RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Makes History With First Cis Female Queen

The cast of upcoming seasons three of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 3 has just been announced, and is already making herstory, after it was revealed that Victoria Scone will soon become the first assigned female at birth (AFAB) queen to ever feature as a drag race competitor.

Describing her style as “very, very camp,” the 27 year performer  who had previously worked as a sales and events coordinator before committing full-time to drag, hopes that her appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK can help ‘boost diversity in the drag world’.

Ding dang dong. It's round three, huns.

Meet the new #DragRaceUK queens coming to @BBCthree on @bbciplayer in September. 👑 pic.twitter.com/2zgdi8x1av

— RuPaul's Drag Race UK (@dragraceukbbc) August 18, 2021

CeLesbian

Hailing from Cardiff, the self-proclaimed “CeLesbian” – short for “celebrity lesbian”, spoke with BBC Victoria  about how her first time treading the boards were met at times with cynicism from some of the more traditional folk.

“I was told, ‘This isn’t the competition for you.’ But I didn’t give up.” Victoria told the BBC. Lucky for her, and us, she persevered. And, now just a few short years after her drag debut, she will feature among the next generation of UK Drag Race Superstars.

“I was completely hooked. So no matter what was thrown at me, I was going to be a drag queen. But I didn’t really know if, as a woman, that was a possibility for me.”

Meet the queens of @dragraceukbbc series three!

The cast includes Victoria Scone, the first female queen to appear on the show.

Drag Race UK starts next month on @bbcthree @bbciplayer. pic.twitter.com/FQTQVgwmky

— BBC Newsbeat (@BBCNewsbeat) August 20, 2021

Season 3 Cast Announcement Receives Backlash

Victoria’s inclusion in this upcoming season might in some ways be seen a massive step forward for the RuPaul franchise, the season is already receiving backlash following the cast announcement on Wednesday.

With it being revealed only one Black contestant, Vanity Milan, is set to appear, as well as River Medway, who is half Singaporean, the lack of diversity was enough for Ellie Diamond, 22, who came fourth in last year’s season, to call out of the casting choice on social media, tweeting, “Although I am ecstatic to see a cis woman on the show, it does feel bittersweet that a lot of incredible QPOC drag artists in this country have been overlooked this season.”

Regarding yesterday's S3 announcement: @ukblackpride @PrinxChiyo @radamridwan @bittenpeachuk pic.twitter.com/q8gdZpdMDB

— Ellie Diamond (@elliediamond101) August 19, 2021

‘The UK has a long history of racism and in our community, we should be making every effort to dismantle all form. Our community owes everything to Black and Brown Trans people and their voices are so often ignored or no platformed. This is systemic and something we all need to work together on dismantling,” Diamond added.

Veronica Green Is Back

Joining Victoria, Vanity and River will be Ella Vaday, Scarlett Harlett, Choriza May, Elektra Fence, Krystal Versace, Charity Kase, Kitty Scott-Claus, and Anubis.

And after being granted a chance at redemption, Veronica Green will once again be gracing the competition with her finery after contracting COVID19 during a production hiatus during season two and being unable to return.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is streaming on Stan from next month.