L.A. makeup artist becomes first trans man to compete in ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’

Condragulations to all the queens tapped to compete in the forthcoming 13th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

VH1 has officially unveiled next year’s fabulous lineup, which includes Los Angeles makeup artist Gottmik, the first out transgender man ever cast in the Emmy-winning reality series. The highly anticipated 13th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will premiere New Year’s Day at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

“I need to be the first trans winner of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race.’ Period,” Gottmik said during Wednesday’s “Meet the Queens” special on YouTube. “The more and more I got comfortable with my gender identity, the more I got to play with the drag/Gottmik side, and now that it’s solely my art, it’s just the best thing in the world.”

“It’s so important for me to represent L.A. this season,” he added. “The fact that I could possibly be the next angel to bring the crown home to Los Angeles is crazy to me. ... It means so much for me to be on the show right now, especially being a trans guy going in — a feminine perspective of a trans guy. The trans movement is getting so big, so powerful, so strong.”

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Also among the competition program’s newest contestants are Denali, a professional figure skater from Chicago; Elliott with 2 Ts, a Las Vegas showgirl and professional dancer with an ’80s aesthetic; Joey Jay, a “Jewish princess” and dancer from Phoenix; Kahmora Hall, “Chicago’s premiere Mackie Barbie” doll; and Kandy Muse, Brooklyn’s Drag Queen of the Year.

“In a world full of shade, we all shine through,” executive producer and Emmy-winning host RuPaul Charles said Wednesday in a promo video introducing the new cast.

Rounding out the Season 13 squad are LaLa Ri, an entertainer from Atlanta; Olivia Lux, a pianist from New York with a background in musical theater; Rosé, a singer from New York; Symone, L.A.’s “ebony enchantress”; Tamisha Iman, a seamstress from Atlanta; Tina Burner, 2019’s National Miss Comedy Queen; and Utica Queen, known for her pop-art drag style.

“Competing safely and fiercely, our 13 queens proved that it takes more than a global pandemic to keep a good queen down,” Charles said in a statement.

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