Keiona, queen of drag queens, big winner of the second season of Drag Race France, is on the cover of “Elle” magazine, which hits newsstands Thursday September 28. A cover that will go down in the history of drag inclusion.
At 1.87 m tall, Keiona makes a dream come true by making the cover of the new issue of the magazine SHE released Thursday September 28. After Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve, a black drag queen on the cover of the famous weekly is a first in the history of the magazine and one that will go down in history.
If she already won the Drag Race France competition on France Télévisions two weeks ago, making the front page of a magazine, sold several hundred thousand copies, an institution in the magazine press, was a distant dream that ‘she didn’t imagine it was possible. When she discovered the double cover on Tuesday evening, on the stage of a Parisian theater, she was speechless and burst into tears. Being on the cover of She means that drag queens exist and have their place in society.
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From military college to “voguing”
In the long magazine interview, she talks about her journey. At 31 years old, Keiona, Kevin in civilian life, was born in Paris and grew up in Essonne. After studying at a military college, she discovered the world of drag queens at the same time as “voguing”, this dance characterized by model poses and born in the 1970s in the trans and gay community. She also tells how Kevin’s “drag” double was born, first Keiona Mitchell, then Keiona itself. Beyoncé had decided to abandon the Knowles, it seemed entirely appropriate to abandon the Mitchell.
Like Beyoncé, she wanted to be a star, and here she became a Superstar, as it was written on the front page of SHE. His parents don’t agree, but it’s “their problem”, not his. She moves forward and continues the fight, against the haters, against the homophobia which still kills. This summer in the United States, a dancer was murdered in a gas station.
Hatred of others, when there is room “for everyone”, she proclaims, for a queen and even several queens, and for kings, queens and drags, gays, lesbians and trans people. To continue to carry this message, Keiona intends to continue to “starify”.