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10 drag queens who absolutely slayed 2024
2024 has been a year packed to the absolute brim with drag herstory!Drag queens were topping the charts! They were on our TVs! They were lobbying in Washington DC! Even in a year where queer people and drag performers have been constantly fighting for our rights, there were still victories. My personal favorite drag moment of the year has to be in May when Idaho drag performer Mona Liza Million won her defamation case against the blogger who doctored footage of her exposing her genitals to children. Million, true to her name, has been awarded $1.1 million in damages.Yaaas qween.There were also other victories, like the amount of trans queens and queens of color getting mainstream recognition for their work and contribution to drag as a whole. Drag really had a year for the history books, but we picked the 10 queens who slayed the hardest in 2024.Chappell RoanSee on InstagramIf 2024 was anyone's year, it was Chappell Roan's. As a fan of Roan's for years, no one is more excited for her success than I am (except maybe Bowen Yang). If you don't know who Chappell Roan is by now, I would assume you were in a Hobbit Hole, but I think even that even Hobbits know the "HOT TO GO" dance at this point. For the uninitiated, Chappell Roan is the drag persona of singer Kayleigh Amstutz, and her music is as sensational as it is queer. Roan is also giving Hannah Montana "Best of Both Worlds" realness, bringing representation for the high camp drag queen and unabashedly mean dyke communities. This year alone Roan headlined Coachella, performed at the VMAs, and was adopted by Sasha Colby as one of Colby's official drag daughters. Roan is the femininomenon, and we hope she sweeps all 6 of her Grammy nominations come February.Nymphia WindSee on InstagramIn a season as stacked as RuPaul's Drag Race Season 16, winning the crown feels like an even harder feat, and Nymphia Wind's win was nothing if not well earned. It was clear immediately why Wind is such a sensation in Taiwan, where she's originally from, and it didn't take long for the rest of us to catch Banana Fever.Wind is the first East Asian queen to win (alongside season two's Raja Gemini who is of Southeast Asian decent), and is one of only two Asian American winners of a RPDR main season. She said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that getting to represent Taiwan like this was a big deal. "East Asians, or Asians in general in Western media, aren't represented that much. Think of an Asian pop star in western culture. You can't really name one. There are so few of them." said Wind, adding, "It meant a lot to hold that representation and space in this competition." Raquell LordSee on InstagramRaquell Lord is the reigning Miss Continental for 2025, the highest title a pageant queen can hold. Miss Continental is the most prestigious drag pageant in the world. Past Miss Continentals include some names you might recognize like Canada's Drag Race host Brooke Lynn Hytes and your favorite drag queen's favorite drag queen, Sasha Colby. Lord is a Texas native, and has been living in Atlanta, Georgia since 1992. She is an illusionist, dancer, and professional makeup artist. She even owns her own business, Effortless Beauty by Raquell. Her past titles include Miss Black USA, Miss Black Universe, and Miss Universal Show Queen amongst many others. Asia ConsentSee on InstagramAsia Consent made history this year. Consent, a contestant and the eventual winner of The Boulet Brother's Dragula's sixth season (season 666 if you're nasty), was the first Black trans woman to win the competition. She told Into that she'd like to spend her reign connecting with her fans, especially those most impacted by how hard it is to be a queer person in the US right now. Consent said, "Meeting some of the fans has been so surreal, just because theyve had some hard times. Theres some people that have not really had the best experience being queer in America, especially now. Its a really difficult time with everything going on politically, and I feel like my win couldnt have come at a more perfect time. Its really just a 'f*ck you' to everything thats going on right now."Pattie GoniaSee on InstagramEnvironmentalist drag queen and musician Pattie Gonia made a huge impact this year. After being named a TIME Magazine Next Generation Leader last year, this year Gonia was named an honoree for the Out 100 and a National Geographic Traveler of the Year. Pattie also expanded the work she does to get individuals from historically underrepresented groups into the great outdoors by founding the Queer Outdoor and Environmental Job Board.Alyssa EdwardsSee on InstagramRPDR Season 5 and All Stars Season 2 star Alyssa Edwards came back for another round this year, and boy did it pay off! Edwards competed on the inaugural season of RPDR Global All Stars with queens from across the world and across 12 different global Drag Race franchises. Edwards kicked, flipped, danced, and tongue popped her way to victory, winning the crown and the $200,000 cash prize!Marcia Marcia MarciaSee on InstagramIt's always Marcia Marcia Marcia Marcia! As it should be! The RPDR season 15 contestant took her well-established song and dance skills to Broadway this year, performing in the revival of Cabaret. She also performed at the 2024 Tony Awards!When she's not onstage, Marcia has been found on many a red carpet, hanging out with Ariana Grande, or getting engaged. Not a bad year at all!LemonSee on InstagramLemon's incredible year wasn't coincidence, oh no, it was Zestiny.Is it a bad pun? Yes. Is it also a really good name for an album if you're a drag queen and your name is Lemon? Also yes. In addition to a successful music career, Lemon also took home the crown on Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. The World season 2 without forming a single alliance.Since her big win, Lemon's life has looked pretty much the same (now with more acclaim and a scepter). She told PRIDE earlier this year what her post win plans were, "For me, whats next is to continue what I have been doing, which is work hard, constantly, and continue to improve my drag. Continue to make myself that bitch."Angeria Paris VanMichaelsSee on InstagramThis year, Angeria Paris Van Micheals finally got her flowers. After failing to snatch the crown on Season 14 of RuPaul's Drag Race, VanMicheals returned for All Stars Season 9, ultimately winning the season.VanMicheals took home her crown and septre, but the $200,000 prize all went to support her chosen charity, the National Black Justice Collective. VanMicheals told PRIDE that it was an honor to get to compete on behalf of the organization, saying "I wanted to give back and this is actually the first time in my life giving to charity. And it felt great to do it in this way on this platform, with this cause, the National Black Justice Coalition. Simply fighting for the rights of queer POC, it just feels amazing, especially in this time, right now, with politics and everything we have going on."Monet X ChangeSee on InstagramMonet X Change was already a RPDR All Stars winner and podcast host, but this year she expanded her talents to include hosting her own series on Dropoout! All of X Change's creative ventures have been a smash hit, and Monet's Slumber Party has been no exception. She also previously starred on Dropout's all drag queen season of Dimension 20, Dungeons and Drag Queens, alongside her other RPDR alums Trinity the Tuck, Alaska, and Jujubee. When she wasn't podcasting, performing, or hosting, X Change spent 2024 looking like a whole snack while sunning on the beach. Monet X Change stays winning and we should all stay jealous.
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