Jermaine & Justin: Friends
Jermaine Aranha (he/him)
Age: 41
Occupation: Airport Lounge Manager/Drag Queen
Current City: Toronto
Hometown: Nassau, Bahamas
Strengths: Intelligent, amazing communication skills
Fear/phobia: Heights
Pet peeve about your teammate: Justin hates being asked the same thing more than once and is very impatient.
Justin Baird (he/him/she/her)
Age: 36
Occupation: Pain Management Nurse/Drag Queen
Current City: Scarborough, ON
Hometown: Toronto
Strengths: Empathetic, funny, quick thinker
Fear/phobia: Spiders and snakes
Pet peeve about your teammate: He makes me laugh too much.
Close friends and drag sisters, Jermaine and Justin met in a bathroom at a drag ball they were both walking in, after a mutual friend suggested they would hit it off – which proved to be an understatement! Now inseparable, the two have since competed on separate seasons of CANADA’S DRAG RACE, and remain proud representatives of their LGBTQ2S+ community.
Born and raised in a developing country where being gay was not accepted, Jermaine experienced first-hand what it felt to be an outsider. Having overcome being shot and almost killed – Jermaine is a true believer that life is too short to not be 100% yourself. A veteran of the drag world for the past 21 years, Jermaine, also known as Anastarzia Anaquway, has taken home numerous titles. When he isn’t glammed up, you can find him working in home renovation.
Justin, who performs as drag star Kimora Amour, was the recipient of an award from the city of New York for advocating against the racial bias of Black and Brown people through the art of drag. Out of drag, Justin works as a pain management nurse and is a father to his 18-year-old son who looks up to him. For Justin, winning THE AMAZING RACE CANADA would solidify the message he’s always told his son – you can do anything you set your mind to.
Despite its significant cultural impact and popularity, drag artistry remains marginalized and underrepresented in mainstream media. Motivated by their desire to be inspirational representatives of their community, Jermaine and Justin are racing for those who love them, look up to them, and ARE them.
Fun Facts
What team do you most associate with from previous seasons of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA and why?
All of the winners – because we’re going to win!
What would your team name be?
The Butch Queens
What three things can always be found in your refrigerator?
Jermaine: Water, bacon, and ground pork.
Justin: Pineapple juice, ginger ale, and soy sauce.
What would your walk-on song be?
“My Power” by Beyoncé.
What will you do with the prize money?
Jermaine: Ensure my sister gets the best cancer treatment available.
Justin: Ensure my grandmother and mother are taken care of.
THE AMAZING RACE CANADA premieres July 4 at 9 ET/PT. Meet the other racers here.
