Gigi Goode starred on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12. Here, Gigi clocked in as the runner-up, but it was Jaida Essence Hall who got the crown, and a spot on We’re Here Season 4. Even though Gigi didn’t win, placing in the top three is huge, so she deserves a lot of credit. Overall, her Snatch Game slayed, her lip sync number was beyond, and she never once fell into the bottom rankings.
However, Gigi’s year was a very political one. As the cameras went up on her season, America began falling apart, with George Floyd’s murder, police brutality protests, and Covid all playing out in the background. It was also an election year, so many of her costars started using their platforms to support the marginalized. On her end, Gigi stated that politics gave her anxiety.
Then, Gigi posted about her excitement over the finale, writing that she “cannot breathe.” It hit as tone deaf, and a slew of backlash followed. Thankfully, Gigi recanted, vowing that she’d “continue to learn, grow, and change on this journey we’re all strapped into.” Four years have since passed, so let’s take a peek into Gigi’s life now, and see what changes and new storylines this queen’s currently living out.
Gigi came out as Trans and underwent facial surgery
Gigi’s season wrapped in 2020. Roughly one year later, she took to her socials, expressing that while she still identified as genderfluid, she’s now “leaning more towards the nonbinary part of that. I identify as a trans/nonbinary person and I prefer she/her pronouns.” She went on to explain that the lockdown, which was caused by the pandemic, “was so crucial for me to have that time to myself. It gave me a lot of time to think and reflect.”
After reflecting, Gigi “decided to begin the process of hormone replacement therapy.” She also underwent facial feminization surgery. These are major events, so Gigi explained that she still had “a lot more healing to go.”
Ok, werk that license
During her recovery period, Gigi tackled the arduous paperwork that would allow her to legally change her name to Gigi. She persevered in her papery trenches, sharing a brand-new driver’s license with an updated legal name, and also her new gender marker. This was a huge moment for Gigi, who captioned her post using only a smiling face with a tear emoji.
Gigi returned to the House of Avalon
Before strutting herself onto RuPaul’s series, Gigi was connected to the members of the House of Avalon. This is a chosen-family collective of Arkansas transplants, who now reside together in an L.A. duplex. After filming, she reunited with this family, and during quarantine, they all started to operate as their own public access channel. Here, they put on a wide variety of sketches to help entertain us, unworthy watchers, as we were stuck inside, getting all fat and sassy on our couches.
As their viewership grew, this channel started featuring the Sisters of Avalon, a group of three close collaborators and recurring partners who were close to the house. This is where Gigi entered in. Her recurring Gigi’s Wig Rehab sketch was brilliant. Watching Gigi work her coloring and cutting skills on various wigs was oddly therapeutic, like one of those cookie decorating clips, where everything just works seamlessly, drawing you in.
Oh hi, Avalon TV
With Gigi’s fame that came from starring on RuPaul’s Drag Race, combined with the successes seen from her family’s campy, fun, group-produced series, these friends grew determined to bring House of Avalon to television. On this, 2023 delivered. This drag collective scored themselves a sketch comedy show called Avalon TV. This series aired on World of Wonder Presents, a subscription-based streaming service.
On Avalon TV, comedy sketches are the norm. A few examples that can be seen are Chosen Family Matters, which is clearly a spoof of the old-school TGIF series Family Matters. Then there’s also Dragass, a Jackass parody that involves actual comedic stunts. In addition to these sketches, viewers can also find celebrities popping in, nipples popping out, and a whole slew of other hysterical moments within.
The best part is that Season 2 was just announced. It’s expected to air at some point in 2024.
Now, she’s colliding with other queens
Ok, look. No, Gigi did not star in anything with Beyoncé. However, when queens collide, it’s newsworthy, so I’m including this in my “Where is Gigi now” notes, as I should.
Meeting earlier in 2024, Gigi shared a few images of herself and Bey, gushing “Literally can’t even think of what to caption this. I met Beyoncé?! Thank you so much to the @cecred team and to queen Bey for being so sweet and thinking my bangs were real.”
Gigi’s going to remain booked and busy
One look at Gigi’s socials will tell you that she’s in high demand. She’s also choosing to take on every opportunity that comes her way. From brand endorsements to fashion ads, she’s making bank. Likewise, she’s also traveling around the world, with a few catwalks seen on the side.
The best part is that Gigi’s also using her platform to speak out on LGBTQIA+ issues. This includes suicide prevention and also crisis intervention assistance for LGBTQIA+ youth. I love women. Keep on serving c*nt, Gigi.
TELL US – HAVE YOU KEPT UP WITH GIGI’S JOURNEY POST-RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE?
