IGNITE’s annual drag show returned with entertainment and inclusiveness at the Humber North Student Centre on Sept. 18.
This year's edition featured three drag performers, including Guy Anabella and two who had previously appeared at Humber, Ivory Towers and Manny Dingo.
The show brought a mix of lip-sync performances, comedy and audience participation, allowing students to lip-sync and dance along.
The first 20 early arrivals met and greeted the drag performers.
Emily Edward, the IGNITE Student Advocate for the University of Guelph-Humber, said the event brought much energy to the Student Centre.
"It looked like people were participating and having fun, lots of people dancing in the crowd, which is always nice to look at,” she said.
While drag shows typically serve as entertainment, Edward said events like this also showcase inclusivity and community.
“It's good for inclusivity, and I think it's good to showcase queer excellence and joy,” she said. “Those are important things to showcase, and it's a very important event for that reason.”
.png;w=960)
Design Foundation student Daelynn Taylor was one of the few people who got the opportunity to dance along with Drag Queen Guy Anabella.
She felt surprised and embarrassed when Anabella asked her to dance alongside, she said.
Taylor said inclusivity was what made her attend the drag show.
“A lot of queer spaces are very inviting, and I'm queer myself. I just wanted to go here and see a drag show, just because it's so fun,” she said. “The environment is very inviting. I get to see, I get to meet new people. That's the main reason I get to go here.”
Taylor said she hopes students who don’t feel represented should know that they belong and are loved.
“You are allowed to be here. You're more than welcome. You belong. You are loved. Even when you're anxious and you don't feel like you want to be seen, you're seen in a good way,” she said. “There are people looking at you and looking up to you, even if you don't think that.”
Film and Television Production student Chloe Ciolli said drag gives everyone the chance to explore their selves in creative ways.
“It's a beautiful way to express yourself, and I think drag is just really important because growing up, there are just sort of two paths you can take if you're born a female or a male,” she said.
“Everything is so gendered and so stereotypical, and I feel that drag, especially since it's become more popular nowadays, shows people that binaries can be broken,” Ciolli said.
Drag shows bring a message of self-acceptance and belonging as they remind students about their own identity.
Anabella told the crowd after her performance that Drag is more than performance, but about discovering yourself.
“We're all on our own journeys. We all take our time (and) however, we need to. There's no pressure to be anywhere that you think other people tell you,” she said. “You take your time (to) figure yourself out. Just be true to yourself. Listen to your instinct and be who you are.”
