episode 1, only Kerri identifies as openly trans. But Kornbread told Entertainment Weekly that throughout the season, she uses her time on Drag Race to begin her transition, and she relies on Kerri for guidance through the process.
This is a stark change from years past, when Drag Race noticeably placed restrictions on trans contestants. Although many contestants have been open about their trans identities, they were still expected to dress as male during their “non-drag” segments of the show. In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, RuPaul explained how Drag Race was meant to be a competition of males who created an illusion of being female, and that any performer who had major surgical alterations like breast implants were not really doing “drag.” As an example, he noted past contestant Peppermint, who competed in Season 9 of the show. Peppermint openly identified as a trans female, but she did not have her “top surgery” until after her season finished filming. RuPaul said, if she would’ve had surgery before she auditioned, she would not have been included in the cast.
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Related: ‘Drag Race’ star Gottmik has thoughts on the show’s first straight, cis male queen
Many other trans contestants have competed in the U.S. version of Drag Race, but like Peppermint, they technically transitioned after they were on the show. That all changed in 2021*, with Kylie Sonique Love, a trans woman who originally competed back in Season 2 of the show while still presenting as male. She returned to Season 6 of Drag Race All-Stars as a trans woman and won the crown, thanks to several well-deserved challenge wins and strong support from the show’s judging panel.
Her win was on the heels of Drag Race Season 13, which was technically the first season to include an openly transitioned trans contestant, Gottmik, who identifies as female to male trans–which still fit into RuPaul’s requirement at the time that contestants be men, as Gottmik would then dress in drag as female for competitions. Gender politics aside, Gottmik was a fantastic contestant, as he delighted fans (and RuPaul) with amazing performances throughout the show, and was a fan favorite thanks to his witty personality during backstage moments.
Season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race airs Fridays on VH1, and then streams on Paramount+.
*Technically the first trans winner on any Drag Race show was Angele Anang from Drag Race Thailand, in 2019.
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London_resistance
So, gay men who play at being parodies of real women, are beaten by men who earnestly believe they are the parody women they play!
You couldn’t make this nonsense up!
cliche guevara
Huh…. So cisgender women? I thought you were all about protecting women not erasing them
barryaksarben
so a straight man pretending to be a gay man to insult all gay men who has fooled not one of the gay men thinks his circular stupidity is wisdom FAILS. Now wait for it as he complains how he is too gay, he is gay gay gay. Sod off you pos. REAL men can handle other people’s sexuality, gender and wish them well and all happiness as its not his business. but children be all up in that playing their games
Leash
Why so narrow minded? I hope one day, when you’ve educated yourself and grown as a person, you stumble upon your comment and feel embarrassed ever thinking like that.
wiredpup
Well that’s some BS.
Time to take back our safe spaces.
Leash
Aww do you feel unsafe because two transwomen are doing great on a tv show?
jw8890
I love when gays try to say drag is their safe space. Did y’all know drag was done by straights in the 1800s at the globe theatre? Or how about vaudeville? Drag is for everyone honey and has NEVER been exclusively for the gays and if you don’t like it you can hit the road!
London_resistance
Leash, nothing wrong with a bit of pantomime cross dressing, everyone could do with a bit of sexual kink to enliven our lives.
IvanPH
There should be NO female contestants in a competition between Drag Queens. Drag means entertaining through cross-dressing and opposite-sex impersonation.
Without the cross-dressing and opposite-sex impersonation, it is just dress-up and NOT drag.
Leash
IvanPH, If they put up a good show who cares what they identify as. Drag means playing with gender roles, drag is not “who looks the most like a cisgender women”.
Charlie in Charge
Faux queens have been part of drag for many years. Drag IS playing dress up. It’s great that the show is better reflecting that actual world of drag.
inbama
It doesn’t matter.
No matter how many surgeries you’ve had, cross-sex hormones you’ve taken or how you identify, your biological sex remains the same.
And as Caitlyn Jenner has shown, so does your politics.
Leash
inbama, okay if it doesnt matter stop telling transwomen they are not “real women” because of biology. Biology isn’t everything.
They are real women nonetheless, just born in the wrong body.
If you personally knew a transwoman you’d see it (and you’d probably stop being a dick about it online).
Why do you bring Caitlyn into this? She just proves that transwomen can be terrible people, just like everyone else.