Joshua Allen Eads, better known by the stage name Ginger Minj (born September 11, 1984), is an American drag queen, actor, singer-songwriter, and reality television personality. After achieving recognition for placing as the runner-up on the seventh season of the reality television competition series RuPaul's Drag Race, Minj returned to compete on the second, sixth, and tenth seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, winning the latter on July 18, 2025. Minj has acted in three Netflix productions (the comedy feature film Dumplin' (2018), the animated series Super Drags, and RuPaul's fictional series AJ and the Queen), and has acted in numerous theatrical productions. Minj appeared in the 2022 film Hocus Pocus 2, the sequel to Hocus Pocus. Minj has released three studio albums—Sweet T (2016), Gummy Bear (2021), and Double Wide Diva (2021).
Early life Eads was born in Lake County, Florida. Eads is of Puerto Rican and Irish descent. Her father abandoned the household when she was a child. She described herself as a "short fat kid with a real limp wrist" who had been bullied. She wore dresses and her mother's and sister's clothing at age 9. Eads studied theater at school. Her first time in drag was with “BOYS BOYS BOYS” at the Orlando Fringe Festival in 2005. Her drag mother is retired Orlando performer Rusty Fawcett and her drag father is legendary male entertainer and pageant promoter, Bob Taylor.
Career
Drag Race Ginger Minj competed on the seventh season of the reality television competition RuPaul's Drag Race, which was announced on March 2, 2015. Throughout the competition, Minj won three challenges, most notably the Snatch Game, portraying Adele (tying with Kennedy Davenport's portrayal of Little Richard). Minj's performance of Adele was later ranked as the sixth best Snatch Game performance in Drag Race "herstory" by Sam Damshenas of Gay Times. Minj ultimately lost to Violet Chachki in the final episode, placing as a runner-up alongside Pearl.
Minj was subsequently announced as one of ten contestants for the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars on June 17, 2016. Minj was eliminated in the third episode, placing eighth overall. Minj then appeared as a guest for the first challenge in the premiere episode of season eleven.
Following Drag Race, Minj embarked on several international drag tours. In 2016, Minj was a part of Battle of the Seasons rotating roster of queens. Minj hosted the Haters Roast tour, though controversially was later fired from the event. Minj later hosted Queens United in November 2017, a benefit put together by Phi Phi O'Hara in an effort to raise money for people affected by Hurricane Maria.
In April 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Minj was announced as a featured cast member for the very first Digital Drag Fest, an online drag festival. Minj returned the following year for the second annual Digital Drag Fest, in May 2021.
On May 26, 2021, Minj was announced as a contestant for the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. After winning a lip sync against Mayhem Miller in the fifth episode of the season, Minj won $30,000. Minj won another $20,000 in the eighth episode of the season, Snatch Game of Love, after winning a lip sync against Heidi N Closet and making her the second queen to win the Snatch Game twice, after BenDeLaCreme. Ginger Minj finished the season as a runner-up alongside Eureka! and Ra'Jah O'Hara, ultimately losing to Kylie Sonique Love.
On April 23, 2025, Ginger Minj was announced as one of eighteen former Drag Race contestants participating in the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. On July 18, 2025, Ginger Minj won in the final round of the Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown and was crowned the winner of Season 10.
Pageants Minj has competed in many pageants throughout her career, holding several titles including "Miss National Comedy Queen 2012" and "Miss Gay United States 2013".
Music Minj released her first single, "Ooh Lala Lala", on June 1, 2015. A second single, "Bad, Bad Boy", was released on October 21, 2016. Minj's debut album, Sweet T, was released in October 2016. The album consists of a mix of original songs and covers and features of variety of styles including pop, rock, dance, jazz, and soul. Minj also contributed to the compilation album Christmas Queens 3 in 2017.
