How a ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ contestant became Taiwan’s improbable ambassador
Taiwan city of Taipei — Since the minute she walked out onto the stage of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Nymphia Wind has embraced the color yellow not only as a fashion choice but also as an integral element of her identity.
When she made her debut, she wore a yellow overcoat and stacked pairs of yellow sunglasses on top of her tall wig. She also hid a stuffed plush banana at her crotch, which she wore underneath the jacket. A comedy slide was performed by her as she walked onto the stage, and she did it after stepping on a banana peel. Yellow is the color that she has worn the most than any other color since that time.
In an interview that took place before the conclusion of the season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on Friday, she stated, “Yellow represents the color of my skin.” She chose to let her clothes, rather than her words, remind viewers that she is the only Asian contender in the season. “I hope that by wearing yellow, I will be able to raise more awareness and appreciation of Asian culture.”
Nymphia Wind, the drag identity of Leo Tsao, a Taiwanese American fashion designer who is 28 years old, has made it to the final three candidates, putting her on pace to become only the second Asian winner in the sixteen years that the show’s main franchise has been running. Her first name is derived from a Pokémon character that would be considered a fairy, and the name “Wind” is a reflection of her desire “to be free and invisible,” as she explained. The word “wind” is a homophone of the word “craziness” in Chinese, and ever since it was announced that she would be competing in the race, her supporters in her home country have been feeling exactly the same level of craziness.
On the day when the show is broadcast in Taiwan, which is every Saturday, throngs of homosexual people gather in Taipei bars to watch the most recent episode. They wear yellow to demonstrate their support for the queen, whom they refer to as the “Banana Buddha.” Those who support her are referred to as “Banana Believers.”
As a result of her rise to prominence, Nymphia Wind, who was born in Los Angeles but raised in Hong Kong and Taiwan, has discovered a platform on the international stage where Beijing, which frequently forces Taiwan out of such areas, has no impact and where she can promote the dynamic inclusiveness of Taiwanese culture.
According to Lawrence Jheng, 32, who was a member of the jubilant audience that had assembled at a bar in Taipei for the showing of the episode in which Nymphia Wind would say that she was “very proud to call myself Taiwanese,” “Even politicians who work hard abroad may not gain this kind of exposure for Taiwan.”
“It never occurred to me that drag could have such power to break through Taiwan’s diplomatic struggle,” Jheng said. “It was a complete and utter surprise to me.“
China, which asserts sovereignty over the democratic island that is self-governing and refuses to recognize Taiwan in the majority of international institutions, including the United Nations, frequently casts a shadow over Taiwan’s position on the international stage. Even its sports teams are required to compete under the name “Chinese Taipei if they wish to compete.”
Taiwan, on the other hand, has a thriving drag culture and advocates for queer rights. Taiwan’s government was the first in Asia to recognize marriages between people of the same gender during the time that China was suppressing its LGBTQ community. And Nymphia Wind is becoming a cultural ambassador for that openness: she will represent Taiwan as a performer at cultural activities during the Paris Olympics this summer. These events will take place in Paris.
The government of Taiwan has a strong commitment to the rights of LGBT people. According to her, “I am very proud to say that I am Taiwanese because we are the first country in Asia to legalize marriage between people of the same gender.”
The onset of a limp in Taiwan
The practice of cross-dressing is not a novel idea in Taiwan. Underground drag shows began to occur in Taipei’s nightclubs in the years that followed the end of martial law in 1987 and the beginning of Taiwan’s transition to democracy. While playing traditional Taiwanese melodies and bringing commercial success to shows that blurred gender distinction, male cross-dressers prospered on the local entertainment scene in the 1990s. They were a part of the local entertainment scene.
Around the same time, drag performances in the Western style began to gain popularity, but they typically featured queens from other countries. The rise of Taiwanese queens coincided with the progression of Taiwanese society toward a more socially liberal and open society, which led to their growing popularity.
The rise to fame of Nymphia Wind, on the other hand, assisted the culture in expanding its appeal to the general public.
During her time in high school, she was influenced by K-pop female groups, and she eventually began engaging in cross-dressing. Later, while she was studying fashion design in London, she became interested in drag. During the year 2018, she made her debut performance at a drag competition in Taipei, which marked the beginning of her rise to prominence. Since then, she has been included in documentaries and television programs, both of which have contributed to the expansion of drag culture on the island. In addition, she continues to act in bars.
“Whenever she performs, she would fill the entire place with laughter,” said Alvin Chang, who has been producing drag shows since 2001 and currently operates Cafe Dalida, which is recognized as “the birthplace of drag queens in Taiwan.” Chang is also the owner of Cafe Dalida. In addition to that, he manages viewing parties for “RuPaul.”
“She always told us to stop doing things by halves and show determination, and you can see her perfectionism in her outfits,” she said. “She was always telling us to stop doing things by halves.” I would have experienced less loneliness and had a better idea of what I could become if I had been able to witness her concerts when I was younger.
In spite of the fact that Nymphia Wind is a good example for younger queens, she is attempting to connect with a more diverse and more mature audience in Taiwan.
In October, she was the emcee of a landmark drag concert that took place at a Taoist temple in Taipei. She unfurled a big rainbow flag from a platform that resembled a pagoda while young and old people honored a queen who, according to her, had “descended from heaven to bless the queer mortals.”
