Sasha Colby explains why she won RuPaul’s Drag Race ‘naked’

The latest winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race was crowned wearing virtually nothing – and she’s revealed there was a very important reason for that.

Sasha Colby on Drag Race.

Sasha Colby was crowned the latest winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race during the season 15 finale that aired over the weekend – and the acclaimed entertainer received her crown and sceptre wearing next to nothing.

Minutes earlier, Colby had performed against fellow finalist Anetra in the season’s climactic lip sync battle. Colby started the lip sync to disco classic Knock On Wood dressed in an oversized coat, before removing it to reveal a beaded gown.

Sasha stripped off her ballgown …

… to a tiny G-string bikini.

Midway through the song, the gown fell away, revealing that Colby was dressed in nothing but a diamante-covered G-string and a very revealing bra top – essentially two nipple pasties.

Colby later stayed in that outfit as she was crowned the winner of season 15 by host RuPaul, a marked contrast to all the other contestants of the season, who joined her on stage in extravagant drag outfits.

After RuPaul (back) crowned her the winner of Drag Race.

At a New York finale watch party on the weekend. Picture: Getty

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly after her win, Colby, who is a transgender woman, revealed it had been a calculated decision to end her Drag Race journey as naked as television would allow.

Colby told EW’s Joey Nolfi that taking the crown clad in next to nothing was “exactly how I wanted to be,” and was her response to the recent rise in US bills limiting transgender rights.

“It was a specific choice to be naked in these times. I wanted them to see what they’re trying to eradicate. Because they’re probably eradicating it because they’re attracted to it,” she explained.

Sasha Colby during her final, winning lip sync: “I wanted them to see what they’re trying to eradicate.”

A record number of bills have been introduced in the US this year affecting the transgender community, including laws to limit everything from gender-affirming health care, LGBTQ rights and public drag performances.

“It was a specific choice to be naked in these times.”

“The only way you can feel upset with something is if it evokes a strong feeling in you. Usually that feeling is lust hidden under hate. That’s what they’re uncomfortable with,” said Colby.

Fans loved the bold statement, even before her explanation as to why she’d done it:

sasha getting naked on my screen is everything i ever wanted #DragRace15pic.twitter.com/S0vdthB8eR

— him (@JanAldee) April 15, 2023

getting crowned butt naked is such a serve

— Comrade Sasha Colby (@rajahcrayola) April 15, 2023

sasha being almost entirely naked while being crowned is extremely important to me

— molls (@sapphicparis) April 15, 2023

SASHA COLBY WINNING HALF-NAKED HONESTLY QUEEN BEHAVIOR TO ME #DragRace#DragRacefinale

— Gusta VAI VER A LANA | SASHA COLBY WINNER (@gustafrockwell) April 15, 2023

Sasha getting crowned naked?? ICONIC!

— 제이 (@TakeuchiJae) April 15, 2023

Accepting her crown, Colby dedicated her win to “every trans person past, present, and future,” adding that transgender people are “not going anywhere.”

Performing onstage at the finale watch party: “Trans people are not going anywhere.” Picture: Dave Kotinsky/Getty

“I understand the eyes on me, which is why I wanted to be naked. I wanted to normalise this trans body!” she told EW.

Colby’s win continues a winning streak for the trans community on RuPaul’s Drag Race, with season 14 winner Willow Pill and recent All-Stars winners Kylie Sonique Love and Jinkx Monsoon all identifying as trans.

It comes after previous controversy about the show’s stance on allowing trans performers to compete, with RuPaul himself saying in 2018 that allowing transgender contestants “changes the whole concept of what we’re doing.” He later walked back those comments.