These queens chose to self-sashay away!
It can be pretty hard for a drag performer to get cast on RuPaul’s Drag Race. In fact, certain queens keep submitting applications for many years prior to actually getting on the show. Then, when they finally secure a spot in the cast, these drag artists typically spend a lot of time, money, and energy preparing for the competition.
Considering all of the aforementioned factors, it isn’t an easy decision – oh, at all – for any contestant to quit competing on RuPaul’s Drag Race. They’ve spent a long time preparing for this opportunity, and clearly walk into the werk room hoping that this opportunity can change their lives forever.
More often than not, it takes an emotional toll for a queen to quit Drag Race – something that has happened very rarely in the series’ 15-year herstory and multiple international seasons.
Scroll through to find out which queens chose to quit RuPaul’s Drag Race while competing on the show.
Adore Delano – RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 2
Adore Delano was the first queen in Drag Race herstory to quit competing on the show. The season six runner-up came back for a star-studded All Stars 2 cast. However, after the first round of critiques at the premiere, Delano realized that this wasn’t the situation she hoped it would be. After multiple attempts from RuPaul and Michelle Visage to convince Delano to change her mind, the queen still moved forward with quitting All Stars 2.
BenDeLaCreme – RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 3
After winning five of the six episodes she competed in on All Stars 3, BenDeLaCreme felt the emotional toll of having to choose a lipstick to eliminate a fellow queen basically every single episode. In episode six, DeLa eliminated herself in a shocking move that consisted of writing her own name on a lipstick using whiteout.
Heidi N Closet – RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8
Heidi N Closet entered the All Stars 8 werk room as one of the most beloved queens in the Drag Race franchise. Unfortunately, the judges appeared to be sleeping on N Closet’s great runway looks and performances on the show, and the All Stars 8 cast also displayed a higher level of competitiveness than previous seasons. Following a particularly tough drama involving Kahanna Montrese, Kandy Muse, Jimbo, and Alexis Michelle, the time came for N Closet to choose to quit the show.
Icesis Couture – Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World Season 1
Another shocking All Stars-esque elimination took place on the first season of Canada vs. the World, which featured Canada’s Drag Race season two winner Icesis Couture coming back to snatch another crown. Despite performing at a very high level all season long, Couture chose to quit the show for mental health reasons.
Ginny Lemon – RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 2
Ginny Lemon fancied a slice on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season two, but not enough to compete against a fellow sister in a lip sync for her life. After landing in the bottom two for the first time against Sister Sister, Lemon left the mainstage as soon as the song started… refusing to lip sync. This move was considered quitting the show given that she left the competition on her own terms and wasn’t allowed to come back for a second chance when the other eliminated queens were given that choice.
Baby – RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 4
On Drag Race UK season four, Baby cited mental health reasons for choosing to leave the competition. She still fulfilled the entire episode and even lip synced for her life, but raised her hand in the end and asked RuPaul to go home.
Inti – Drag Race España Season 1
Inti felt like she was receiving very negative critiques from the judges for the first three episodes of Drag Race España season one. As a result, this queen chose to eliminate herself in episode three. Host and main judge Supremme de Luxe tried her best to convince Inti that she should stay, but she still moved forward with quitting.