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RuPaul's Drag Queens to Follow

Show your pride by following our favorite 'RuPaul’s Drag Race' stars.

By George GottPublished 8 years ago 9 min read
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As a celebration of pride, I want to honor those who have worked tirelessly for the LGBTQ community in helping shape the way people perceive it. In the wake of Orlando’s Pulse Club Massacre, our country opened its eyes even wider to the violence and mistreatment of the community as a whole. An important group within the LGBTQ community that have been lasting figures, drag queens, have helped usher in a new world of acceptance and love. We thank those Queens for giving us happiness when it seems dark and gloomy. They offer hope when there doesn't seem to be any at times. Today, many drag queens have reached celebrity status, and that's thanks to RuPaul. Unless you’ve grown up on a deserted island or lived under a rock, you know who RuPaul is. And if you don’t… there is something called Google, do yourself a favor and look her up. Since RuPaul created RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2008, there have been 100 queens, 8 seasons, 3 spin-offs (All Stars, Drag U, and Gay for Play) all of which have helped and nurtured lesser know talent to become stars in their own right. So instead of celebrating famous actors and athletes that have come out in the past, we celebrate the underdogs of the community that have had a bigger impact on helping the world see a different, more fabulous side to the LGBTQ spectrum.

**Note to reader: There is almost another language of that drag queens speak, so if you get confused refer to our article on LGBTQ Slang Everyone Should Know, it might be of use to you.

So break out your glitter and lace-front wigs and read up on the top queens that are not only giving you so much face and body but have become superstars in their own right.

Trixie Mattel

Her name is an homage to the Trixie character from Rocky Horror Picture Show and Mattel's Barbie—her number one visual inspiration. Trixie Mattel was a contestant touted by many as an early front-runner for Season 7 but later was eliminated before her time and then was brought back onto the show by RuPaul for a second chance. Alas, she was eliminated again. She has gone down as one of the most controversial eliminations in Drag Race Herstory. But she overcame it, embraced being eliminated twice, and now loves making jokes about it. "You have to assert yourself with negative situations and laugh, laugh, laugh." Basically a comedy queen, she has turned herself into a YouTube sensation with fellow contestant Katya. We will get to her soon for sure. They teamed up to create a hilarious webisode is called "UNHhhh," where they comment on various topics, saying what they want and reminding you it's their show.

@trixiemattel

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Katya

Well since we just covered Trixie and their show, its only right to tell you about Katya (or you can call her by her full drag name, Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova). Since I can’t even begin to think how to pronounce that and 99 percent of anyone else can’t either, she is just Katya, and we love her. She is quoted as saying that her persona is "at the intersection of glamour and comedy. You can find her right on the corner, selling her ass." Another contestant on Season 7, she is best remembered for her surreal humor, funny confessionals, lighthearted personality, and the lack of confidence she unnecessarily had in many of the main challenges. Also to note, she was voted Miss Congeniality, basically a perfect fit.

@katya_zamo

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Bianca Del Rio

Don't mess with this queen, she will come for you! Often touted as being the most successful queen, Bianca Del Rio, a native of New Orleans, made her start in New York City. She has made a career out of being an insult comic and costume designer. A fan-favorite throughout and after Season 6, she is considered by many to be the best winner of RuPaul's Drag Race. After her win on Season 6, she began a very successful comedy world tour called "Rolodex of Hate" The New York Times quoted her as being "The Joan Rivers of Drag World." In 2016 she announced another huge tour, "Not Today Satan," which was one of her favorite quotes. What we love about her is her mouth. To be more specific, she is unapologetic and we love that she has the guts to say what everyone is thinking.

@TheBiancaDelRio

Watch Bianca Del Rio

Sharon Needles

She Made Party City Couture a thing. Another winner of Season 4 and a fan favorite, Sharon Needles is a native of Newton, Iowa. She is the self-proclaimed most "Beautiful, Spooky, Stupid" drag queen of all time. She stunned fans of Season 4 for not being the typical beauty. Rather, she looked like something out of Tales From the Crypt. Her quoted inspirations are Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, and Amanda Lepore. After winning Season 4, Needles changed what drag was. It wasn't just imitating pretty women or being "fishy" but rather invoking performance art and the avant-garde. She made a career of selling music and selling out shows, but is also know for being the boyfriend of a fellow queen.

@SHARON_NEEDLES

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Alaska Thunderfuck

Hiiieee!!! She made a splash on Season 5 as a top 3 contender for the crown, and is the former of boyfriend of Sharon Needles. But that’s not why she is memorable. With a name like Alaska Thunderfuck, who could forget her. Her drag name is derived from Alaskan Thunderfuck, a strain of marijuana. Alaska counts Divine, Britney Spears, and Marilyn Monroe as her main influences. Her drag character's backstory revolves around being an alien who crash-landed from the planet Glamtron. Another very successful queen, like Bianca Del Rio, Alaska has had huge success with a modeling career with American Apparel, along with fellow queens Willam and Courtney Act, who we will get to. This is in addition having had a very successful mainstream singing career. Her album, Anus, topped the iTunes Dance albums chart for weeks, as well as hitting 3 Billboard charts. Byeeee!!!

