Entertainment
Drag Race Canada star Ilona Verley claims they were told ‘not to discuss trans identity’ on series
Ilona said they felt like a ‘discarded asset’ (Picture: Crave/WOW Presents Plus)
Canada’s Drag Race star Ilona Verley has claimed that they were told ‘not to discuss their trans identity’ on the show, saying that they felt like a ‘discarded asset’.
Last summer, the first season of Canada’s Drag Race launched, with Drag Race US star Brooke Lynn Hytes on the judging panel alongside Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman and Stacey McKenzie.
Priyanka was eventually crowned the winner of the competition, with Rita Baga and Scarlett BoBo as runners-up.
Ilona, who finished in sixth place, became the first Indigenous, two-spirit and openly non-binary queen to take part in Drag Race.
This week, fellow competitor Anastarzia Anaquway tweeted that the contracts for the queens who took part in season one were coming to an end, prompting Ilona to tweet that they’re ‘ready for my up close and personal exposing world of wonder MINI SERIES’.
Ilona then shared a series of searing tweets about their experience on the show and the aftermath, stating: ‘I sacrificed everything for a TV show I thought was gonna change my life.’
‘I received none of the things promised to me when giving up my life for the franchise and had to deal with being limited in being able to provide for myself as my industry as a night life entertainer was shut down due to the pandemic and I had to represent the morals of a “brand”,’ the drag artist said.
‘I wanted to make an OnlyFans, I wanted to properly escort with online ads and wasn’t able to, I had NO WAY to make money and the entire world looking at me expecting me to be serving elevated looks. When ur thrown into “fame” there’s a stigma that comes with it [sic].’
Ilona explained the difficulties that they faced trying to find work after the show, as they previously made more money as the ‘local girl’.
‘It’s so hard to explain the difficulties of this situation because I do have a decent life and I have gotten great opportunities since the show,’ they said.
While Ilona expressed gratitude for the fans they have gained since appearing on Canada’s Drag Race, they added: ‘To the network that went out of their way to harm my well being? U have atoning to do [sic].’
The performer said that they now feel ‘free’ to ‘properly embrace sex work without a network down my throat and hopefully start my transition off right without being told not to’.
In a follow-up tweet, they alleged that they were instructed not to talk about their trans identity while appearing on Canada’s Drag Race.
‘Oh ya they also instructed me not to discuss my trans identity on the show and even after they instructed me not to discuss the trans agenda because they were saving that story line for the American franchise,’ Ilona wrote.
More: RuPaul’s Drag Race
This week, Kylie Sonique Love became the first trans woman to win RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars in the US.
Gottmik, who starred in season 13 of Drag Race in the US, became the first trans man to participate in the competition and finished as a runner-up.
Metro.co.uk has contacted representatives for Canada’s Drag Race for comment.
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