The queer community is mourning the loss of The Vivienne, the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 1, whose cause of death has now been confirmed. James Lee Williams, known as The Vivienne, passed away on January 5, 2025, at the age of 32 due to cardiac arrest caused by ketamine use.
Their manager, Simon Jones, shared the news with Attitude Magazine, hoping to raise awareness about the drug’s dangers. “Ketamine usage is on the rise, particularly amongst young people, and I don’t think the full dangers of the drug are being discussed,” he stated.
Tributes poured in from the drag and LGBTQ+ communities. RuPaul expressed heartbreak, calling The Vivienne “an incredibly talented queen and a lovely human being.” Bianca Del Rio added, “Thank you for sharing your light with all of us.”
A beloved performer and advocate, The Vivienne leaves behind a powerful legacy. Their untimely passing serves as a stark reminder of the importance of open conversations around substance use and harm reduction. Rest in power.
You may also like
-
Why some of us are done handing our data to Americans
More and more people are waking up to a simple idea: if your inbox, cloud
-
Francesca Albanese says sanctions turned her life into a “rollercoaster”
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian
-
Drug-resistant Shigella is rising among gay and bisexual men in England
UK health authorities are warning gay and bisexual men to take extra care and get
-
Belgian Drag Monarch: Belgium Is Looking for Its Queen (or King, or Sovereign)
The Belgian drag scene has found itself a new throne. Produced by two alumni of
-
KET in Paris: Barlone, our queer left-wing Paris crush
There are places that merely fit into a city, and others that save a little piece of