RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14 Contestant Bosco Comes Out As Transgender
Bosco, a contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 14, has come out as transgender. Drag Race season 14 features one of the most diverse casts in Drag Race history concerning sexuality and gender. Bosco is alongside transgender contestants Kerri Colby and Kornbread "The Snack" Jeté. The 14th season also features its first straight cisgender contestant Maddy Morphosis. The lineup of contestants is an exciting one for fans, sparking countless internet discussions regarding the show’s evolution.
Toward the series’ beginning, RuPaul’s Drag Race was a competition consisting of contestants primarily identifying as cisgender gay men who loved performing in drag. With the evolving culture surrounding drag, gender, and sexuality, the show’s culture has changed as well. Colby, Jeté, and Bosco are far from the first transgender Drag Race contestants. Many other contestants have come out as transgender, whether on the show or after filming. These queens include but are not limited to Peppermint, Monica Beverly Hillz, Gia Gunn, Laganja Estranja, and Gigi Goode.
In an update shared on Twitter and Instagram alongside a photo of herself beaming at the camera, Bosco revealed that she is transgender. "I'm trans, my pronouns out of drag are she/they. I'm the happiest I've ever been. I'm straight too," The Drag Race contestant went on to explain that after filming wrapped on Drag Race season 14, she started to focus on medical transitioning, hormone replacement therapy, and potentially reviewing surgical options “in the near future.” Bosco also explained that while this may be news to RuPaul’s Drag Race fans, coming out as trans is not a new idea. Bosco noted that she has contemplated coming out as transgender "for over a decade now.”
The Seattle native has worked in the service industry for much of her adult life, and she explained that the financial instability of the job made transitioning difficult. Bosco opened up about her fear of coming out as transgender due to how she would be seen by others. “Honestly, I was also just flat-out terrified of how I'd be treated. I still am." Luckily, Bosco is now in a position where she has the support she needs to be true to herself. "I'm now in a place where I'm surrounded by love and support. Love from my heaven-sent boyfriend, stunning peers, and incredible friends,” Bosco shared. “I'm not quite where I want to be yet, but I'm starting to see her peak through more and more." The post garnered an influx of support from fans and fellow Drag Race contestants expressing their pride for the Drag Race contestant coming out.
Whether a Drag Race contestant is coming out as a transgender man or woman, the Emmy-winning show’s fanbase is always there to share their support. As the culture surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community becomes more accepted, more and more Drag Race queens have felt comfortable beginning their transition. While there is undeniably still an unaccepting portion of individuals who may not support the transitioning process, the normalization and representation of the LGBTQIA+ community through Drag Race will hopefully only continue to reshape and challenge how everyone understands these talented and brave individuals. RuPaul's Drag Race will continue to be a show passionate about sharing the love of drag across all sexualities and gender spectrums.
RuPaul's Drag Race season 14 airs on Friday at 8 p.m. on VH1.