From Kenneth to Kendall: The transformation of a drag queen
'I think my drag character is all about strength,' says Kenneth Wyse
Drag performance is an art form that has been celebrated by the LGBT community for decades. But over the past few years, it's become more mainstream, due in part to to the popular television show, RuPaul's Drag Race.
In Vancouver, you can catch a drag show most nights of the week, and during Pride season, Kendall Gender takes the stage both as a solo performer and as part of the ensemble, The Bratpack.
Kendall Gender is the drag persona of Kenneth Wyse.
The CBC's Ethan Sawyer headed to Kenneth's home to watch his preparation and transformation for one of his shows.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What was your first exposure to drag or drag queens?
My most visible exposure was when I went to a show called Cherry Pop.
Cherry Pop was run by Jane Smoker who's actually my drag mother. A drag mother is someone who puts you into drag for the very very very first time. So she had this show and seeing her on stage for the very first time it was like a very strange sort of experience for me.
It was a very achievable goal and it was something that I found absolutely fascinating and I remember it as a very pivotal moment.
And after months and months and months, I begged her to put me in the event and she put me into drag for the first time.
What has it been like as a drag queen seeing what used to be very niche, cross over into the mainstream?
I love Drag Race. Sometimes when I think about it I get emotional because the exposure we have as drag performers and drag artists, drag kings, drag things, drag queens. It's amazing that it's become such a phenomenon. I think it's so amazing that it's infiltrated into our culture so immaculately.
I am just very thankful that I get to live in a time where there's so much queer positivity and a lot of that did come from Drag Race.
What's the relationship between drag and sexuality or gender identity? Do you think the two are intertwined or are they separate in your eyes?
I sort of describe drag as something that was created inside of me when I was very, very, very, young and it was this kind of character and this feeling and emotion and all that stuff that I created when I was a child. And it took me until basically doing drag to realize what that was.
Gender and sexuality and all that stuff, it's so confusing and there's so many different levels to it and I just know that through drag, it's helped me realize who I am and what I want out of my life.
I just want contentment and success and love and positivity. A lot of my happiness and all that stuff, it comes from not just drag but just being a part of this queer community and this queer world. I just love it. I love being gay.
What do you want people to take away when they see you in full makeup and presenting yourself?
I think my drag character is all about strength. I think if you're watching me or you're talking to me, I want to emulate that kind of strength and I want to empower people.
I want people to want to get into drag themselves or feel that strong confident person that I am on stage or I am in general. I want to spread the love.
This story is part of a series called Pride and Progress that airs on CBC Vancouver News at 6 and The Early Edition throughout Pride Week, July 30-Aug. 3.
With files from Ethan Sawyer and Pete Scobie.