Taiwan president congratulates 1st Taiwanese to win ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’
台灣總統對首位贏得“魯保羅變裝皇后秀”的台灣人祝賀
| Nymphia Wind is 1st drag queen from East Asia to win crown
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Drag queen Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅) received praise from President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) after becoming the first Taiwanese winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race" on Friday (April 19). The 28-year-old Taiwanese-American was Taiwan’s first drag queen to join the competition, and the first person from East Asia to take the crown. Since the internationally acclaimed show premiered in 2009, only seven Asians have made it to the final four. President Tsai posted on X, “Congratulations to you, Nymphia Wind, for being so accomplished in the difficult art form of drag, and for being the first Taiwanese to take the stage and win on RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The president added: “Right after being crowned queen, you said: ‘Taiwan, this is for you.’ Taiwan thanks you for living fearlessly.” In an interview with Good Morning America on Saturday (April 20), Nymphia responded, “Having the president of Taiwan to see what I’ve done… this is unreal.” “It’s very important for me to represent my country, because I love Taiwan. To be able to showcase that on RuPaul’s Drag Race means so much to me,” she said. Taiwanese fans were euphoric after the announcement of Nymphia’s win. Each Saturday as the show aired in Taiwan, crowds packed bars such as Cafe Dalida, which Nympia calls her “home bar,” in Taipei for watch parties. Nymphia Wind was born in Los Angeles but grew up in Taiwan and Hong Kong. She nurtured her passion for drag in the “Red House” area of Taipei, the birthplace of many of the city’s drag queens. In 2022, she moved to Brooklyn, New York to pursue her dreams and grow her career in drag. She said living in New York allowed her to experiment and try new things, and introduce Taiwanese culture to a wider audience. Despite moving abroad, Nymphia always brought her Asian heritage with her. Her looks and performances on the show were often inspired by Asian culture, incorporating elements such as Taiwanese opera, Japanese Butoh dance, and Chinese knot chains. Speaking about Asian representation with Entertainment Weekly, Nymphia pointed out, “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. It meant a lot to hold that representation and space in this competition.” She also spoke about being bombarded with Western beauty standards that led her to lack confidence in her appearance. She hoped that Asian kids would see hope in her victory. According to Nymphia, “The government of Taiwan is very supportive of gay rights.” “We are the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, and I’m very proud to say I’m Taiwanese,” she said. In addition, the drag queen said she hopes to become a "tourism ambassador” for Taiwan. She plans to perform more shows that highlight Taiwanese culture, and will represent Taiwan at cultural events during the 2024 Paris Olympics. |
|
| Lily LaMattina, Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2024-04-21 |
