‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Queens Continue to Inspire, Educate on International Pronouns Day
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Since 2018, every third Wednesday of October has been known as International Pronouns Day. This year, Oct. 20 marks the day seeking to make “respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace.” Over the course of 13 seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and several spinoff shows, viewers have seen so many contestants share their stories about their relationship to gender. Today and every day is the time to honor and respect all of their uplifting and informative advice. Many of the Drag Race queens took to social media today to remind us of the importance of this day.
Eureka O’Hara Finds Confidence Embracing Being Non-Binary
Eureka O’Hara competed on Seasons 9 and 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and Season 6 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. The queen, who uses they/them pronouns, lived as a trans woman for many years before identifying as a non-binary, gender-neutral person. They became a fan-favorite competitor after remaining true to themself on each season of the show.
“Eureka helped me find confidence in myself as a non-binary person, gender-neutral person, and male-presenting, in general,” they told Advocate. “I have a lot to thank that character for and that part of my life, as well as financially. She’s a huge part of who I am, but at the same time, I love my separation from her.”
Eureka stars in We’re Here on HBO alongside Shangela and Bob the Drag Queen. Bob has always been very vocal about the difference between gender identity and gender expression. The Season 8 RuPaul’s Drag Race winner encouraged people on Twitter to add their pronouns to their bios.
Contestants Discuss Gender Identity
RuPaul’s Drag Race alums Gia Gunn, Bob the Drag Queen, Jiggly Caliente, Aja, and Peppermint sat down with Billboard to discuss gender identity and transgender representation in Hollywood. Aja took a break from calling themself a “drag queen” and instead pursued a career as a musician. In a recent social media post, Aja got candid about battling “intense gender dysmorphia.” They credited RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 6 winner, Sonique, for helping them embrace their trans identity. Aja goes by she/they/her/them pronouns.
“I have been a big fan of @xosonique for a very long time and I don’t know,” they said. “Watching her win made me realize that, that could be me. Not necessarily winning drag race, but being able to embody my own gender and identity and still be an artist with neither of them conflicting each other. It really hit me at that moment that Trans is who I am and drag is what I do.”
Peppermint Advocates for the LGBTQ+ Community
On Season 9, Peppermint shared her story about getting stuck in a Moscow airport while presenting as a female. Her ID did not match her at the time. The incident occurred eight months before she joined RuPaul’s Drag Race. Peppermint was detained by an airport worker and had to remove her wig to prove her identity. When discussing the experience during a RuPaul’s Drag Race episode, she said it was “humiliating.”
Peppermint is a proud trans advocate, Broadway star, and has been using her platform to inspire others. She starred in a TikTok video to help people correctly use they/them pronouns this summer. She also recently performed at an event for Stars in the House to celebrate trans and non-binary artists.
Miss Fame Calls For Equality in the Entertainment World
Miss Fame competed on Season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. They announced in 2020 that they identify as they/them. Fame is one of the contestants that has called out inequality in the entertainment industry that happens to queer and trans artists. Fame spoke out about rejecting an offer to appear in a Justin Bieber music video for $500. When the Miss Fame Beauty mogul launched their own company, they worked with transgender models that were compensated properly.
“I am not an accessory,” they wrote on social media. “My time is valuable. Compensation is respect. As such, I identify as they/them, so we don’t forget, I’m a human and not wearing a mask to appease or entertain you. My presence is authentic.”
Fame is now one of the most successful RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants of all time. Fame has built a huge modeling career, landed on dozens of magazine covers, and amassed a following of 1.1 million on Instagram. But, they recognize that brands need to step up their game when it comes to inclusivity that transcends labels. This is an especially important lesson to spread on International Pronouns Day.
“Brands need to start representing people that are so important and valuable, when it comes to talking about the narrative of today, and discussing beauty and diversity,” they said. “Going to people on the edges of our society and saying, ‘You’re breathtakingly gorgeous and you deserve all of the light and shine the world has to offer,’ not just because you’re beyond the ‘normal’ narrative, but because you’re an expression of the future of what beauty needs to be.”
For more information about International Pronouns Day, you can visit the organization’s official website.
