How I Became A Drag Queen

A few months ago I embarked on my biggest drag adventure to date. It all started with an idea. A party for myself and my friends where I would teach them to paint their faces into drag queens, while drinking and eating excessively of course (because we are all gluttons and drunks). The party was a resounding success, albeit with some sparsely covered eyebrows and some interestingly blended shadows. Everyone had fun, and an even bigger idea came to me! What if I could hold a paint night, like they do at bars, but instead of painting on a canvas, participants could paint their own face!?!?!? Hence the first ever "Beat Your Face Night" was born (trademark pending, lmfao). After throwing out the idea to the local club manager at Evolution Wonderlounge (Edmonton Alberta Canada, if you're ever in town you should definitely check it out), the planning began.  I formed a partnership with a local theatre and costume company Theatre Garage Inc . to source the makeup, brushes...

When I started doing drag I didn't give an inkling of thought towards how big it could become to me. It was something I wanted to pursue for the fun of it, for the artistry and for the escape. I still love it for all those reasons, but now it's become something even bigger. Drag is an art-form, but it's also more than that.  It is not reserved for men parading as women and women parading as men, nor is it reserved for the LGBTQA* community. Drag simply requires an openness and acceptance of all types of people, and acts as a medium for anyone wishing to put their heart and soul into an expression of themselves. It's this acceptance I've come to love and appreciate more than anything else. I couldn't help but feel from the beginning that what I was pursuing would be shunned or disregarded by many of my peers outside the community. What I was surprised to find, was that over time people are willing to accept drag as what it actually is: art, and move away from...

Drag is not a contact sport, but should it be a competition? RuPaul's Drag Race is a TV phenomenon, bringing an underground art-form to the forefront of pop culture. Ru herself just won an Emmy, and is nominated for multiple MTV awards. On the show, Ru drives her queens (almost exclusively men dressing up as women) to compete for an ultimate crown of America's Next Drag Superstar. It's a cutthroat, high stakes, sometimes literal race that drives these queens (because there have never been drag kings on it **hint hint Ru**) to their limits, and to the constant critique and ridicule of the judges to fit a certain bill. But RuPaul's drag race is reality TV. Promo art for RuPaul's Drag Race (RuPaul pictured) Meanwhile, in my current home of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, a similar competition is taking place: Alberta's Next Drag Superstar (ANDS), totally not bridging on a copyright violation. Drag performers, not just drag queens (yes folks, Alberta is more ...

I am so pleased with my first performance! I wanted to showcase the multiple personalities of my drag character, and I think I did that with Greedy and Papi, two songs sung by incredibly talented ladies.  I also may have showcased just a little bit more skin than some, but hey, if you've got it flaunt it! Check out the video on youtube by Dragging Our Heels linked below: Rowena Whey - Greedy Thank-you to everyone who came out to support me and all of the other amazing queens who performed last night at the Sunday Review. I can't wait to show more of what I have to offer!