Another album, Clown Fucker, was set to be released in December 2018, but was pushed back to early 2019, and, as of 2021, remains unreleased. On June 11, 2021, Ginger Minj announced her second studio album, Gummy Bear, would be released on June 25, 2021, with "Clown Fucker" as one its tracks. She performed the title track "Gummy Bear" on the first episode of All Stars 6. The album peaked at #2 on the iTunes Comedy Album Charts.
In September 2021, Minj released her third album, Double Wide Diva. The country album featured seven original songs and a cover of Garth Brooks' "Friends in Low Places". Minj co-wrote each original song on the album, six of which alongside Brandon Stansell and Jeffrey James with producer Aaron Aiken.
In May 2022, Ginger Minj portrayed the voice of Puss Puss Dubois in Alaska's Drag: The Musical (Studio Cast Recording), a studio recording of a planned stage production about two rival drag bars that go head-to-head while struggling through financial troubles.
Acting Minj began her career as a child actor, acting in Christian films and books on tape. As an adult, Minj continued acting, starring in Clandestine Arts' production of Avenue Q. Minj performed with other All Stars 2 queens at the Trailblazer Honors for Harvey Fierstein as the only singing performer on July 7, 2016. Minj was with Katya and Alyssa Edwards on commercial bumpers for a Mama's Family marathon for the Logo channel.
In 2014, Minj played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd at Orlando's Clandestine-Arts. The casting initially lead to a cease-and-desist order in response to her casting, but this was resolved when a video of Ginger performing the role was sent to composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who personally signed off on her performance.
Minj voiced the character Lemon Chiffon in the 2018 Netflix original series Super Drags.
In 2018, Minj starred in the Netflix musical comedy feature film Dumplin'. In 2020, Minj portrayed Tommy and drag queen Fanny Pak on the Netflix comedy AJ and the Queen, alongside RuPaul, in the episode "Fort Worth".
In August 2020, Minj starred in Drama at Drag Brunch: The Slaying of the Sequin Sisters, the fifth installment of the virtual interactive Broadway Murder Mystery story, portraying the role of Casey Closed.
In 2022, Minj starred as Albin in La Cage Aux Folles at Music Theater Works in the Chicago Area. The production featured Jason Richards as Georges and was directed by Kyle A.Dougan with costumes by Project Runway’s Justin LeBlanc.
Other ventures In October 2021, Minj signed a six-figure book deal with Atria Books to publish her first book, "Southern Fried Sass". In August 2022, she headlined the 40th annual Northalsted Market Days, an annual LGBTQ-friendly street festival.
In 2023 Minj released a stand up comedy special, Bless Your Heart.
Personal life Minj is non-binary and uses she/her pronouns both in and out of drag.
Minj was married to Ceejay Russell by Michelle Visage at a DragCon convention in 2017. She is polyamorous and is in a polyamorous relationship as of 2026 with CeeJay and Michael.
Minj is 5'3 and weighed 310 pounds at her heaviest but has lost 160 pounds. She said that she is still proud to be plus-size.
She has autism and asthma.
