'Drag Race' Star Eureka O'Hara Comes Out as Trans

In a new interview with People, the former Rupaul's Drag Race contestant came out while reflecting upon her lifelong struggle with gender identity and how she now feels "blessed" to finally "know who I am without question." Even if it took some time to realize the importance of living her truth.

As Eureka explained, it all started when she went to Florida for her HBO show We're Here, where she met Dempsey and Mandy, two trans folks who transitioned at different stages of their lives. However, it was Mandy's story about "all the regret and the pain" she experienced by "not fully being herself" that got her thinking about why she still felt like there was "something missing," even though she identified as nonbinary at the time.

"When I left Mandy's house that day, I started spiraling. It just had me searching my mind, 'What is happening, what is going on?,'" the 31-year-old activist and entertainer said. "Then I just answered myself: 'I'm trans. I'm a trans woman.' It just clicked."

Eureka added, "I don't want to be like Mandy and finally transition at 70 to be happy. I don't want to lose 40 years. I want to spend those 40 years happy."

Since then, Eureka has fully embraced transitioning by changing her legal name and gender markers, as well as starting hormone replacement therapy. And eventually, she's planning to get the procedures she needs to "feel even more comfortable in [her] skin," such as a breast augmentation and potential facial feminization surgery.

"Every day, I'm becoming the woman that I strive to be — but I'm already that woman. It's just like any other female and any other person, I'm going to do what I need to do," she continued. So to celebrate finally coming into her own, Eureka has also decided to drop the music video for her single "Big Mawma," which is another big moment as the first production for her newly launched production company, House of Queens.

According to a press release, "Big Mawma" is "an empowerment song for bigger women" and "anyone that is made to feel less-than by society," as well as an homage to "the most important women in Eureka’s life," including her late mother and grandmother. And of course, people like Mandy and drag pioneer Divine.

"It's been really magical and it's been probably the easiest transitional and coming out journey that I've ever been on," as Eureka went on to say. "I hope my story teaches people that gender is a journey, and we are ever-evolving people."

Check out Eureka's entire discussion with People about her gender identity journey here.

Photo by Bird Lambro / Courtesy of Eureka O'Hara