TL;DR
- Three of Shea Couleé’s drag daughters—Kenzie, Bambi, and Khloe—dropped the Couleé surname.
- Their statements suggest accusations of narcissism and neglect within drag family dynamics.
- Allegations include broken promises, clout-chasing, and parental “abuse” in drag culture.
- Shea has not directly addressed the accusations, only posting cryptic quotes on Instagram.
- The rift highlights the fragility of chosen families within queer culture.
House of Couleé Crumbles
In the glitter-soaked world of drag, family ties are fierce, fabulous—and sometimes fragile. This week, RuPaul’s Drag Race legend Shea Couleé found herself at the center of a housequake after her three drag daughters—Kenzie the Dragon, Bambi Banks, and Khloe Park—publicly announced they were dropping the iconic Couleé surname. The message was loud, clear, and shaded with more than a little venom: Mama’s not in charge anymore.
Kenzie, once known as Kenzie Couleé, kicked off the split with a fiery Instagram missive, renaming herself “the Dragon” and all but accusing her drag mother of narcissism. “Aligning myself with peace, community and love… cleansing my orbit of narcissists and energy leeches,” she declared, before warning young performers to be “weary of grown adults trying to belittle you” and calling out “drag family structures” that can slide into parental abuse.
And if anyone missed the point, Kenzie added a line that could only be read as aimed at Shea: “Let’s just say having 1mil+ followers will truly have a bitch in psychosis.”
Sisters in Shade
Bambi Banks chimed in with her own note, shorter but no less stinging. “It’s only peace and love over here,” she wrote, side-eyeing anyone snooping for gossip. Meanwhile, Khloe Park went full scorched-earth. In a lengthy Instagram post, she hinted at broken promises, shady favoritism, and a mother who “taught me 0 drag as a parent.” Later, she dropped an even sharper claim: Shea allegedly lied to Khloe’s biological mother before her death, making a promise she “did not keep.”
Khloe twisted the knife further, reminding fans not to “believe everything you see on TV,” noting she’s been “behind that curtain for years.” In other words: there’s more tea brewing, but she’s serving it when she’s damn well ready.
Shea’s Response: Zen Quotes and Silence
Shea, for her part, hasn’t addressed the family drama head-on. Instead, she posted cryptic, self-help-inspired Instagram stories: “If you want to fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” Another added, “May you be released from the grip of things you cannot control.” Translation? Mama’s moving on.
For fans, it’s a hard moment. Shea, who stormed onto Drag Race in season nine, snatched the crown in All Stars 5, and became a double All Stars alum, has long been celebrated as a visionary performer and pillar of drag artistry. Watching her drag daughters break away is like seeing the House of Gucci split over dinner.
Chosen families are the lifeblood of queer culture, especially in drag. They provide mentorship, protection, and solidarity in a world where many LGBTQ people face rejection from their biological families. When a high-profile drag mother-daughter bond breaks down so publicly, it rattles the faith in those family structures.
The allegations of narcissism and broken promises point to a broader truth: drag families, like any family, are complex and imperfect. They can be empowering sanctuaries—but they can also breed power struggles, favoritism, and resentment. Shea’s daughters dropping her name isn’t just a personal drama—it’s a cautionary tale about the dynamics of power in queer spaces.
The LGBTQ community, ever resilient, will gossip, dissect, and meme this split—but it also serves as a reminder: drag family ties are sacred, but they thrive on honesty and care. Without those, even the fiercest house can fall.