Drag Race contestant Willow Pill has come out as trans in an intimate statement shared on her social media channels.
The 27-year-old shared that she identifies as “trans femme” but that she is still figuring out where she fits “on the spectrum.”
“It’s taken me a long time to come to terms with my transness because so much space has been taken up by my illness,” Willow explained to her followers, referencing their diagnosis with cystinosis. “My condition has caused me so much physical and emotional pain that my body became something I always wanted out of. Eventually, hating my body for failing me and hating myself for not being a girl was so constant and intertwined that it felt totally normal. I know it’s not my fault, just the way I’ve learned to survive.”
She added that her pronouns are they/she and that the COVID-19 pandemic allowed her to work through “feelings about illness, medical PTSD, and self-hatred”.
“Much of that is due to being on Drag Race and feeling euphoria being Willow for the first time since quarantine and being around a bunch of queer and trans friends on set,” the Chicago queen continued.
https://twitter.com/WillowPillQueen/status/1499506142090653705?s=20&t=IyC-tMgcojs8ivJ8WmldJA
Willow also shared that she had surgery late last year to make themselves “a bit more feminine” to overcome the impact of “long-term medication”.
“I want to cry more, have softer skin and a fatter ass. Happiness would also be nice,” she wrote. “I want to share this because I have felt so lonely keeping this to myself. I’ve rarely been able to talk to other people with similar stories, though I know there are many out there. I’m so tired of holding my pain in, and if I’m sharing dark bath bomb jokes and my ass cheeks to the TV world, then I also want to share this…. I’m starting to finally feel bits of happiness with my face and body, and that’s a start. I love ya’ll so much!”
Willow’s announcement continues season 14’s herstory making run as the Drag Race instalment with the most trans representation to date.
Five queens identify as trans: Kerry Colby, Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté, Jasmine Kennedie, Bosco and Willow.
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 14 airs weekly exclusively on WOW Presents Plus in the UK. Subscribe by clicking here.