Drag

Fans of Drag Race star Laganja Estranja raise thousands for her transition

By Jordan Robledo

30th July 2021

Fans of Drag Race star Laganja Estranja have come together to raise funds for her transition.

While stopping by Yuhua Hamasaki’s Bootleg Opinion YouTube series, Estranja was surprised with money and a GoFundMe page for her transition. 

“I want to give a surprise since you’ve been a member of Bootleg opinions for a very long time now so I want to surprise you with a gift,” Hamasaki said. 

“On behalf of Bootleg Opinions and Make It Shimmy I want to present you $2,000 for your transition to start off.” 

Soon after receiving the surprise, Estranja was visibly shocked and filled with emotion. 

“Oh my god that is so sweet you guys I can’t even believe that this is real,” Estranja said.

Hamasaki went on to say that a GoFundMe page has been set up and that they hope to raise between $20,000 to $25,000. 

Shortly after the video was released, fans wasted no time in donating to the 32-year-old. 

Drag Race icons like Cheryl Hole and Gia Gunn also supported the page on their respective Twitter’s to get Estranja to her goal. 

“Our queen and diva is one of the purest and kindest queens I have had the pleasure of working with and deserves the world. if you can, please help with her new chapter in life in her transition,” Cheryl wrote. 

Gia shared similar sentiments, stating that “it’s our turn to support here”.

“Chances are she has slayed a stage near you and/or taken the time to make you feel special in some way or another. Let her know how proud you are of her,” she tweeted.

 Two days later, Estranja revealed that her GoFundMe reached its goal and thanked her fans and peers for their support. 

“You did it! You all raised over 25k in under 48hours. I am blown away, I have never felt so loved. she wrote. “Our community is so powerful and I couldn’t be more proud to belong to the LGBTIA+ family! Thank you [Yuhua Hamasaki] for using your platform to help me in my journey.” 

We’re not crying… you are!

Back in June, the cannabis activist, dancer and musician, who rose to fame on the sixth season of Drag Race, came out as a transgender woman in a heartwarming statement.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Laganja revealed of her journey: “I do want to be able to express this at all times. I just got my haircut – a very feminine cut – and in one week already, my life has changed. I’m able to come off stage and take my makeup off and still see a beautiful woman in the mirror. It’s powerful.”

In the interview she revealed that she came out to her “incredibly supportive” family at the start of June, but confided in her closest friends in 2020 and has been “comfortably, fully committing” to who she is as transgender woman for a year.

“People think that when you’re trans that you’ve wanted to be a girl your whole life; yes, that’s partly true [for me], but it’s also true that I’ve wanted to be male my whole life to fit into what society deems as normal,” she explained.

“But, that isn’t my truth, and I’m daring to take this on. I tried to be male and be in-between and nonbinary. The truth is I’m a feminine entity and I can live this life.”

Related: Laganja Estranja responds to Drag Race All Stars 7 rumours.