From the time Sasha Colby first took the stage in the latest season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” her eventual victory appeared almost inevitable.
The 38-year-old — whose tagline is “Your favorite drag queen’s favorite drag queen” — brought her work ethic and two decades of experience to every revealing-yet-revelatory costume, heartfelt lip-sync routine and comically timed neck crack.
On the national stage, her rise to mainstream stardom, as a transgender woman and a Native Hawaiian, could also be seen as an act of defiance as a wave of anti-trans laws sweeps the nation and conservatives target drag shows in several states.Ms.
Colby, spoke to The New York Times from Oklahoma City, where she had just landed. This interview has been edited and condensed.