RuPaul’s Drag Race winner clarifies after concerning fans with ‘quitting drag’ post
This RuPaul’s Drag Race winner has clarified why she said she was going to ‘quit drag’. (World of Wonder)
RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Yvie Oddly has clarified that she ain’t no quitter, despite trolling the show’s fandom by teasing that she was leaving drag behind.
Earlier this week, 31-year-old Yvie Oddly – best known for winning RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11 back in 2019 – shared a promotional flier on her Instagram in which she invited fans to “celebrate” her “quitting drag”.
The flier revealed that Yvie would be hosting a yard sale to “support her disabled lil cr***le baby medical thingy” and “fund her drag habit”.
Yvie has Ehlers–Danlos syndrome type three, a chronic illness that impacts the body’s connective tissues and joints.
According to the flier, the yard sale and BBQ event would take place in Denver on Yvie’s birthday, 22 August, where she would be selling “every gender of clothing”.
The post prompted a flurry of concerned Drag Race fans to flock to her comment section, with one sharing that they had “dreaded this day”.
Yvie has spoken before about how her Ehlers–Danlos syndrome may limit her performance style in her drag career. Since appearing on Drag Race in 2019, she’s become known in the fandom for her back-bending, limb-twisting dance moves, which have been made possible due to the disorder causing joint hypermobility. However, the disorder is degenerative, and the impact and pain caused by it doesn’t “get any better,” Yvie told Them in 2022.
Despite the fact, Yvie confirmed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that she isn’t giving up drag just yet – at least not more than she already has.
“I think it’s hilarious when – no shade to every diva who believes in her heart that she’s quitting – a queen is like, ‘I’m quitting drag.’ No you’re not, b***h. You might not be gigging as much, you might keep a secret pair of heels in the closet,” Yvie said.
“But, look at all the queens who’ve quit. Phi Phi/Jaremi, still does drag [through cosplay]. Tyra Sanchez quit, came back, and quit again. Y’all can’t get a queen to quit drag if you wanted to. Sherry Pie still has a career. The only way a queen quits drag is through death.”
A number of other Drag Race stars have spoken out about moving away from their drag careers over the past year, including season 13 star Tamisha Iman, season one queen Ongina, and All Stars 8 favourite LaLa Ri, though the latter returned to drag after just a few months.
Yvie, who also appeared on the first Drag Race all-winners season All Stars 7 back in 2022, revealed that there was a specific reason why she decided to troll her fans.
“The purpose of this event is to have a yard sale. I’ve had one before, it’s never been a big deal, but where I’m at right now, when I posted that I’m having a yard sale, people jumped to crazy conclusions about my health and quitting drag,” she explained.
“‘She’s acting so erratic, clearly she’s on drugs.’ Instead of b***hing at all of these people, I decided you’re all right.”
Yvie went on to reflect on the fact that her fans sometimes “write the ending” to her drag career, based on the fact that she’s previously spoken about how her disorder limits her performance.
“I’m giving them a good ending. They’re just going to be disappointed when I start drag again the next day,” she joked.
She rounded off by stating that while she isn’t “popping [her] p***s every night”, she still performs in drag, and has moulded her career to include music, a book, and her Highkey podcast.
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