RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17 finalist Lexi Love has spoken out about an ongoing copyright dispute that she says has already cost her three bookings.
In a statement shared with Out, Love explained that another woman using the same name — a SAG-AFTRA actor, AI architect and sustainable fashion entrepreneur — had reinstated an old trademark and begun filing complaints against her.
“I’ve been using Lexi Love since 2009. Two months after I was announced on TV, she reinstated an old trademark and is now attacking my social media, Cameo, and streaming music,” Love said.
“I’ve had three venues pull out and cancel dates because she is sending them cease-and-desist emails. She’s also made posts mocking the things I opened up about on the show, including my HIV diagnosis.”
Love added that her team has reached out repeatedly but received no response, and that she has even offered licensing agreements to resolve the issue. Instead, she said, the complaints and reporting have continued.
Frustrated by the situation, Love admitted she may have to rebrand entirely:
“At this point, I’m considering, and more than likely will be having, a ‘Name Me’ contest so I can keep as much of my brand and social media intact before she erases everything I’ve worked for.”
Despite the toll, Love said she has felt uplifted by fan support, writing that “the drag gods were looking down upon me yesterday” as the community rallied around her.
What are the claims?
The other Lexi Love, who holds a federally registered trademark, has accused the Drag Race star of unauthorised use of her name in entertainment and commerce. In posts on X, she alleged that use of the name creates brand confusion and damages her reputation, pointing to her 20-year career across acting, music, production, sustainable fashion, and AI projects.
She wrote:
“Taking my name and using it without consent, you are erasing my two-decade legacy and identity. Immediately cease all use of the Lexi Love® name.”
She has also posted cease-and-desist notices directed at Paramount, MTV, World of Wonder, and RuPaul’s Drag Race itself.
Platforms already complying
The self-identified trademark holder has thanked several platforms for removing the Drag Race contestant under her name. The queen’s Cameo profile has already been taken down.
It remains to be seen whether the dispute escalates legally, or whether Lexi Love, the Drag Race finalist, will indeed be forced to rename herself.
