STORY: :: Taiwanese drag queens performed for outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen
:: to celebrate drag queen Nymphia Wind's win on RuPaul's Drag Race
:: May 15, 2024
:: Nymphia Wind, Taiwanese drag queen
"This is probably the first presidential office in the world to host a drag show, thank you for your contribution to Taiwan, helping us to achieve many "firsts". For example same-sex marriage and becoming the first female President. Thank you for your contributions to this country, so that I could grow up to be like this today, because you've helped us."
:: Taipei, Taiwan
:: Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan
"I believe Nymphia's story will encourage other Taiwan youth to be brave and to dare be who they are."
Tsai and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have championed LGBTQ+ rights making the island a bastion of liberal values, and in 2019 Taiwan legalised same-sex marriage in a first for Asia.
Nymphia Wind, the first person from East Asia to win the RuPaul's Drag Race crown, lip-synched to three songs, including "Marry the night" by Lady Gaga and Taiwanese diva Huang Fei's "Chase, chase, chase", dressed in a resplendent yellow outfit.
Nymphia was already a well-established artist on Taiwan's thriving drag scene, often wearing over-the-top outfits inspired by bananas, and has done shows at Taiwanese temples and photo shoots at wet markets dressed as the yellow-skinned fruit, her trademark fashion expression.
