RuPaul’s Drag Race S11: Yvie Oddly

by Michael Westman

You pride yourself on being unique by setting yourself apart from other drag queens – acting “oddly” you could say. How do you feel the other queens and fans respond to your persona?

I believe other queens and fans generally respond positively to my persona because we’ve all been made to feel like outcasts at some point, which makes it easier for them to understand my perspective. I am another representative in a long line of queens who have pushed the boundaries of convention, which excites a lot of folks. There are also plenty of people who don’t vibe with me and that’s totally cool too– at the end of the day I’m really only trying to exceed my own expectations and feed my happiness.

You’ll be going on tour with World of Wonder and Voss Events and the rest of the cast from Season 11 RuPaul’s Drag Race. What are you looking forward to most on tour?

I’m so pumped for this upcoming World of Wonder and Voss Events tour because I can’t wait to visit all these different places and bond with my cast mates outside of the context of a competition. My sisters are truly lovely and I can’t wait for the people to see their unbridled talent live.

You have revealed that you have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type 3. Can you explain what that is? And how has it affected you in your life? Are your fellow queens supportive?

Hypermobile EDS or hEDS (formerly EDS III) is a connective tissue disorder caused by defects in my body’s ability to produce and process collagen. For me this means that my skin is unusually stretchy and my joints are oddly flexible, which is kind of dope, but it also means I have near constant joint pain and fatigue. It has always been difficult for me because even surviving a school day or shift at work was so taxing that I could be drained and in pain for days. So naturally it makes it really difficult for me to do drag sometimes, but I’m learning to pace myself and adjust to my body’s limits as they change. Oddly enough, I never received anywhere near the amount of support as I do now because I was keeping all this pain to myself. I was afraid people would see me as weak for voicing my struggles, but seeing how many people relate has helped me to realize how important it is for me to be transparent about my obstacles.

Can you describe to our readers what the drag scene is like in Colorado? And how did your special brand of drag change-up the scene?

Colorado’s queer scene in general is going through a beautiful renaissance and it shows in the drag here. When I started seven years ago, there was a sense of stagnancy because people weren’t pushing themselves to anything bigger or different than what they had already become comfortable with. I am far from the first or the best alternative queen in this scene; however, I would argue that I fought the hardest to progress people’s expectations of drag here. After winning our biggest competition here I became a face for drag “artists” and “storytellers”, and even created one of the first truly inclusive shows to foster queer expression. Now our drag scene is infinitely more diverse and has appreciation for ALL types of drag any day of the week.

You’re hilarious by the way, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching you on Season 11. How has your life changed since being on the show so far? What do you most look forward to after the show?

Thank you! My mom always thought so too but it’s in her job description so…. We’re only a month and some change into this new season but I’ve found everything in my life has a new meaning and I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to see the world in a different way. To be honest, I look forward to all the crazy experiences, emotions, and relationships I discover every single day when I wake up. Its hard work so far, but I’ve never felt so full and enriched.

And what kind of advice would you give to anyone considering a career in drag?

Be ready to work hard, challenge yourself, and grow in ways you never thought imaginable. We are creatures of transformation, so the more you embrace that, the more impactful your drag will be for yourself and those you share it with.
You’re inspiring people all over the world with your positivity and quirkiness. Is there someone who moved and inspired you growing up?
I know it’s typical but I really looked up to my mom and dad. Both were such radically different, independent, pensive, and passionate young adults who worked hard throughout my entire childhood to build better lives for themselves and their children. Their love was always tough, but boundless, and I can feel them in my actions every day.

Everyone has a hidden talent, something that most people don’t know about… what is your “hidden” talent?

[Laughs]. Well most of my “hidden” talents are now airing on national tv, so that’s kind of hard. I don’t know, I guess I’m really good at memorizing people’s WiFi passwords.

Where can our readers follow you?

You can find me on Twitter and Instagram at @oddlyyvie or on a Grindr screen near you. [Laughs].