Before RuPaul was the most well-known drag artist in the world, he was a child struggling to get by. In an interview with WBUR, RuPaul opened up about how his relationship with his father left him feeling defeated.
When a young RuPaul was waiting for his father to pick him up for the day, "he wouldn't show up. And through years of therapy, all roads lead to that one moment. And I created an identity around that hurt. Looking back, it actually is something that I had to work through and that has made me stronger," the drag artist shared.
However, this painful relationship with his father only made him closer to his mother. In a 1993 interview with the Washington Post, Ru shared how much he adored her. "My mother was my first inspiration; she was totally a drag queen." He added, "Her personality was larger than life, she had great comic timing and a sense of style and self. I've just been realizing she was such a rebel, and would do what she needed to do, regardless of what everyone else was doing. She taught me strength and how to be my own self."
Ru often pays tribute to his mother on "Drag Race." Especially during the show's early seasons, and one moment, in particular, made him extra emotional.
