Which ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 12 Contestants Had Drag Family Already on the Series?
RuPaul says it best: as people in the LGBTQ community, these drag performers essentially get to choose their family. For some season 12 contestants, the resemblance is uncanny. In fact, there were a few drag queens with family who already appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Here’s our look into these fabulous contestants.
This article contains spoilers from already released seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Read at your own risk!
Dahlia is a part of the Haus of Aja
She’s a little bit banjee and a little bit kawaii. This 28-year-old from Los Angeles appeared as a contestant on RuPaul’s Emmy-award winning reality series. There, she showcased her unique style, even dressing as broccoli for one maxi-challenge.
Within the first episode, Dahlia Sin shared that she had a drag mother who already competed on Drag Race — season 8 and All-Star 3’s Aja. Dahlia is a member of the Haus of Aja, meaning there are a few other sisters who perform together in the same drag family.
“She was the first person to ever put me in drag,” Dahlia Sin said during her “Meet the Queens” promotional video. “She was the main one to teach me makeup, she was the one that taught me about hair, fitting, everything. She taught me basically everything from the ground-up.”
Jan is the drag daughter of Alexis Michelle (season 9)
She’s the girl next door with so much more. This queen is originally from New Jersey but currently lives in New York City. There, she does everything from Kris Jenner impersonations to Broadway productions to “narrative-based numbers.”
Above all, Jan explained throughout the season, she loves musical theater. (Her performance in Snatch Game only solidified her knowledge of Broadway.) It’s no coincidence that throughout season 9 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Alexis Michelle showcased her love of Broadway. It totally makes sense to fans that Alexis Michelle is Jan’s drag mother.
One article by the Asbury Park Press explains that Alexis Michelle influenced Jan and her drag, shaping her into the multi-faceted, talented queen fans love on season 12.
There are a few family drag families who passed through ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’
This wouldn’t be the first time that drag performers followed their sisters onto this reality series. Drag Race holds a number of powerful drag families dominating the competition. The always outgoing Vanessa “Miss Vanjie” Mateo, who made a brief appearance in season 12, is the daughter of the beloved Alexis Mateo.
Both Sharon Needles and her daughter, Aquaria, competed on RuPaul’s Drag Race and won. Season 10’s Miz Cracker competed on season 10, following the success of her mother, the winner of season 8, Bob the Drag Queen.
Alyssa Edwards is the mother of the Haus of Edwards, with multiple daughters featured on RuPaul’s Drag Race. That includes Shangela, Laganja Estranja, and Gia Gunn (although Gia Gunn has somewhat distanced herself from this family since.) Even celebrity guest judge, Miley Cyrus, is an honorary member of this drag family.
New episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 12 premiere Friday nights on VH1.
