You May Call Her…Jiggly
“Everything Jiggles,” has become a cheeky and iconic response from New York City’s beloved plus-sized Barbie. We followed her journey on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4 and our admiration deepened when she bravely came out as a transwoman in 2016. From then on, she became a powerful advocate for transgender rights and representation. She recently was a judge on Drag Race Philippines. And like any true queen diva, she gifted us with her own music album. So please do give T.H.O.T Process a stream on all platforms; I think she would love that. In fact, her music fills the air as I write this tribute.
Stepping back for a moment, allow me to share a universal truth about drag: it is fantasy; an art form that opens a portal to momentarily escape from the sick reality. Sickening? Yazz!. It is a form of protest. Drag is and will always be political, and anyone who says otherwise will be slapped senseless.
Nevertheless, even within this crazy, wonderful world of make-believe, true drag artists like Jiggly continue to create with the hope of eliciting change. Trans rights are human rights. And the dismissal and erasure of queer identities, including trans identities, diminishes the value we place on diversity and the dignity of those who are different from ourselves.
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The international drag scene has been graced by a constellation of drag royal figures who have left indelible marks on our hearts and helped shape pop culture as we know it today. Sahara Davenport, Chi Chi DeVayne, Cherry Valentine, Bandit, The Vivienne, and now, our own Jiggly Caliente. Their stories resonate, even when shared through the intimate lens of reality TV. We connect with them on a fundamental human level, united by the shared queer experience that beautifully transcends cultural boundaries. To be queer is human. And as we remember them, we also remember the purpose and essence of drag. Value and meaning derived from shared struggles against a world that often feels at odds with our very being.
Jiggly Caliente
Speaking of iconic queens and musical artistry, I'm currently listening to "Purong Pinay"—Jiggly's collaboration with another icon, Filipino-American drag queen Manila Luzon. I have to admit, despite my appreciation for the drag scene, this is actually my first time truly hearing the song, let alone exploring the entire album. Jiggly is living out a rockstar fantasy through sound. That’s drag! And it's through this very unique art that their memory endures. Even in death—that inevitable human experience—it serves as a reminder that while we slowly physically expire, unsure of our demise, the impact we create through our art can transcend our time on earth. Each time news of a drag artist's passing reaches my ears, a wave of disbelief washes over, a secret yearning that it's just a grand, theatrical stunt, leading to a shared laugh later. I see myself desperately clinging to the fantasy they so brilliantly created.
This sense of loss will stay with me, diminishing little by little. And while I am thinking of death among drag queens, why not live the Death Becomes Her fantasy? Let’s amplify the recognition of our local queer artists who shaped culture, who paved the way; the trailblazers who walked so that the current generation could run…something something. Basta gets nyo na yan! We have existed, we exist today, and we will continue to exist. We honor Jiggly in our own way, and I am grateful for the strength to keep living my truth.
Jiggly embodied a unique familiarity, reflecting the shared experience of being queer and Asian within a global context. She was relatable and her journey echoes that of an OFW chasing the American Dream, from Laguna to NYC, a pursuit that ultimately led to her well-deserved success and the love of those around her.
Jiggly was a breathtaking fantasy brought to life. Though I never knew her personally, I felt a connection through the window of reality TV. Fun fact: the name “Jiggly” comes from a pink Pokémon—Jigglypuff. The often-intrusive lens of media, her openness, her love for drag needs to inspire for the rest to continue.
It’s easy to love someone who is real, both on and off-camera. And that’s the word: real.
She was real because she wasn’t perfect. Beneath the artifice of drag—the fake nails, the fake hair, the fake designer clothes (hers were probably the real deal)—there was Bianca. Beautiful Bianca.
That’s the paradox of drag: the deliberate construction of fantasy that, in the end, reveals your truest self. Jiggly embodied that accurately. She spoke her mind with unapologetic honesty. Maybe she wasn’t "Miss Congeniality," but she always knew where she stood. She was, in a word, feisty.
You might have cringed at her post-apocalyptic hot potato couture on Drag Race, but honestly? I wouldn’t change that horrific fashion because it was EVERYTHING. As she herself would say, it was "very San Tropez" — if you get the reference, you get it.
Rest in power Jiggly!
Pura Luka Vega is a researcher, educator, public health advocate and drag artist who writes to celebrate queer artistry and community. With a background that bridges academia, activism, and creative work, they honor the stories of resilience, resistance, and self-expression.
