OLYMPICS/Nymphia Wind dazzles Paris with Taiwanese-style drag show

Paris, Aug. 9 (CNA) The first Taiwanese winner of RuPaul's Drag Race, Nymphia Wind, took to the stage on Thursday at the Paris Cultural Olympiad along with other Haus of Wind members to showcase the best of Taiwanese culture.

"Let's put this out there: I know it says Chinese Taipei, but in my world, it says Taiwan," the drag queen declared during the show at the Taiwan Pavilion.

She added, "It means a lot to me to be able to represent Taiwan in a foreign country."

In the show, titled "Formosa Follies," she captivated the audience by dressing as Mazu and the butterfly queen and performed a selection of timeless Taiwanese songs.

"She's inspiring -- she's the 'Banana Queen,'" French fan Antoine, a devoted Nymphia admirer, told CNA. He had come with a group of friends specifically to see Haus of Wind perform.

Discussing their perception of Taiwanese society, Antoine said he believes Taiwan must be open-minded to allow Nymphia to shine. "It's wonderful that she can share messages of openness, inclusivity and excellence with the world," he said.

Meanwhile, Antoine's friend Jérôme said although he had only learned about Taiwan's vibrant drag community through RuPaul's Drag Race and Nymphia, he knew that Taiwan was the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

At the end of the performance, a video montage featuring fan contributions from around the world since mid-June was displayed on the screen, featuring the rainbow flag and a map of Taiwan.

A group of Taiwanese audience members based in France told CNA they were very inspired by the performance, especially given it was the first time two of them had watched a drag show.

"I was fully devoted tonight. I appreciate that she presented Taiwanese culture in such a brave way," an audience member nicknamed Hsiao Yu (小魚) said. "I resonated with her selection of music and sang and danced along."

Another audience member, named Peng Hsuan (芃萱), said, "It was really touching. With the backdrop showcasing the beautiful sceneries of Taiwan, the show allowed me to relive the feeling of my home country. I'm really glad to see all this in Paris."