@Alaska5000

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Kim Chi

Another fan favorite and my own fave, Kim Chi was not your typical drag queen. She couldn’t dance or sing, but her personality is what got her to the top 3 in Season 8. As a native to Chicago, IL she "came to DESTROY EVERYONE, with her makeup," and is quoted to be a 7' tall, live-action anime character and high-fashion model. She made her start in drag by getting the attention of thousands through on-another-level Instagram makeup selfies. Since the show, Kimchi has followed her passion through a collaboration with Sugarpill Cosmetics. Donut come for her!

@KimChi_Chic

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Courtney Act

One of the fishiest queens ever to grace Drag Race Herstory and another successful top 3 favorite from Season 6, Courtney Act is a native from Down Under. Her name is meant to be an Australian tounge-in-cheek meaning "caught in the act." In Australia, she has reached almost superstar status and has collaborated with Kylie Minouge and was a semi-finalist on Australian Idol in 2003. She was one of the 3 queens, along with Alaska and Willam, to be the first drag queen ad girls for American Apparel, and was the first drag performer in history to sing live with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. In 2015 she released her first solo album Kaleidoscope with good reviews.

@courtneyact

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Adore Delano

Let's Party! Yet another top 3 contestant on Season 6 was Adore Delano. She fist came into the spotlight as a contestant on Season 7 of American Idol in 2008, making it to the semi-finals. Adore was known for her flamboyant personality, and her sass and outrageousness quickly made her a favorite. Since Drag Race she has made her state in the music industry. Adore’s music is both on trend with what is currently popular and at the same time, more than stands on its own. Her first album, Till Death Do Us Party, debuted at #3 on the Dance/Electronic Albums Billboard charts and reached #59 on the Billboard 200. Adore is the highest charting artist of any Drag Race contestant, including RuPaul, thus far.

@AdoreDelano

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Alyssa Edwards

She is known for competing in drag pageantry and being dethroned from her title as Miss Gay America 2010, before gaining prominence on Season 5 of Drag Race. She got her start in pageantry and appeared in Pageant, which follows five of the most talented and beautiful female impersonators as they prepare to dominate in the underground competition of Miss Gay America. Since getting eliminated from Drag Race, she has had huge success in her webisodes "Alyssa’s Secret", building her House of Edwards and is currently in post-production of "Beyond Belief," for a potential reality series for Logo, centered on Edwards's Mesquite, Texas-based business, Beyond Belief Dance Company. She will also appear on Season 2 of RuPaul's All Stars. Back rolls no more!

@AlyssaEdwards_1

Watch Alyssa Edwards

Manila Luzon

She is best known as the quirky comedy queen and runner-up of Season 3 of Drag Race. Her drag name is a play on words of the Philippine capital city Manila and the largest island of the Philippines, Luzon, where her mother was born. In addition to comedy, she has had success in music. Her album Hot Couture was received with good reviews. On a sad note, she used to resided in Harlem, New York City with her boyfriend Antoine Ashley (Sahara Davenport), who was a contestant on the second season of Drag Race, and who later died of heart failure in 2012. She dedicated her single "Eternal Queen" to Sahara as a tribute to the love they shared.

@manilaluzon

Listen to Manila Luzon

Violet Chachki

COME THROUGH!! Chachki is best known for winning the seventh season of Drag Race and identifies as gender-fluid. She is also known for selling out her Bettie Page inspired Burlesque shows. She was known during Drag Race to be a fave of the judges, especially Carson Kressly, who almost died clutching his pearls after seeing her give life to the runway in a Tartan plaid two-in-one jumpsuit costume change that was breathtakingly dramatic. In addition to fashion and Burlesque, she has had great commercial success with her EP Gagged.

@VioletChachki

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Bob the Drag Queen

Purse First! I have no secret, I do have a Bob-session with Bob the Drag Queen. Winner of Season 8, Bob’s aesthetic is blended with stand-up comedy, camp drag, and social consciousness to create a character that’s whip smart and runway ready. Since winning the latest season of Drag Race, she has had huge success with her hit single "Purse First," which caught the attention of celebrities. Bob quotes, "I didn’t think the purse thing would go over so well. It’s a whole thing. Even Anna Kendrick was doing purse first at the Met Gala. I didn’t think it’d be such a big deal."

@thatonequeen

Listen to Bob The Drag Queen

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About the Creator

George Gott

Writer & Social Media Editor for Jerrickmedia who is an avid reader of sci-fi and a fierce defender of women, minority, and LGBTQ rights.

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