A Port Alberni-based drag queen has been spreading a message of love and acceptance to schools in the Alberni Valley during Pride Month.

Nik Burton first started doing drag at a Canada Day parade in 2016.

B次元官网网址淚 was hooked from then,B次元官网网址� said Burton, who uses they/them pronouns.

Dressed as the drag queen Miss Frida, Burton led a Pride parade around Alberni Elementary School in the first week of June this year. Students waved Pride flags and danced to music while Frida painted their nails.

The Pride week event was organized by the schoolB次元官网网址檚 SAFE club (Student Allies for Equality) and teacher Jessica Hall, who is the schoolB次元官网网址檚 SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) representative. In British Columbia, SOGI is not a curriculum, but a suggested teaching resource to support marginalized LGBTQ2+ students and to create safer and more inclusive school environments. HallB次元官网网址檚 job is to support her colleagues when it comes to integrating SOGI into school curriculum. As the teacher librarian, Hall also makes sure the school carries inclusive literature for students.

Other events during Alberni ElementaryB次元官网网址檚 Pride week included a school dance and a bubble dance party at recess.

B次元官网网址淲e had a lot of fun,B次元官网网址� said Hall.

Hall was the one who first reached out to Burton in 2021 about paying a visit to the school. She knew Burton from their role in the Portal Players Dramatic Society. The Pride event in 2021 went so well that both Hall and Burton decided to do it again this year.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really rewarding to be able to interact with the kids,B次元官网网址� said Burton.

Also in 2022, Burton visited Alberni District Secondary School (ADSS) as Frida for the first time to run an acting workshop. A singer, actor and comedian, Burton has dreams of one day making it onto CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Drag Race.

Burton says that the experience at ADSS was a cathartic one.

B次元官网网址淸High school] was a place of pain for me, historically,B次元官网网址� they said. B次元官网网址淭his would have been impossible when I was younger. Seeing these kids, how far theyB次元官网网址檝e come, has been so incredible. They were so excited and happy.B次元官网网址�

Burton had some good experiences in high school, but also said they were B次元官网网址渂ullied relentlesslyB次元官网网址� in their teen years, by both students and teachers. Revisiting the high school as Frida has been healing.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 me saying B次元官网网址榊ou donB次元官网网址檛 have power over me,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Burton.

A natural-born performer, Burton has been interested in drag for years. As an Indigenous Mexican, Burton wanted to pay homage to their culture and chose the name B次元官网网址淔rida Kahl HoB次元官网网址� as a cheeky reference to the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. While performing at the schools, Burton goes by B次元官网网址淔ridaB次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址淢iss FridaB次元官网网址� instead.

All-age drag events have been under fire lately from critics who believe drag shows arenB次元官网网址檛 appropriate for children. Earlier this month, a Victoria all-ages drag show for Pride month was cancelled after a phone call threatening violence.

But Burton likens drag to going to the moviesB次元官网网址攕ome movies are kid-friendly, but there are also some films that arenB次元官网网址檛 appropriate for children to watch.

B次元官网网址淚n those instances when children are involved, drag queens make sure that theyB次元官网网址檙e wearing things that are modest, theyB次元官网网址檙e being nice and theyB次元官网网址檙e not using vulgarities,B次元官网网址� Burton said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 more of an artistic experience.B次元官网网址�

For Burton, visiting the schools as Frida is about spreading a message of acceptance and inclusion and showing students that they can be their own authentic selves.

B次元官网网址淔or me, personally, itB次元官网网址檚 healing,B次元官网网址� said Burton. B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 also to help show inclusion and diversity in a town that doesnB次元官网网址檛 show that all the time. Exposure to culture is something thatB次元官网网址檚 super important.B次元官网网址�

Pride Month is winding down in Canada, but Burton wants to see people take the messages of Pride month into their everyday lives.

B次元官网网址淚 love spreading a message of love,B次元官网网址� said Burton. B次元官网网址淭he world is in a really dark place right now. We need to be kind to ourselves, because right now everyoneB次元官网网址檚 going through a lot.B次元官网网址�

elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.com
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