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Queens from around the world sashayed their way to Los Angeles for the first-ever RuPaul Drag-Con, a celebration of not just the successful show Rupaul’s Drag Race, but also the growing acceptance of LGBT stars into the mainstream world.
“It is about bringing people together from all over the world — young people, older people — every nationality, everything. That is what the show RuPaul’s Drag Race is all about. We are showing people that it’s important to not take life so seriously,” said RuPaul.
Among the drag queens, big wigs and some of the most high-profile Filipinos in the drag world met with their fans and enjoyed the festivities.
“I never expected it to be ganito kalaki. Akala ko lang noong bata ako parang naglalaro lang ito, nagaayos ng buhok ko. Akala ko babae ako. That’s all I was doing when I was a kid. And now that I’m older my dreams been realized,” said Season 4 contestant, Jiggly Caliente.
Season 1 contestant Ongina said, “I had no idea that RuPaul’s Drag Race is going to catapult into one of this type of shenanigans. If you watch Season One, we barely had a budget so who would’ve thunk it!”
The convention was held by celebrity drag queen RuPaul whose hit reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race has become a big hit with both pop culture and the LGBT community.
The show has launched the careers of several Filipino drag queens looking to be America’s next drag super stars.
The first Filipino who made it on Season One, Ongina, continues to use her celebrity as an activist for LGBT rights and HIV prevention.
“I think that drag race definitely helped combine the community for the LGBT and our straight allies and I think the great thing about our show is it does bring everyone together if your lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or straight they all love this show because it’s just entertaining and fun,” Ongina said.
RuPaul’s Drag Race is wrapping up its seventh season. In the show’s HER-story, nearly a hundred queens have competed. (Read more on Balitang America.)
Text: Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
