Taiwan’s outgoing leader hosts drag show with RuPaul winner in ‘world first’
Nymphia Wind thanks Tsai Ing-wen for championing LGBT+ rights in Taiwan
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Taiwanese drag queen, who made history by winning the hit TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race, celebrated her victory by staging a rousing and emotional performance for outgoing president Tsai Ing-wen.
Performing at the presidential office in Taipei on Wednesday, Nymphia Wind thanked Ms Tsai, who has championed LGBT+ rights and, in a first for Asia, led Taiwan in legalising same-sex marriage in 2019.
"Thank you for your contributions to this country, so that I could grow up to be like this today," Wind said. "Thank you for your eight years of dedication, becoming our Taiwan mother."
Wind, the drag persona of designer Leo Tsao, lip-synched to three songs, including "Marry the night" by Lady Gaga and Taiwanese diva Huang Fei’s "Chase, chase, chase".
"This is probably the first presidential office in the world to host a drag show," Wind told the president after her performance, streamed live on the presidential office’s YouTube channel, and thanked her for ensuring that the same-sex marriage law came to pass.
Ms Tsai, who will step down as president on Monday, congratulated Wind for her win saying: "Shantay, you stay," using one of RuPaul’s most well-known phrases for winning drag queens.
Wind was an established artist on Taiwan’s thriving drag scene before she became the first non-American to win the 16th season of the Emmy award-winning drag queen reality competition in April.
Her win was a cultural milestone for Taiwan. The country doesn’t have a United Nations membership, only has 11 diplomatic allies and competes under a “Chinese Taipei” flag at the Olympics.
Taipei hosts Asia’s largest Pride march in October and last year vice president Lai Ching-te, who takes office as president on Monday, participated, becoming the most senior government leader ever to march at Pride.
Additional reporting by agencies
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments