Chrishell Stause is a bonafide reality TV star. Building a multi-million dollar empire on Netflix's Selling Sunset, and going on to star in the addictive Traitors US series, she's one of the most prominent, beloved darlings of the small screen. But that wasn't necessarily her game plan.
“I didn't go into the world being like, ‘I want to be on reality TV. I want to tell people everything about my life’,” she tells GLAMOUR. “It happened, and I kind of had to sink or swim.”
Since she started out on Selling Sunset, Chrishell has become a queer feminist icon, advocating for better education and understanding around gender identity, as well as hitting back against homophobia and discrimination both online and onscreen. She has been in a relationship with non-binary Australian musician G Flip since 2021. The couple married in Las Vegas in 2023, waving the queer flag in the best way by insisting in a joint 2024 Pride message on Instagram that “statistically queer couples have the best sex”.
The You're Cordially Invited stars talk wedding chaos, feminist allyship and filming an alligator wrestling scene.
Chrishell could not be in better company as a contestant on The Traitors US – the show screams queer vibes, from Alan Cumming's stellar outfits and dramatic monologues to the casting of fellow LGBTQIA+ stars such as Bob The Drag Queen, The Biggest Loser's Bob Harper, Survivor star Carolyn Wiger and Bachelorette's Gabby Windey. That said, queer representation didn't stamp out misogyny on the show.
Episode one of The Traitors US kicked off with a tiresome, sexist edge, as a number of male contestants demanding that solely female contestants got off the boat they were all rowing for a challenge. Shouts of “one more girl” and “we need some strong guys” got many of us riled up while watching, and Chrishell called the entire situation “man-centric” and refused to disembark.
“It's interesting to see these real world dynamics pop up,” she says after rewatching the scene with GLAMOUR, confirmed that she definitely experienced misogyny while on The Traitors US. “Because you think it's 2025… but no, we're right down in it.” She added that certain male contestants were blind to their own lack of rowing skills, giving a real-world example of the patriarchy's tendency to support the unfounded superiority complexes of so many men.
“It gave me an interesting perspective in that moment, watching us do a way better job than one of the men that's over here, yelling about ‘the girls need to get off the boat’.”
What the incident did yield, however, was a sisterhood. "We learned pretty quickly that the women do need to stick together… We had Bob the Drag Queen, Bob Harper, we basically formed our own group that were like feminists in the castle… We had to stick together and make it known that this isn't how it's gonna go, which I love.
“So we did have a sisterhood. It was a sisterhood of feminists that also included some amazing men.”
Anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric has already crept into UK politics and policy.
We also see her have serious conflict with fellow contestant and Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval. Chrishell has a history with Tom, as she is close friends with his ex Ariana Madix, and voted for him for banishment, explaining: "The Traitors have to be able to lie and cheat and deceive easily. And since I know that you possess all of those skills, I voted for you." Ouch!
She explains that relations soured further when she tried to clear the air, and was immediately blind sighted. “The second we left the room, he started gunning for me,” she said. “He literally, in my head, was only using that personal connection against me. So from then on, it was on sight, I hate this man. You can't change my mind. I have some things to work on, but one thing's holding a grudge.”
Chrishell opened up to GLAMOUR about her fears for the LGBTQIA+ community in the wake of President Trump's re-election, navigating the double standards that permeate the “man's world” of real estate and the queer legacy of The Traitors US.
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What were the biggest lessons you’ve learned from going on the show?
I think I've come to this place in my life where I think I'm really good at judge of character but that being said this environment really made me realise that I do have blind spots and soft spots, and it helps you realise where your blind spots are. I can see watching the show back where a type of person can definitely take advantage of me, because I have a blind spot there.
How did you use your fashion choices to add to your Traitors game?
I wanted to do Barbie meets Scotland meets Elle Woods, you know, I'm on the case… And kind of put my little twist on the tartan vibes. I actually just made a custom design for the reunion, and it's very Barbie does tartan.
Traitors US has some real queer icons as contestants and just has such queer vibes, what did that mean to you, going on the show?
