30/10/2024
BBC Radio Bristol reports that a Venezuelan born transgender drag queen is putting down roots in her adoptive city of Bristol, to the delight of people who attend her shows and her well supported exercise class. Rachel Candlin, reporting for the BBC, caught up with Ms Venus Wailer, who moved to Bristol in 2017. Ms Wailer, who now lives in Bristol, hopes to use her experience of developing a drag act to help mentor transgender youngsters. "It gives me hope for the future because they get it and I just want to lead the way for them," said the 32-year-old. She described her tough decision to leave her home country and native people to be true to herself. From the age of twelve, she taught herself English so that she could flee the country, where there is social stigma and shame to being transgender, according to BBC correspondents. The drag queen fitness classes that are co led by Venus and her drag sister UGLY are described as "feeling we have spread the joy of exploration through the workouts. And the people that join us are great. They allow us to make them laugh, move with us, shake out some stress and lift their self-esteem; that’s what drag is all about.” Venus also explained that she would ideally like to come out to her grandmother, but does not want to put too much on her at her late stage in life. "I feel like if she saw me out of context right there on the stage, dancing and doing my thing, she'd be very proud of me, so maybe eventually," Venus said.
