In the world of drag, twenty-three years is a lifetime. It’s been a crazy journey filled with some pretty great highs and some really dark lows. But somehow I am still here and I feel like my career is still reaching new heights. Throughout the years, I walked that journey as Shelita. Sometimes as Shelita Taylor, sometimes as Shelita Cox, and even for a moment as Shelita CornDog. But as any seasoned traveler knows, there comes a moment when you must check your compass and make sure you are still going in the right direction.
With that, I am ready to continue blazing trails, but now as Miss Lita Taylor.
The decision to change my name/rebrand after twenty-three years was not born from a desire to change who I am, or erase the past. It wasn’t a decision made lightly either. It’s something that has been weighing on my mind for a long time. A few years back, as my career evolved—I did what any normal person would do, I Googled myself. It was then that I became aware of a real Shelita Taylor: an Army Reserve veteran and a woman of color. I found more information about her on the Army Reserve Website:
Command Sergeant Major Shelita Taylor has dedicated over 28 years of distinguished service to the U.S. Army Reserve. Throughout her career, she has held pivotal leadership roles, including deployments to Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.
After learning about this incredible woman, she stayed in the back of my mind. Coming from a family with a military background, I have so much respect for those who wear the uniform. I thought, “Surely changing your name this far into your career wouldn’t be taken seriously.” But still, I kept thinking about it. Everything changed last year after I was booked to host an event. The producer originally thought they were hiring a queen of color based on my name. It was in that moment that I knew what I had to do.
In our community, we talk a lot about "taking up space." As a white performer, I realized that continuing to use a name with roots that were not mine was an unintentional form of space-taking.
True leadership requires the humility to listen and the courage to change. By transitioning to Miss Lita Taylor, I am honoring the lived experience of those who carry that name with a different history than my own, while ensuring my own brand stands on a foundation of integrity.
The name Lita has a lot of meaning to me personally. Not only is it a nickname I’ve already had for years, it’s a tribute to one of my mom’s favorite 80’s rock artists, Lita Ford. The name Lita is also the name of one of my childhood friends from back home in Inverness, Florida. She has always been a leader, always striving to make a difference and to do it with excellence.
The shift to Miss Lita is also a playful nod to my role as a leader and mentor in this industry. In a climate where many in our community, including myself, are unfairly and inaccurately attacked, claiming we are trying to “groom”, “indoctrinate”, or “recruit”, I am taking ownership of the narrative. If living out loud, inspiring the next generation, and creating safe spaces of queer joy is "misleading," then I am proud to be your Miss Leader-in-Chief!
And of course, I wouldn’t dream of giving up my drag family name of Taylor. To carry the name of my mentor and drag father, pageantry icon Bob Taylor and the entire extended Haus Of Taylor Family is one of the greatest honors. I look forward to officially welcoming the first Sacramento members to the family in 2026!
While the marquee has changed, the polished, professional entertainer remains the same. Being your favorite show hostess, celebrity illusionist and Queen of Ceremonies will continue to be a cornerstone of my work. But now under a name and brand that reflects who I am today. I am excited to be branching off into new opportunities this year, and I can’t wait to share all of it with you.
I invite you to join me in this new era. The look is sharper, the mission is clearer, and the show has just begun.
With Love, Miss Lita Taylor