RuPaul's Drag Race UK series 3 will feature first cis-female queen Victoria Scone

18 August 2021, 16:24

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By Rachel Finn

What does AFAB Drag Queen mean? Victoria Scone makes Drag Race herstory as first cis-female queen.

RuPaul's Drag Race UK has finally revealed the next set of fabulous queens set to hit our screens in series 3 of the hit show.

The new series, which is due to start streaming this September, features twelve new queens who will battle it out over ten weeks to be the UK’s next drag superstar. 

Series 3 will also make Drag Race herstory as it will feature the show’s first ‘AFAB Queen’ - that’s a drag artist who was ‘assigned female at birth’ - with a queen called Victoria Scone.

Victoria will join Veronica Green, who had to pull out of series 2 due to a positive COVID-19 test. They’ll also both be joined by some other incredibly named queens: Ella Vaday, Scarlett Harlett, Choriza May, Elektra Fence, Krystal Versace, Charity Kase, River Medway, Kitty Scott-Claus, Vanity Milan and Anubis.

READ MORE: Meet the Queens of Drag Race UK Season 3

What is an AFAB Queen?

An AFAB Queen is a queen who was 'assigned female at birth', which basically means they’re a cisgender female or that their gender identity aligns with the sex they were given at birth.

Historically, drag queens have often been men who dress up in traditionally feminine clothing, however people of any gender identity can do drag. 

Drag Race has featured some transgender and non-binary contestants over the years, but Drag Race UK season 3 will be the first time the show has featured a cisgender female competitor.

WATCH MORE: TeTe Bang | AFAB Queens And The Drag Community Hierarchy | Under The Wig

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A post shared by Victoria Scone (@victoriascone)

Who is Victoria Scone?

Victoria Scone is 27 years old and from Cardiff. Her pronouns both in and out of drag are she/her.

Speaking about being the first cis-female on the show, she says: “It feels right! I definitely didn't invent the art of drag for women. I am not the first and I certainly won’t be the last. But I feel very capable and proud to have made it through the application process and be the first on Drag Race UK. Me being here is political but you can just have fun with it. That’s why I started. I just wanted to entertain people and that’s what we’re going to do! Drag can just be fun!” 

Although many use the term AFAB Queen to refer to a cis-female who does drag, some prefer other terms - including Victoria.

“I would call myself a Drag Queen, Drag Artist, Extraordinaire,” she explains. “I understand it’s helpful to use AFAB, when we are specifically speaking about the fact that I do not own certain cis-male drag queen genitalia. But we don’t describe cis-male Drag Queens as AMAB Queens, so as a handy tip, I’d just call us all Drag Queens or Drag Artists, and if you must know, I identify as a Tony Award!”

Although you might think some wouldn’t embrace Victoria’s drag, she actually says most have been pretty welcoming: “Once they actually see me perform, they realise that we're all doing the same thing. We're all dressing up, we’re all putting on a show. I'm putting on a character, the same as a cis-male Drag Queen. We are ALL putting on a character to entertain!”

Consider us ready to be entertained! RuPaul's Drag Race UK series 3 will stream this September on BBC Three (via iPlayer) in the UK and on WOW Presents Plus in the US.

READ MORE: RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 3: Release date, confirmed cast and guest judges

TeTe Bang | AFAB Queens And The Drag Community Hierarchy | Under The Wig