RuPaul’s Drag Race star Adore Delano has come out as transgender in an emotional video online.
Speaking on Instagram, the performer said she wanted to have “the talk” with her two millions followers about her gender identity.
“I wanted to let everybody know that I am transitioning. I kept it really hush-hush the first three months because I wanted to go through the beginning stages of the puberty privately,” she said.
“I’ve found that it’s been very enlightening and has made me probably the happiest I’ve ever been in my adult life.”
The 33-year-old performer said she initially came out as transgender to her mum as a teenager. She supported her while she was at high school.
But when the aspiring singer auditioned for American Idol in 2008, things changed.
“I suppressed everything. I threw it away. I burned it. I tried to reinvent myself,” she said.
“It’s something that I’m really good at doing as a Scorpio rising. But I reinvented myself into something that was so uncomfortable.
“It was almost like a sacrifice in order to get what I wanted career-wise.”
Adore Delano presented as male on Idol, and she made it all the way to the TV singing competition’s semi-finals.
Later, the drag performer said she abandoned a second attempt at transitioning when she went on RuPaul’s Drag Race‘s sixth season.
“I love the transformation and the binary in-between the character and Danny, if that makes any sense,” she said, referring to her birth name.
“I tried to live, I really tried to live it. But it just did not code well with my spirit, if that makes any sense.”
‘A feeling from dysphoria to euphoria’
Adore Delano explained after she got sober two years ago, her feelings of gender dysphoria intensified.
“I thought that I would just work with what God gave me and be okay with that for a decade. But it was just not enough for my mental stability,” Adore said.
“And the feelings of just being an absolute other gender, that I did not physically see in the mirror, becomes more prominent when you’re sober.
“I feel like the chemical imbalance or whatever it was in my head is now leveled. This is a feeling from dysphoria to euphoria.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race stars congratulate Adore Delano
After posting the video to Instagram, Adore was flooded with support on Instagram
“Texting you princesa!!!! I’m so happy for you could BURST,” Michelle Visage wrote.
Drag Race sister Courtney Act told her, “I accompany you on any journey. I love you forever. My ride or die!”
Adore Delano told fans she “loves life again” and teared up as she thanked fans for giving her privacy. She told them she would share the rest of her journey with them.
“I’m still your party girl, but I’m living in my world now,” Adore said.
“It feels so empowering, and it feels so good. It feels so liberating.”
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