Stephanie Prince, the latest queen to be eliminated from Canada’s Drag Race season 2, has looked back on her exit from the show, opening up about the ‘heartwarming and heartbreaking’ messages she has received from fans in the Philippines.
In the third episode of the new season, which stars Drag Race icon Brooke Lynn Hytes on the judges’ panel, the contestants were tasked with filming a dramatic horror film called Screech.
Afterwards, they showcased their best Good Girl Gone Bad looks on the runway, with Stephanie – who ended up in the bottom two with Synthia Kiss – opting for a cheeky take on Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, complete with her sparkling red heels and Toto in a basket.
While speaking to Metro.co.uk, Stephanie said that the love she’s been receiving from fans has been ‘incredible’, adding that she has been receiving lots of messages from fans in the Philippines who relate to her story.
Stephanie, whose real name is Stephen Pasay, was born in the Philippines before moving to Calgary, Alberta in 2011 when she was 15 years old.
‘It felt amazing, the love I’m getting from the fans is incredible,’ the performer said.
‘A lot of fans, especially Filipino fans, are messaging me about their story in the Philippines and it’s very, oh my god, totally, you can relate to me and I can relate to you. And I love it so much. I feel like that’s what I want to do – I just want to be relatable and I feel like I did relate to a lot of people.’
Stephanie recalled the messages she received in particular after the second episode of the season aired, with people thanking her for sharing her ‘vulnerability’.
‘I did get a couple, quite a few actually, of like, “I wanted to do drag but it’s so hard in the Philippines because of where I live.” It’s very heartwarming but at the same time heartbreaking, because living in the Philippines is so different,’ the queen explained.
Stephanie outlined how depending on where people live in the Philippines, it may be easier to pursue careers in drag in certain locations, such as Manila, in comparison to other areas where there may not be gay bars.
The queen’s elimination from Canada’s Drag Race meant that she just missed out on taking part in Snatch Game, as she revealed that she had three options for her impersonations: Cardi B, Patti LaBelle or Jessica from Love Is Blind.
However, she promised that she would share the looks that she had planned for the competition on social media as the show progresses – and we can’t wait to see what she has in store.
Following her elimination, several of Stephanie’s fans voiced their disappointment on social media, believing that she was ‘robbed’.
‘You were robbed! I fell in love with your personality and craft! I can’t wait to see what you do,’ one person wrote on Instagram.
‘So robbed!! You were the clear winner of the whole season for me,’ someone else said, alongside a string of sobbing emojis.
Stephanie’s time on Canada’s Drag Race may have been brief, but it certainly was memorable.
Canada’s Drag Race is available to watch on WOW Presents Plus.
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