Gia Gunn

Gia Gunn is the stage name of Japanese-American drag performer Gia Keitaro Ichikawa (Japanese: 市川啓太郎).[1][2][3] She is known for competing on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, the second season of The Switch Drag Race, and RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars season four.

Gia Gunn
市川啓太郎
Background information
Birth nameKeitaro Ichikawa
Also known asGia Ichikawa
BornChicago, Illinois
GenresDrag
Occupation(s)Drag queen, musical artist, actress, activist
InstrumentsVocals

Early life

Gunn began performing Japanese traditional dance and kabuki in onnagata roles when she was five years old.[4]

She graduated from Barrington High School in Barrington, Illinois.

She won the drag pageants Miss Roscoe's 2013 and Miss Diosa 2013.[5] Her drag mother is trans drag performer Aly Gunn. Their last name inspired by Tim Gunn; Gia's first name came from Gia Carangi.[4] She worked as a cosmetologist and hair stylist before appearing on Drag Race.

Career

Drag Race and The Switch
Laganja Estranja, Jeffree Star, and Gunn (left to right) at RuPaul's DragCon LA 2018

Gunn was announced as one of fourteen contestants for the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race on February 24, 2014. She covered RuPaul's song "Ladyboy" for RuPaul's album RuPaul Presents: The CoverGurlz to promote the season.[6] On the show, she was known for her voguing, off-the-cuff catchphrases, reads and particular opinions, feminine style of drag, and friendship with fellow contestant Laganja Estranja. She underperformed as Kim Kardashian during the "Snatch Game" challenge, and was eliminated after losing a bottom two lip sync against Estranja to Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's "Head to Toe,"[7] earning her tenth place.

In 2017, Gunn was announced as a contestant on the second season of The Switch, the Chilean version of Drag Race,[8] alongside Drag Race alumnus Kandy Ho.[9] The series premiered March 25, 2018 with 15 contestants, including the winner of the first season. She earned ten challenge wins, making her the most-decorated contestant of the season, but lost to Miss Leona.[10]

Gunn was announced as one of ten contestants competing on RuPaul's Drag Race: All-Stars Season Four on November 9, 2018.[11] Gia became the third ever transgender contestant to come out prior to appearing on the show, following Monica Beverly Hillz and Peppermint. However, Gia was the first trans contestant to compete post-transition during her second season. The show premiered on December 14, 2018, with Gunn eliminated in the third episode after once again underperforming in "Snatch Game" challenge with her Jenny Bui impression. Manila Luzon eliminated her, causing Gunn to place 8th.[12] She had a chance to return in the sixth episode, where the eliminated queens faced off with the queens still in game, but lost a lip sync to Naomi Smalls, eliminating her for good.[13]

After her elimination Gunn sparked controversy revealing that an altercation between her and RuPaul about transgender drag queens was edited out of show.[14]

After Drag Race

Gunn walked the runway for MarcoMarco's fall 2017 fashion show with other Drag Race alumni.[15]

On March 31, 2018, Gunn released 30 Days in Transition, a web series on her YouTube channel documenting aspects of her transition as a transgender woman. Shortly thereafter, she was announced to star in the first episode of an internet documentary series by WOWPresents following her life as a trans person and drag queen; the series will be called Follow Me. A teaser was released on June 25, 2018, and features Isis King.[16]

With WOW Presents, she played Karrueche Tran's character Virginia in a recap video of the first season of Claws.[17] Gunn also frequently appeared in other WOW Presents productions, including Wait, What?, Besties for Cash, and Fashion Photo Ruview. She and Estranja appear both on WOW Presents and at other performances as the duo TeamTooMuch.[18]

Music

Following her appearance on RuPaul's Drag Race, Gunn released her first solo single "Bring out the Gunnz" on July 31, 2015.[19]

In 2016, Gunn was featured on the Alaska's song "Stun" from her album Poundcake.[20] A music video was released on April 24, 2017.[21] Drag Race contestants Mariah Paris Balenciaga, Courtney Act and Willam are featured in the video as well.[21]

On August 29, 2018, Gunn's second single "#LaChinaMasLatina" was released, featuring Alaska.[22] She and Estranja appeared in the music video for Danielle Alexa's "Spin in Circles."[23]

Personal life

Ichikawa started taking hormones in 2016,[24] and she publicly came out as a transgender woman via Instagram in April 2017.[25] She later had the first name on her birth certificate officially changed to Gia in August.[26] She was one of many Drag Race alumni to criticize RuPaul's views on transgender and bio queens competing on the show in 2018.[27] She started a Gofundme page to cover $30,000 of her transition surgery.[28]

She is a member of the drag family The Haus of Edwards, with Alyssa Edwards, Shangela, Plastique Tiara, Laganja Estranja and Vivienne Pinay.[29][30]

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2014 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself Contestant (10th place)
2014 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked
2018 The Switch Drag Race Contestant (runner-up)
2018 RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars Contestant (8th place)

Music videos
Year Title Artist
2017 "Stun" Alaska
2018 "Spin In Circles" Danielle Alexa
2018 "#LaChinaMasLatina" Herself
2019 "Not Ok"[31] Kygo, Chelsea Cutler

Web series
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2014 Transformations Herself Guest [32]
2018 30 Days In Transition Host
2018 Puff Puff Sessions Guest [33]
2018 Follow Me Guest [34]
2018 Whatcha Packin' Guest [35]
2019 The X Change Rate Guest, Episode 7 [36]

