Something I’ve noticed lately: drag queens have somehow become the unofficial spokespersons for the chemsex pandemic that’s chewing through our community like a Grindr hookup at 3am. And honestly? They’re doing a better job at it than most public health campaigns.
Now, before anyone clutches their pearls, let’s be clear: chemsex isn’t just a “gay thing.” As I’ve written before, it’s creeping into straight circles too—yes, Karen, even your yoga instructor might be on something stronger than kombucha, and Daily Mail has the stats to prove it.
But still, it’s the drag queens stepping up, lashes first, to talk about it. Why is that? Maybe it’s because drag is all about honesty wrapped in glitter—when you’ve glued on a wig and tucked for the gods, talking about substance abuse somehow feels less terrifying. Or maybe it’s just that drag queens spend a lot of time in bars, clubs, and parties, where they’ve seen firsthand what chemsex is doing to people. Let’s face it: they’re not just lip-syncing for their lives—they’re witnessing lives unraveling, too.
And honestly, drag performers might be the most socially connected people in the queer world. They know your ex, your dealer, your therapist, and your landlord. If anyone’s going to raise the alarm, it’s going to be someone who’s done five gigs this week and still had time to host a brunch where someone cried into their bottomless mimosa.
Just last week, PinkNews featured Bimini Bon Boulash opening up about her battles with substance use, anxiety, and depression—calling chemsex a “crisis.” And when Bimini, our pastel punk angel of East London, says something’s a crisis, you better believe it.
So maybe it’s time we all listened a little more closely—not just to the jokes and the death drops, but to the warnings behind the rhinestones.
