TV

Everyone Is Celebrating Kita Mean’s Iconic ‘Drag Race Down Under’ Win

Congrats to the Kiwis!

by Merryana Salem  21 June 2021
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After eight episodes of wigs and what-the-f**ks, the inaugural season of Drag Race Down Under has reached its end, and ding-ding-ding we have a winner!

This article contains spoilers for the season finale of Drag Race Down Under. You have been warned. 

After eight episodes of competition, a heartfelt Jaffa lunch with Ru and Michelle, a fantasy-themed runway, and lip-sync battled to ‘Physical’ by Olivia Newton-John- the winner was finally announced.

The first-ever winner of Ru Paul’s Drag Race Down Under is none other than Queen Kita Mean, and fans are thrilled. 

Kita’s victory notwithstanding, the end of Drag Race Down Under came as a relief all its own for many fans. The series has been riddled with production issues and compromises, thanks to COVID-19 complications.  

The cast of queens were also raked with controversy relating to racism before the show had even aired. Scarlet Adams (who made the final 4) was exposed for using Black and brownface in her drag shows, while Karen from Finance sported deeply problematic gollywog tattoos (she also made the finals).

Controversies aside, Kita Mean’s win is one long in the making and a testament to her growth as a queen. She certainly had some questionable moments throughout the series like her strung up ball pit look, and Dr Seuss impression, but the win is proof of her growth from those moments. A growth that’s plain to see in her fantasy runway look.

Kiwi Kita’s win is also a larger victory for New Zealand’s much-underrepresented drag scene. As Jared Richards pointed out in his recap, Kita’s fellow finalists, Karen and Art, didn’t need a crown as they’re already Down Under superstars. With the prize money and exposure, Kita will further platform New Zealand drag and grow her own fierce skills.

 

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Needless to say, folks are relieved that the best queen won. Hopefully, if there is a future for Drag Race Down Under, future seasons will be approached with far more care to queens and fans of colour. But nothing will take away from the fact that Kita Mean is Down Under’s first-ever Drag Race superstar. 

All episodes of Drag Race Down Under are streaming on Stan