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The Drag Race alum is calling for more understanding of what trans women go through.
Jiggly Caliente is speaking out in hopes to help change the conversation surrounding sex work.
The drag queen recently spoke with Pink News about the second season of talk showTranslation, which features roundtable discussions about trans issues and identities.
One of the topics that meant a lot to Caliente is sex work, which still remains a controversial subject, and one that frequently intersects with trans communities.
“It was something I had to experience and I’m never ashamed of it, never ashamed of what I had to go through to survive,” she said. “It is something a lot of trans people [do], because of all the politics that’s going on, and how we can’t even try to get regular jobs. So sometimes easy money is the way to go.”
She further added that she wished it was something that was discussed more openly, “so that people could understand the harsh reality of what trans [people], specifically trans women of colour, have to go through just to survive, to live in their authentic selves.”
This isn’t the first time the Drag Race alum has been candid about her own experiences, previously telling Thotyssey that she believes “in this society, we need to stop hating on what a person’s hustle is, and start congratulating someone else on their hustle.”
To Pink News, though, Caliente elaborated on her thoughts about sex work being a “harsh reality” for survival by pivoting to the political climate, and the continued marginalization of trans people.
“I feel like if you are not cis, hetero [or] white in this world, there’s really no protection for you as far as in human rights. We’re fighting for the bare minimum,” she said. “It’s just crazy to me that this is our world.”
Jiggly Caliente was born November 29, 1980.
Caliente appeared in 12 episodes across all three seasons of Pose.
Caliente is a judge on Drag Race Philippines.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
