As an Afro Latina model, activist and influencer with cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia, Janira Obregon is working to pave the way for disability representation, challenging beauty standards, and breaking down walls in the fashion industry and beyond. As a contestant on Dragged, Janira told hosts Marti Gould Cummings and Jasmine Rice LaBeija why she wanted to get a drag queen makeover: “In the disability community there is a stigma that we can’t do it… I want to represent that we can.” Janira was the perfect fit for Dragged, which aims to empower people to access the inner fierceness, confidence and self love it takes to be a drag queen. By creating an inclusive space where contestants are encouraged to explore and experiment with gender expression and performance, the series is challenging stereotypes about what drag is and who it is for.
On Dragged, each makeover is uniquely designed to capture the personality of the contestant. As an activist and a model, Janira’s objective with her transformation was to proudly represent for the disability community, so hosts Jasmine Rice LaBeija and Marti Gould Cummings created a look for her that was bold, bright and loud. The episode takes us through the entire transformation, from ideation, to wardrobe, to the makeup chair, all the way to the reveal of the final look. At each step, Janira was able to collaborate with our hosts to create a look that spoke to her personality and her message. And while the physical transformations are always fierce, Dragged also aims to help contestants unlock the inspiring self-assurance, confidence and charisma of drag performers. Janira’s makeover aimed to bust harmful misconceptions around disability and drag, and demonstrated the beauty of accessibility and inclusiveness in the drag community and drag culture.
After her makeover was complete, Janira told our hosts that she felt “really transformed and empowered” by the changes. This speaks directly to the main objective of Dragged, which is to empower people to feel like the best, most glamorous versions of themselves. As an activist and influencer, the work Janira does every day reaches a wide audience and has an incredible impact on disability representation in the world of modeling and beyond. This episode earned approximately 300,000 views across our platforms.
