Is Drag Race Overdue For Their First ‘Big Girl’ Winner?
Silky Nutmeg Ganache Is Coming For The Crown!
RuPaul’s Drag Race is the gift that keeps on giving. Since the series jumped ship from Logo to VH1, we haven’t gone but a few weeks without having a new season of Drag Race on our televisions and mobile devices. I’m not drag fan #1, but I enjoy being in “the know” and catching up on the latest buzz. Currently, Rupaul’s Drag Race All Stars season four is wrapping up and then the new season will be here with fourteen new queens , plus the return of first boot and viral sensation Vanessa Vanjie Mateo.
We have seen a variety of stereotypes take the win over the years: the kooky outcast (Sharon Needles, Jinx Monsoon), the fashionista (Raja, Violet Chachki), the comedian (Bob The Drag Queen, Bianca Del Rio), the professional (Chad Michaels, Bebe Zahara Benet), and other forced, fabricated variations of those previously mentioned. Although there is some variety in the queens crowned, shockingly, we haven't had a person of color deemed winner since Bob in 2016 – once the series headed to VH1. Even more so, why haven't we had a big girl winner yet?!
Through Drag Race Herstory, we've had numerous larger than life, "big" queens who have garnered a fan base. Some that come to mind are Porkchop (the famously first booted off the series), Latrice Royale, Eureka O'Hara, Stacy Layne Matthews, Darienne Lake, Ginger Minj, and so many more queens who are considered plus-sized enter the competition to high praise of the judges and fan base. These queens, with all of their Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent, always seemed to come up short for the crown. Even though they didn't win the ultimate trophy, most have been used in following seasons as either a gag or a contender to finally take home the W. When is it going to be time for one of these girls to win?! Have we only seen O'Hara and Ginger Minj to be the only "big" girls to last until the finale? some put Roxxxy Andrews (Season 5) in the curvy girl category, but not the big girl grouping. Many will argue Eureka should've won, but point to her controversial language on social media. Then again, there was so much focus on Eureka being a big girl in the running for the crown. Do we remember any of that when Ginger was in the finals of Season 7 to be beaten by Violet Chachki? Her being "full of love" size didn't really become a huge talking point like it did with Eureka's season finale. Minj was invited back to Season 2 of All Stars, but was the third to be eliminated.
The upcoming season provides us with a "big" girl who owns her size and commands attention. She's already creating a buzz on social media.
Silky Nutmeg Ganache is stepping into the ring to become America's next Drag Superstar. Okay, I may be a little biased: I've known Silky for almost a decade as we've partied in college, yet I have always believed she had the absolute X factor to win this competition. With Eureka's recent loss, and knowing Silky was possibly on the show, immediately I had a thought…Silky is going to be the first "big" girl winner. She is a great representative for her niche of drag. Ganache is a pageant queen and southern belle who admittedly doesn't want fans, but family. She's going up against heavyweight social media stars such as Plastique Tiara and Brook Lynn Hytes, but her determination to win combined with her lust for entertaining the masses may put her on top. We all need to keep a close eye on Ganache, because as Sharon Needles changed the face of drag, I believe she's going to challenge and change the image of our previous Drag Race winners.
But then again, this will be all moot if when Latrice Royale wins this season of All Stars.
Don't forget to check out Ganache's "Get to know you" video below.
Writer's Note: This is the opinion of one Instinct Magazine Contributor and does not reflect the views of fellow Contributors or Instinct Magazine itself.
Way to completely forget
Way to completely forget Ginger Minj. A big girl who was not only in the top three but was strongly believed by many tome be the winner before the finale aired.
Ginger was the first big girl
Ginger was the first big girl, not Eureka. Probably should fact check before you write an article!