Drag Race’s Alaska on how her childhood ‘suffering’ shaped who she is today

Words: Alastair James; picture: Attitude

The queen of nails, nails, nails, nails, Alaska, insists she wouldn’t go back and tell her younger self any advice because who she is now is as a result of her childhood – both the good and the bad.

Speaking as part of the Attitude My Pride, sponsored by Taimi video series, the RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 2 winner says that while she wishes she could alleviate the “suffering” of her childhood self, she wouldn’t want to alter “the course of history”…

The star is joined in the series for Attitude Pride At Home, in association with Klarna, by fellow Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen, Drag Race UK season two winner Lawrence Chaney, Glow Up’s Dominic Skinner and fashion designer Henry Holland.

“I wish I could alleviate my suffering as a child” 

In the video, Alaska says: “It’s hard to say what advice I would give to myself as a younger child because, yes, I was very insecure, and I was very shy, and I was very introverted.

“Part of me wishes I could go back and be like: ‘Don’t be introverted! Believe in yourself!’ But part of who I am now is that I spent so many years with myself drawing pictures in my own imagination. And then when I started doing drag it was like that imagination expounded upon my body instead of onto paper.

“So, I wouldn’t want to go back and interfere with the past because it has led me to where I am now. I wish I could alleviate my suffering as a child, but I guess… then it would alter the course of history… so I don’t want to tell my younger self anything.”

“It was sickening!”

Alaska also discusses a memorable Pride in 2007 where she wore roller-skates, which she says was equal parts good and bad.

The ‘Nails’ singer also says she continues to feel supported and seen by the LGBTQ community.

“Especially now, we’ve had so much of these spaces taken away from us for a while that I’m ready to get back and I’m ready to get back with the community again.” Alaska, you, me, and everyone else!

Lastly, the queen shares some very good advice for getting back out into Pride. “Do drink water. Do tip your bartenders and your drag queens. Don’t wear heels, uh, even if you’re in drag, just don’t. It’s so much concrete, it’s so much walking. Don’t do it to yourself. Please, don’t do it! Don’t do it!”

“I decided, ‘this will be fierce’ – instead of walking I’ll just roll everywhere. And it was fierce, for the parade. It was sickening! And then when I wanted to stop and stand still it was really hard. It was really difficult…”

The star also reveals it was at the same Pride that she and a drag sister had both shaved their heads in solidarity with Britney Spears. “We already kind of looked like each other so we were, like, ‘wow, we really are completely twins.’ It was fun.”

Sounds like it!

My Pride, sponsored by Taimi, is part of Attitude Pride at Home, in association with Klarna, that runs from 17-27 June at attitude.co.uk, youtube.com/attitudemag and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@attitudemag).

Attitude Pride at Home, in association with Klarna, is to benefit the Attitude Magazine Foundation for LGBT causes – this year supporting ten amazing organisations including AKT, Black Trans Foundation, Curly’s Legacy, Elton John AIDS Foundation, The Food Chain, Kaleidoscope Trust, LGBT Youth Scotland, Mermaids, Stonewall UK and Switchboard LGBT.

Each will receive at least £1000 courtesy of our sponsors Klarna, Bentley, Clifford Chance, Slingsby, Swatch and Taimi and individual supporters.

To donate £5 please text ATHOME5 to 70480 or see our Virgin Money Giving link here. Visit attitudemagazinefoundation.com for more details.