Drag Race’s Carmen Carrera Brings Welcome Dose of Trans Representation to Real Housewives of Miami

RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Carmen Carrera made her debut on Wednesday night's episode of The Real Housewives of Miami. The model, performer, and activist joins the group as a friend of Kiki Barth, so she’s literally a friend of a friend.

via: Pink News

The RuPaul’s Drag Race star appeared in the seventh episode of RHOM‘s current season. She was listed as a friend of Kiki Barth when the cast went to the 2024 National LGBTQ+ Task Force Gala, last October.

In a brief clip from the episode, Carmen Carrera arrives with Barth and greets several of the show’s cast members. The model engages Julia Lemigova, RHOM‘s first LGBTQ+ housewife, in conversation where the two discussed Carrera’s modelling.

Asked if Carrera did the Victoria’s Secret show, the trans model replies, “I almost did. About 10 years ago there was a petition for me to walk the show. But they didn’t allow it, they were like, ‘No transgenders allowed.’

In 2013, a petition to have Carrera cast in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show gained more than 50,000 signatures. It was ignored by the brand. Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio subsequently became the first trans models to walk the Victoria’s Secret fashion show in 2024.

Carrera continued, “So, yeah, that’s why we do things like this,” indicating the gala around her.

After that, in a confessional segment, Barth says, “Some people might know Carmen from Drag Race. But, I know her from modelling. She’s an amazing friend so I’m so happy to have her in the group.”

Carrera was rumoured to have joined the RHOM cast after being seen at multiple cast events but was left off the cast list when it was announced. It’s unclear how much she’ll be involved in further episodes of the series having only been listed so far as Barth’s friend.

Carmen Carrera was one of the first trans contestants to appear on Drag Race, coming out after her stint in season three in 2011. She later criticised the reality series for its uses of transphobic slurs, including the term “s**male”, which was removed from future seasons.

The Real Housewives of Miami is streaming on Hayu in the UK and Ireland.