I love the queer representation they have this season. Obviously Alan [Cumming] being the host and the leader is so amazing, because I love him so much. I was pleasantly surprised how many queer players there were. Obviously it was hard not to be biased… But I was like OK, anybody could be a Traitor.
As Trump’s re-election threatens all manner of minority groups, how do you feel about what it may do to LGBTQIA+ rights?
I want to give a positive answer here. It's kind of hard to be positive at this current place and time. It definitely feels like a full-blown attack on the trans community, which is less than 1% of the population, and we're focused on the wrong 1%. So I definitely have thoughts on this. If you guys will have me here in the UK, or maybe I'll go to Australia and fight from the side, I don't know. It is a dark time in America.
Right now we have to get together and reconvene. But I think we're all just collectively reeling a little bit, but I know that we will fight back, and we will hopefully be able to combat this with the beautiful spirit of the LGBTQ community, people that are minorities [and] immigrants. It's this place that America is supposed to be, this place where you're all accepted no matter what. And it may take us time, but that spirit will win over.
You've dealt with queerphobia on Selling Sunset as well – how do you deal with these attitudes and remain centred within yourself?
It's about knowing who you are, knowing who you love, knowing how beautiful that is and knowing that there's no realm in which that can be bad. And when you see the people that are the ones yelling about how bad it is, you know where that's coming from, which is a lot of times a self loathing place – they're not happy with their lives. So it makes it easier to take it on, because I'm so happy with my life, and so I'm able to use that energy to ignore the haters. Don't take advice from someone you would not trade places with, that's what I like to say.
What has Selling Sunset taught you about being a woman in a man’s world, in terms of how male-dominated the real estate and business world can be?
We've made so many strides as women, working in a man's world. But then there's certain times where we take huge steps back. Right now, women's rights are completely being ripped off the table. I love being on a show where it's women centric, business women, working to really empower, and disrupt the idea that a man needs to be in charge.
To be honest with you, I still see it all the time. I'll have something really amazing happen in my business world, and the media has so many times given credit to Jason, which has nothing to do with the listing that I did. He is the broker, but he literally hasn't even picked up a phone call. And I did so much work on it. It's happened so many times, it's my pet peeve. It's not his fault, but the media can't help themselves… You just naturally give the credit to a man.
So I get it, I get a bad rep sometimes for being a little too mouthy… I just think we need, as women, to get a little bit louder.
You’ve used social media to amplify conversations around gender identity as well as your own journey with your sexuality – why was that important to you to discuss that with your followers?
Discussing topics like that can be very divisive, but I do feel like it's one of those things that if you don't stand for anything, you'll fall for anything. I just feel like I was given this platform for a reason, and I don't want to waste it. Those topics, when I do approach them, I try as hard as I can to not be divisive, so that people won't be turned off immediately. Like, let's have a conversation, if possible, you know?
The way that I entered the show [Selling Sunset], there's people that follow me who are very Republican… So if these are your values, how would you support a certified rapist, felon, you know what I mean? So I think there's just a disconnect… It really feels like a cult following at this point.
Being on a reality TV show means going through your own personal pain in the public eye – how have you found that?
This whole process has been a learning experience and journey. At first, it was really hard… I think now, being in it and having shared so much, I wouldn't change it. I like feeling like, ‘this is me, the good, bad and the ugly.’
Unknowingly to me, this was my journey. I've embraced it. I didn't know this is going to be my journey, but I think it was all meant to be…Sometimes those low moments are what people identify you with and find strength with. So it helps when you know that all of that pain, you can put purpose behind it.
What are the most important things you do to take care of your mental wellbeing?
I'm very lucky to have an amazing partner who I feel like always grounds me, an amazing family who does the same. And then outside of that, I hit your Selfridge's the other day, had a little retail therapy. I love that store. So it's like a mix of Chicken Soup for the Soul type moments with your friends and family. But then also sometimes you need to buy a dress to make yourself feel better.
Or you want to give back maybe right now we're dealing with the fires in LA. I've been working with a lot of families to help find them housing. Of course, you're helping, but it also just makes you feel good, because it makes you feel like the skills you have can really help in a time of need.
The Traitors US is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
