Michelle Visage, best known as RuPaul's right-hand woman on RuPaul's Drag Race, has spoken candidly about her decision to have breast implants removed. The TV personality, who has been a judge on the show since season three, emphasised that she is not anti-plastic surgery but rather pro-transparency. 'I'm not anti plastic surgery, I'm pro transparency,' she said in a recent interview.
Visage, 54, first found fame in the late 1980s as a member of the girl group Seduction before joining S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M. and featuring on The Bodyguard soundtrack. She later worked in radio and appeared on reality shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother. However, she is most recognised for her role on RuPaul's Drag Race, including its All Stars and international versions.
Reflecting on her career, Visage noted that she has always gone against the grain. Growing up in New Jersey in the late 1970s and early 1980s with an adopted family, she learned to stand up for what is right. 'I would get in trouble for certain things but I was always like, “But mom if I didn’t [do] X, Y and Z, if I didn’t fight for this person, they would have gotten beat up,”' she recalled.
Visage also discussed her long-standing friendship with RuPaul, which began in the New York ballroom scene of the 1980s. That community, she said, gave her 'a sense of community like I’ve never had before'. She stressed the importance of preserving queer history, especially at a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under threat in places like Florida with the 'Don't Say Gay' bill. 'If we don’t keep history alive, who will?' she asked.
