The first Taiwanese winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind, took to the stage on Thursday at the Paris Cultural Olympiad along with members of her group Haus of Wind to showcase Taiwanese culture.
“Let us put this out there: I know it says Chinese Taipei, but in my world, it says Taiwan,” the drag queen said during the show at the Taiwan Pavilion.
“It means a lot to me to be able to represent Taiwan in a foreign country,” she added.
Photo: CNA
In the show, titled “Formosa Follies,” she captivated the audience by dressing as Mazu and the butterfly queen, and performed a selection of timeless Taiwanese songs.
“She is inspiring — she is the ‘Banana Queen,’” said a French Nymphia fan named Antoine.
He had come with a group of friends specifically to see Haus of Wind perform, Antoine said.
Discussing their perception of Taiwanese society, he said he believes Taiwan must be an open-minded society, as it allows Nymphia to shine.
“It is wonderful that she can share messages of openness, inclusivity and excellence with the world,” he said.
Meanwhile, Antoine’s friend Jerome said that although he had only learned about Taiwan’s vibrant drag community through RuPaul’s Drag Race and Nymphia, he knew that Taiwan was the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
At the end of the performance, a video montage featuring fan contributions from around the world since mid-June was displayed on the screen, featuring the rainbow flag and a map of Taiwan.
A group of Taiwanese audience members based in France said they were very inspired by the performance, especially given it was the first time that two of them had watched a drag show.
“I was fully absorbed tonight. I appreciate that she presented Taiwanese culture in such a brave way,” an audience member nicknamed Hsia-yu (小魚) said. “I enjoyed her selection of music, and sang and danced along.”
“It was really touching. With the backdrop showcasing the beautiful scenery of Taiwan, the show allowed me to relive the feeling of my home country. I am really glad to see all this in Paris,” said Peng Hsuan (芃萱), another audience member.
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