Discography Studio albums Title Details Sweet T Released: October 21, 2016 Label: Producer Entertainment Group Formats: CD, digital download, streaming Gummy Bear Released: June 25, 2021 Label: Producer Entertainment Group Formats: Digital download, streaming Double Wide Diva Released: September 17, 2021 Label: Producer Entertainment Group Formats: Digital download, streaming
Singles +TitleYearAlbum "Ooh Lala Lala" 2016 Sweet T "Bad, Bad Boy" "Winter Wonderland"(featuring Gidget Galore)2020 "Gummy Bear"2021 Gummy Bear "Walk Tall"Double Wide Diva "Sisters"(featuring Gidget Galore)rowspan="4" "Sunshine State"2022"The Big Opening""I Put a Spell On You"
As featured artist Title Year Album"Show Up Queen"(with the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Season 6) 2021rowspan="2" "This Is Our Country"(RuPaul and Tanya Tucker featuring The Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Season 6) "Guilt's So Heavy" (Trinity the Tuck featuring Ginger Minj) 2023 Trinity Ruins Christmas: The Musical "Good Enough" (Trinity the Tuck featuring Ginger Minj)
Other appearances Title Year Other artist(s) Album "Christma-Hannu-Kwanzaa-Ka" 2015 N/A Christmas Queens "Let the Music Play" RuPaul RuPaul Presents CoverGurlz 2 "Eggs" 2016 Lucian Piane, Trixie Mattel RuPaul's Drag Race: The Rusical "Down Home Country Christmas" Carnie Wilson Christmas Queens 2 "Xmas Hams" Jiggly Caliente "White Christmas" 2017 N/A Christmas Queens 3 "All This Body" 2018 Jiggly Caliente, Alaska Thunderfuck T.H.O.T. Process "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" N/A Christmas Queens 4
Filmography
Film credits Year Title RoleNotes 2018 Miss Arizona Ginger A Queen for the People Herself Documentary film about Bob the Drag Queen Dumplin' Candee Disch2019The QueensHerselfDocumentary2021The Bitch Who Stole ChristmasHazel Delashes2022Hocus Pocus 2Winifred Sanderson impersonator2023Ginger Minj: Bless Your HeartHerselfComedy special2024 Stan Behavior Goldie Hon 2024 The Legacy of Cloudy Falls Loyd 2026 Stop! That! Train! Tess
Television credits Year Title RoleNotes 2015 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 7) Herself (contestant) Contestant (Runner-up) RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked 2016 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 2) Contestant (8th Place) 2017 Good Behavior Ruby Flare Episode: You Could Discover Me House of Mayhem Herself Unsold pilot @midnight Episode 580 2018 Super Drags Lemon Chiffon English dub, Main Cast 2019 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 11) Herself (guest)/Donald Trump 2 episodes 2020AJ and the QueenTommy / Fanny PakGuest appearance Women Behind BarsAda TV movie2021RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 6) Herself Contestant (Runner-up) RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked2022Huluween DragstravaganzaHulu original 2023 Drag Me to Dinner 2024ChoppedJudge / Miss Ginger"Drag Brunch"2025RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 10)HerselfContestant (Winner)
Theatre Year Title Role Theatre 2009 The Wiz Lion Theater Downtown, Orlando 2010 Torch Song Trilogy Arnold Beckoff Breakthrough Theatre 2011 Evil Dead: The Musical Jake Theater Downtown, Orlando Chicago Mary Sunshine 2012 Hedwig and the Angry Inch Hedwig Robinson The Abbey 2014 Sweeney Todd Mrs. Lovett The Venue 2015–2017 The Rocky Horror Show Frank N. Furter Woodlawn Theatre 2016 America's Drag Stars Herself Borgata Music Box 2017 Avenue Q Brian State Theater 2019 The Golden Gals Blanche Footlight Theater at The Parliament House Women Behind Bars Ada The Montalban 2020 Rozeanne Rozeanne Footlight Theater at The Parliament House2021 Into the Woods Giant (voice cameo)Mathis Ellis Performing Arts Center Arden Titania Silver Venue2022 La Cage aux Folles AlbinMusic Theater Works Gilliganz's Island Ginger GrantClermont Performing Arts Center2023Golden Gals Live!BlancheVarious2024The Broad's WayMamma RoseMercury Theater’s Venus Cabaret
Music videos YearTitleArtist Ref.2015"Uptown Fish"Shangela"Born Naked" (Stadium Remix)RuPaul"Ooh Lala Lala"Herself2016"The T"Alaska Thunderfuck 2017 "White Christmas" Herself 2017 "Let It Snow" Christmas Queens2018 "Where My Man At" Velo ft Manila Luzon and Eureka O'Hara "All This Body" Jiggly Caliente ft. Alaska Thunderfuck & Ginger Minj "Jolene" Dolly Parton 2020 "Winter Wonderland" Herself2021 "Gummy Bear" Herself "Friends in Low Places" Herself2022 "I Put A Spell on You" Herself
Web series