Drag Race UK vs The World’s Blu Hydrangea confirms pronouns after gender identity discussion

Words: Alastair James; pictures: BBC

This article contains spoilers for episode two of Drag Race UK vs The World.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World‘s Blu Hydrangea has opened up about their gender identity in a candid chat in the workroom.

Talking to fellow contestants Jujubee and Cheryl Hole during episode two, Blu – real name Joshua Cargill – clarified they prefer He/They pronouns out of drag and She/They in drag, adding that the only time they felt confident in their body was as Blu. 

The Belfast queen explains that body image is always something they’ve struggled with and that their happiness while presenting as a woman led to confusion about his gender. 

“I even thought I was trans”

During the conversation, Blu reveals: “At one point I even thought I was trans.”

They continue: “For a long time I just didn’t understand what was wrong with me, why I wasn’t happy with myself.”

In a confessional segment, Blu explains: “I wasn’t sure what gender I was. I wanted to be, maybe, trans […] A lot of things were floating about in my mind for those few years about my gender because I didn’t feel like a male or a woman.”

But watching Drag Race and seeing queens be themselves on the show opened their eyes, with queens like Drag Race UK season one sister Divina (De Campo) helping them to understand the full spectrum of gender.

“I don’t know where I fall on it but I know I’m not male or female. I’m just somewhere in between,” Blu adds.  

Ultimately, Blu concludes that they and Joshua are one and the same. Admitting in the week room that they’re still on a journey, Blu ponders whether their want to label themselves, but rests knowing that he’s happy just being himself. 

At one point in the conversation, Jujubee thoughtfully puts it that “this is the same painting it’s just a different angle we’re looking at it from,” while Cheryl chips in that she has also struggled with drag and people wanting Cheryl, not Luke.

Tweeting as the show aired on Tuesday (8 January) Blu clarified that: “My pronouns out of drag are He/They and in drag She/They!”

My pronouns out of drag are He/They and in drag She/They! 💙

— Blu Hydrangea (@BluHydrangea_) February 8, 2022

Many people commented on the tweet, praising the drag queen for speaking out about identity with many relating to the struggle with identity. 

SPOILER ALERT!

The second episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World saw the queens compete in a sewing challenge to create three looks for the runway inspired by RuPaul. Ultimately Jujubee and Cheryl Hole landed in the bottom two while Jimbo and Janey Jacké fought it out via lip-sync.

Scoring her first win of the series, after landing in the bottom last week, Janey chose to send home Cheryl. 

RuPaul’s Drag Race Uk vs The World is available on BBC Three and the BBC iPlayer every Tuesday from 9 pm. 

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