Drag Race’s Valentina opens up about having ‘suicidal thoughts’ while questioning gender identity
RuPaul’s Drag Race star Valentina has opened up about mental health struggles while questioning her gender identity (WOW)
RuPaul’s Drag Race and All Stars queen Valentina has opened up about experiencing ‘suicidal thoughts’ while questioning her gender identity.
Valentina, who first appeared on season nine of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2017 before being eliminated in the infamous “Greedy” lip sync and later returned to live her fantasy in All Stars 4 a few years later, announced in 2019 that they identify as non-binary.
Now, speaking in a the return of web profile series Portrait of a Queen, the former Drag Race México host, who still uses she/ her pronouns in drag, has revealed that she experienced “suicidal thoughts” while questioning her gender identity.
“I think the biggest challenge of my life has been being born male,” she shared in the interview.
“I had this conversation with my brother where I was thinking that I identified with Ariel from The Little Mermaid, but my brother cracked me by telling me that I was more like Pinocchio; trying to prove to my father that I was a real boy.”
Valentina continued, “It was this putting on of the masculinity. ‘Walk this way, talk this way, study this, go in this restroom.’ It really took me away from my authentic self.”
“It’s been so challenging my whole life,” she added. “I’m really ashamed about having suicidal thoughts before, I’m really ashamed of it because I don’t ever want to go back to that low point in my life, where I don’t see the value of how life is beautiful.”
Valentina also admitted that she now gets to “enjoy every day” living in the “feminine realm.”
Valentina told Out Magazine, “I identify as non-binary,” in 2019. “I don’t completely feel like a man, I don’t completely feel like a woman. I feel like a goddess. I feel like I’m my own gender.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season 6 airs on BBC iPlayer from 8pm every Thursday.
Suicide is preventable. Readers who are affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org), or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.
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