As one of the biggest stars to emerge from RuPaul's Drag Race, this queen has never been shy of reinventing herself.
From breaking barriers on RuPaul’s Drag Race to making history on Broadway, Peppermint has spent decades carving out her space in the entertainment world. Now, she’s opening up about her latest transformation — one that has nothing to do with wigs or sequins.
Peppermint's Latest Transformation
The Season 9 Drag Race alum revealed she’s lost 100 pounds with the help of Ozempic after being diagnosed as pre-diabetic.
Speaking exclusively to Page Six at the Love Rocks NYC concert, the 45-year-old performer shared that weight has been an ongoing struggle.
“I was able to get together with my doctor and endocrinologist, and I’m very grateful that I’m at a point now where I have access to levels of healthcare that I didn’t have before,” she said.
Though she initially tried to manage her health with diet and exercise, she admitted it “wasn’t that successful.” Turning to Ozempic was ultimately a medical decision, and the most important result? She’s no longer pre-diabetic.
“I was really worried that my life was going to change irreversibly once I crossed that threshold,” she explained. “I was hovering around that threshold for so long, and I’m happy that I’m not now.”
While Peppermint says she feels like the same person, she acknowledges the practical perks: “I feel like I can walk up the steps a little easier and not be like, ‘Oh, my knee!’”
Breaking Barriers, Onstage and Off
Peppermint has spent years pushing boundaries, and not just in her personal life.
When she competed on RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2017, she made herstory as the first queen to enter the competition openly trans. At a time when trans representation in mainstream media was still rare, she sparked an important conversation about gender and drag.
“Drag can be really liberating,” she previously told Mashable. But for her, it wasn’t just about performance — it was about being seen. “It was to express myself in the only gender that worked for me.”
Since then, Peppermint has proven that drag was just the beginning. In 2018, she became the first trans woman to originate a lead role in a Broadway musical with Head Over Heels.
She’s also flexed her acting chops in hit shows like Pose and Schmigadoon! and was recently seen in Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest and The Traitors.
“Even people who knew me before I was ever doing drag call me Peppermint,” she said, explaining how her stage persona and personal identity have become one and the same.
Fighting for the Future
Despite her success, Peppermint knows that trans rights are under attack. She’s used her platform to advocate for her community, becoming the ACLU’s first-ever Artist Ambassador for Trans Justice.
At the Love Rocks NYC concert, she reflected on the uncertainty many trans people face regarding access to healthcare, housing, and basic rights.
“It’s a rough time, certainly, feels very heavy,” she shared. “I don’t want to lose access to my healthcare or my housing, and I don’t want to be persecuted for being trans. This is who I am.”
With or without drag, Peppermint continues to be a force in entertainment, activism, and beyond. Whether on stage, on TV, or on the frontlines of advocacy, one thing is clear—she’s here to stay.