Drag superstars Violet Chachki and Gottmik will partner with telehealth platform Hims & Hers Health, Inc. for the duo's first live tour of their show No Gorge, which premiered on YouTube in September of last year. The No Gorge Pride Tour began on May 20 in Phoenix and will make its way all over the country through July 14, ending in San Diego.
Gottmik made waves last year in Season 13 of RuPaul's Drag Race, when he became the first Trans man to compete in the series, armed with a striking fusion of makeup styles drawn from his experience as a celebrity makeup artist. He has worked with the likes of Kaia Gerber, Tinashe, Paris Hilton, Heidi Klum, and Lil Nas X.
Chachki shares Drag Race roots with Gottmik, as the winner of 2009's season 7, and was called "one of the most powerful drag queens in America" by New York magazine. She was also the first drag queen to attend the Met Gala. Her background as a burlesque performer, model, and recording artist are sure to have come into play during the tour.
"We couldn't be happier to be breaking down stigmas with Hims & Hers," Gottmik said of the tour in a press release. "For many others out there, mental health is a lifelong opportunity [for] improvement, and isn't easy to talk about.
"As someone who has dealt with the struggles of finding the right medications and even accessing a good treatment plan, I know that connecting with a professional about mental health and finding the right medication that works for you can be a lifesaving action for those suffering from depression and anxiety."
"A lot of fun is to be had being a drag queen," Violet Chachki continued. "But there are some downsides to being this fabulous.
"Years of snatching ponytails, wigs, and using face tapes has been traumatic and stressful to my hairline, resulting in hair damage and thinning. Performing is my calling, and unfortunately all of the fantastic headpieces I wear have definitely taken a toll on my hair."
Both queens had nothing but praise for Hims & Hers for providing easy access to quality health care professionals and treatment plans. Building on that theme, during the partnership, the platform will be providing free therapy services to volunteer in-house counselors at the Trevor Project, the world's largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for LGBTQ+ youth.
"The Trevor Project's lifesaving work would not be possible without our incredible volunteer counselors, who dedicate their time to supporting thousands of LGBTQ youth in crisis," commented Corporate Partnerships Manager Sofi Goode at the Trevor Project. "Our research shows that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ young people seriously consider suicide in the US each year, and our trained counselors are available 24/7, 365 days a year to offer free and confidential services to those who need a safe, nonjudgemental place to talk.
"We're beyond grateful to Hims & Hers for enabling us to provide many of our volunteers access to licensed mental health professionals and treatment on their platform for free. Taking care of others is always their top priority, and we want to make sure they're also equipped with high-quality resources to take care of themselves."
If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, the Trevor Project has trained crisis counselors available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/, or via texting at 678678. You can find out more about the No Gorge Pride Tour at linktr.ee/nogorge.