Discography

Singles
Year Title
2015 "Bring out the Gunnz"
2018 "#LaChinaMasLatina"

References
  1. "Gia Gunn Opens Up About Her Transition Surgery: 'I Feel Much More Whole' (Exclusive)". TooFab.com. December 14, 2018. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018. She later got a new birth certificate to reflect her transition that same summer, showing how she had legally changed her name to Gia Ichikawa.
  2. "Holiday Issue 2018/2019". Issuu. JPy Magazine. 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2020-05-03. Ichikawa is my last name and Keitaro is my middle name. It was my very first tattoo and I was about 18 years old when I got it. I wanted to get something that resembled my Japanese heritage and also that I would never regret getting on me permanently.
  3. "Holiday Issue 2018/2019". Issuu (in Japanese). JPy Magazine. 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2020-05-03. これは私が18歳の時に人生で初めて入れたタトゥーで、自分のルーツを忘れないように、自分の苗字とミドルネームの啓太郎を日本語で入れたの。
  4. "Season 6 Spotlight: Gia Gunn". Drag Official. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved 2018-06-14. With a drag name originating from 70s fashion model Gia Carangi and fashion consultant Tim Gunn...
  5. "Gia Gunn". RuPaul's DragCon. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  6. "RuPaul Presents: The CoverGurlz - Gia Gunn "Lady Boy" Music Video". 2014-01-28. Retrieved 2019-03-15.
  7. "Last Words With RuPaul's Drag Race's Gia Gunn". 2014-03-27. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  8. ""The Switch" Season Two Premieres: Watch Gia Gunn and Kandy Ho Compete for the Crown in Chile!". The WOW Report. 2018-03-26. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  9. "Fuera la primera draga boricua de "The Switch"". Metro (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  10. @todotvnews (16 July 2018). "Mega triunfa con el final de su adaptación de RuPaul's Drag Race". ttvnews (in Spanish). todotvmedia. Retrieved 2018-07-16.
  11. Swift, Andy; Swift, Andy (2018-11-09). "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 4 Cast Revealed — Who Are You Rooting For?". TVLine. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  12. Swift, Andy; Swift, Andy (2018-12-29). "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Recap: Which Queen Literally Got the Boot?". TVLine. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  13. Rogers, Matt (2019-01-18). "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Recap: 4 Shots of Adrenaline". Vulture. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  14. "Gia Gunn spills: My confrontation with RuPaul was edited out of Drag Race". www.who.com.au. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  15. "Laganja Estranja and Gia Gunn STUN at the Marco Marco Fashion Show". 2017-09-08. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  16. WOWPresents (2018-06-25), Teaser | Follow Me: Gia Gunn - Available NowoOn WOW Presents Plus!, retrieved 2018-06-26
  17. "This Claws Recap Starring Drag Race Queens Is Everything". E! Online. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  18. "#TEAMTOOMUCH - Puff Puff Sessions w/ Laganja + Gia". 2018-04-10. Retrieved 2019-03-15.
  19. Bring out the Gunnz (feat. Ryan Miistmak3r), iTunes, 2015-07-31, retrieved 2018-06-14
  20. Stun (feat. Gia Gunn) by Alaska Thunderfuck, iTunes, 2016-10-14, retrieved 2018-06-14
  21. Alaska Thunderfuck, Alaska Thunderfuck - STUN [Official] ft. Gia Gunn, retrieved 2019-01-29
  22. Gia Gunn Entertainment (2018-08-29), Gia Gunn - #LaChinaMasLatina ft. Alaska Thunderfuck [Official Video], retrieved 2018-08-31
  23. "Laganja Estranja And Gia Gunn Do A Drag King Makeover In Smokin' New Music Video". LOGO News. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  24. Lu, Fei (2019-02-01). "There's More to Gia Gunn Than RuPaul's Drag Race". L'Officiel. Retrieved 2019-03-15.
  25. Ferrendi, Brittany. "RuPaul's Gia Gunn Comes Out as Transgender". Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  26. Bollinger, Alex (2017-08-20). "Gia Gunn announces that her birth certificate has been corrected". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  27. "Transgender women on 'Drag Race'? RuPaul's remarks spawn backlash". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  28. ""Drag Race" Star Gia Gunn Is Crowdfunding Her Gender-Confirming Surgeries". LOGO News. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  29. "Alyssa's Secret: Gia Gunn Officially Joins the Haus of Edwards!". The WOW Report. 2016-01-04. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  30. https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/117647/heres-how-the-season-11-queens-link-to-past-drag-race-contestants/
  31. Sani, Niko (2019-06-06). "KYGO DROPS MUSIC VIDEO FOR "NOT OK" FEATURING CHELSEA CUTLER". edm.com. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  32. St. James, James (December 23, 2014). "Transformations: Gia Gunn Serves FISH for Christmas!". WorldofWonder.net. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  33. TEAMTOOMUCH - Puff Puff Sessions w/ Laganja + Gia. YouTube. April 10, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  34. Frye, Javay (2018-06-25). "Follow Me Docu-Series Premieres on WOW Presents Plus! Take a Deeper, More Personal Look in the Life of Sickening Queen Gia Gunn". WorldofWonder.net. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  35. Rudolph, Christopher (December 30, 2018). ""Whatcha Packin'": Michelle Visage Sits Down With This Week's Eliminated Queen". NewNowNext.com. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  36. Duffy, Nick. "Drag Race star Gia Gunn says she postponed surgery so she could compete on All Stars". Pink News. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
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