With the finale of the latest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race fast approaching and the fates of finalists Nymphia Wind, Plane Jane, and Sapphira Cristál still unknown, one thing is clear: for the 16th time in Drag Race Herstory, the recipient of that honkin’ big pile of cash, sickening supply of branded make-up, a fiercely bejewelled crown and sceptre and the coveted title of America’s Next Drag Superstar will not be a plus-size queen.
Over the past 14 years, 214 drag performers have graced Mama Ru’s iconic Werkroom. Among them, 56 have made it to their series finales, yet only 7 of these 56 queens have been Big Girls. The show has received criticism for allowing fatphobia to run unchecked in series challenges and there has been consistent chatter among the plus-size participants on the show about how the fandom undervalues their art.
Queens like Mistress Isabelle Brooks and Eureka O’Hara have bravely called out Fatphobic ‘Drag Race’ Fans, and season 6 contestant Darrienne Lake previously called out the additional challenges faced by plus-size queens in building their online platforms. Only 1 big girl, Drag Race Royalty Latrice Royale, is among the 41 queens who have passed the one million Instagram follower threshold.
But, with all this being said, do bigger-bodied queens lack the Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent to win? Absolutely not. Here are 5 queens who prove that Big Bones and Big Talent are not mutually exclusive.
1. Eureka O’Hara
The self-proclaimed Elephant Queen first competed on season 9 but after a knee injury cut her run short this powerhouse of drag returned for season 10, where she placed as runner-up, and reentered the Werkroom one more time for the sixth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, where she once more placed as a runner-up.
Since 2020, Eureka has co-hosted HBO’s We’re Here with Bob the Drag Queen and Shangela, travelling across the US for one-night-only drag shows; she’s released singles like “Stomp” and “The Big Girl“, and publicly transitioned to identifying as a trans woman.
2. Delta Work
Since competing in the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race she has gone on to huge success as a hairstylist, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special at the 70th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards in 2018 for her work as a personal hairstylist for Drag Race.
Delta currently hosts “luxury public access podcast” Very Delta where she interviews celebrities, drag performers, and nightlife personalities and goes off on important issues that are Very Delta.
In late 2023 she released the collaborative single “I Want House” with dance music duo BOY2K, based on a viral monologue from Very Delta.
3. Latrice Royale
She’s large, in charge, chunky yet funky. A fan-favourite from her first appearance on the fourth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2012, who completed both in the first and fourth seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.
Since then she’s appeared in off-Broadway productions like “Mister Act” and released her single “Weight“, joined the cast of HBO’s drag makeover show We’re Here and will be seen in the brand new show RuPaul’s Drag Race Live Untucked following the highs and lows of the cast of RuPauls Drag Race Live in Las Vegas.
4. Silky Nutmeg Ganache
The Reverend Doctor Silky Nutmeg Ganache gained fame on RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2019, becoming a mainstay of the franchise and returning for All Stars, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Vegas Revue and Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World, where she finished as a runner-up.
Since the show she has hosted her own web series, Shantay You Pray, on WOWPresents+, authored a cocktail recipe book Cocktails for a Queen and been nominated for the Future All-Star award at the 2020 Queerties. All while allegedly pursuing a PhD.
5. Ginger Minj
Ginger Minj originally placed as runner-up on the seventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, she has returned to the franchise twice for the second and sixth seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.
Since the show she has ventured into acting, starring in Netflix’s “Dumplin'” and “AJ and the Queen”, and Disney’s Hocus Pocus 2. In 2023, she released her stand-up comedy special, “Bless Your Heart”.
With news that RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars series 9 will premiere on Paramount Plus on May 17th perhaps among this group of All-Stars we will finally find our first plus-size Queen of the Mother-Tucking World.
