Grief for Dragqueen Jiggly Caliente: A shining life ends with 44

Grief for Dragqueen Jiggly Caliente: A shining life ends with 44

Dragqueen Jiggly Caliente, bourgeois Bianca Castro-Arbejo, died at the age of 44. On Sunday morning, her family confirmed death that occurred after a serious infection. Jiggly Caliente, born in the Philippines and grew up in the USA, leaves a significant gap in the LGBTQ+ community and the entertainment industry, in which it was described as a "bright presence". Her family emphasized that she was not only a star, but also a committed activist.

Caliente achieved great fame by participating in the fourth season of "Rupaul’s Drag Race", in which she was eliminated in the seventh episode. She also appeared in 2021 in the sixth season of "Rupaul’s Drag Race All Stars". They made their humor and dance skills a popular figure in reality TV. Her confrontation with competitor Lashauwn Beyond, who led to a famous Catchphrase from the show, was particularly a memorable moment. She was supposed to appear as a juror at "Drag Race Philippines", which made her further commitment to the drag community.

personal life and illness

Before her death, Jiggly Caliente suffered from an infection that required amputation of part of her leg. These health setbacks led to a hospital admission from which she never recovered. The family did not publish the details of their illness and the exact circumstances of their death. Her death occurred in the presence of her lovable family, who also shared her condolences and grief for the loss on social media.

Caliente was born on November 29, 1980 and moved to the USA in 1991. In 2016 she announced publicly that she was a trans woman and was actively involved in the rights of transgender people, especially at the Trans Day of Visibility. Her role in the FX series "Pose", in which she was seen as Veronica Ferocity, reflected the challenges and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community, especially in the 1980s in New York City.

engagement in the drag culture

jiggly Caliente was not only an icon on television, but also a symbol of activism within the drag culture. Historically, Dragqueens played a central role in the LGBT right movement. They were often at the forefront and were crucial for the visibility and acceptance of LGBTQ+identities. Drag culture has developed strongly in recent years, especially through the popular format "Rupaul’s Drag Race", which has positively influenced Drag's social perception.

Individuals such as Caliente contributed to promoting drag as an art form and medium for social change. Ms. Caliente's death is perceived as a loss for the entire community, and many will remember their performance and struggle for the rights of LGBTQ+ people. The producers of "Drag Race Philippines" expressed their dismay about the loss and asked for time for the grief of the family.

A farewell to a creative and brave personality, whose influence will be felt for a long time.