Gia Gunn sparks furious backlash for remarks about other trans Drag Race stars
Drag Race star Gia Gunn has sparked controversy for suggesting trans women on the show before were not ‘presenting as female’. (Getty)
Controversial RuPaul’s Drag Race star Gia Gunn is once again referring to the “doors she’s opened” and has claimed to be the first trans woman to appear on the show.
Gia initially appeared on season six of Drag Race back in 2014, and then Ru-turned to the show on All Stars 4 in 2018, where she placed eighth. However, between her two seasons, the drag star came out as a trans woman.
Drag Race firebrand Gia was the fourth contestant to compete on the show as an out trans woman, following in the footsteps of season two’s Kylie Sonique Love, season five’s Monica Beverly Hillz, and season nine’s Peppermint.
Yet Gia has incited fury from the show’s fanbase – not for the first time – for claiming that she is the show’s first ever trans woman, as those who came before her did not “present as female”.
Back in 2022, following the cast announcement of Drag Race season 14 which starred trans contestant Kerri Colby, Gia posted on X/Twitter: “So happy to see a trans person on an actual season of Drag Race. The doors that I’ve opened…”
Cullen referenced the post, and brought up the fact that Drag Race stars including Kylie Sonique Love responded to Gia’s comments. In Kylie’s response, she suggested that Gia was erasing her.
“She was a boy,” Gia replied, referring to Kylie. “She might have been not transitioning or pretending like she wasn’t trans at the time, but Kylie Sonique Love and [season three star] Carmen [Carerra, who came out after her appearance on the show] were doing interviews as boys.
“And then the argument was Peppermint too, right? I don’t know about you, but I saw a boy, so I don’t know, maybe I’m missing something here,” Gia added.
While Kylie Sonique Love and Monica Beverly Hillz came out as trans while filming the show, season nine finalist Peppermint had been living as an out trans woman for years prior to her being cast.
After the Drag Race fandom began to call out Gia Gunn for her “problematic” and “disrespectful” comments, the star hopped onto X/Twitter to double down on her stance.
“I’m not here to judge or put anyone down. All transitions are valid but I know what I’m saying and you may disagree but isn’t that the beauty of life? Having different opinions and learning from each other,” she wrote.
“Now you tell me… who was the first girl to present as female,” she questioned, posting an image of Drag Race contestants Kylie, Monica, Carmen, Peppermint and Kenya Michaels, insinuating that they were presenting as male, despite being trans women.
Gia’s attempted clarification did nothing to dampen the flames of the controversy, with an abundance of Drag Race fans jumping in to further slate her “messed up” and “embarrassing” take.
Even Drag Race season eight winner Bob The Drag Queen responded, writing: “It’s not too late to delete this. You can do it. You can support yourself in your remarkable transition without slinging any mud.”
Some fans of the show have called Gia out for “transmedicalism”, a term which refers to the concept that being trans is only “legitimate” if the person in question accesses medical intervention or presents as their gender in order to transition.
“Trans women are women and they’ve BEEN women, even before any hormones or surgery,” one fan responded. “Hormones and surgery isn’t what makes a trans woman a woman and to suggest that anyone pre that/any trans woman who don’t want those things are less ‘female presenting’ is very f**ked up.”
“Oh God… this is ick. Gia, you are so beautiful and talented. You don’t have to demean others to lift yourself up,” another fan wrote. “You’re doing great but I believe you could be doing even better if you focused more on positivity and education rather than whatever this is.”
