I am not a religious person. Anyone who knows me knows that I am pretty much as agnostic as you can get. I sit perfectly perched on a throne of not knowing and simply electing to not believe in God because there is no scientific proof. This article is not a criticism of those who believe, nor is it an attempt me trying to convert you to Agnosticism. However, this is an article devoted to a spiritual experience I had on Monday, September 23, 2019, from approximately 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
On September 23, a friend and I went to Laurier’s Waterloo campus and then waited in line for 45 minutes in a steamy stairwell, sweating our butts off. Yet, nothing could stop me from feeling pumped for the night ahead because I was seeing the Queen of the North herself, Brooke Lynn Hytes!
For anyone who isn’t quite caught up with RuPaul’s Drag Race, or hasn’t been exposed to drag before, Brooke Lynn Hytes was the first Canadian contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race, a competition reality TV show where RuPaul invites queens to compete for the chance to be crowned “America’s next drag superstar”. The winner also gets also win a bunch of money and a significant supply of cosmetics, but I think the true significance of the show is the cultural impact. This cultural impact is important because people from all walks of life can find inspiration through watching people living their lives and speaking their truths. You don’t necessarily need to be part of the LGBTQIA2S+ community to be inspired, trust me, but it can be so much more significant for members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
As soon as we got past security, my friend and I found seats towards the back. Being drag show newbies, we didn’t quite know what to expect. I bought myself a beverage and briefly chatted with another queen, featured in the show, Divinesque. Divenesque is a 59-year-old who didn’t care who knew it! She werked the room the only way she knew how with fierceness seeping from her pores! She sang live and did a great job interacting with the audience.
Our hostess for the night was Miss Drew, who has been on the drag scene for over 20 years! She had obvious lip-syncing skills and knew her words, as well as some very interesting choreography. After Miss Drew, we welcomed Regina West, a novice queen. She was alright, but I was done with the appetizers and desperate for the main course, Brooke Lynn Hytes!
The minute that Demi Lovato’s “Sorry Not Sorry” started playing, I lost my marbles! I screamed, stood up and then I finally saw Brooke. She came out in her iconic lip-sync outfit from RuPaul’s Drag Race and the best moments of my life flashed before my eyes before paling in comparison. I cried real tears before turning to my bestie and screaming:
“Ariana was right, God IS a woman!”
Brooke Lynn Hytes performing on Monday, September 23, 2019. Photo by Cheyanne Mulchinock.
I was shaking so violently throughout the entire experience that I thought I was going to pass out.
For approximately 3 hours, I spent time with myself, my BFF, and a Goddess named Brooke Lynn Hytes. I honestly haven’t had an experience like this since I saw Taylor Swift’s Reputation Tour, which was more spiritual than the youth retreat I went on. But this drag show was like that, it was like when I used to attend a Friday night Christian youth group and would close my eyes and try to talk to God while the band played songs about Jesus. My Monday night was just like those Friday nights, except I felt welcome at the drag show. Not once did I ever feel judged or uncomfortable for who I am. There wasn’t a single moment where I felt like I needed to be somewhere or someone else.
Not everyone shares my opinions, and that’s fine! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I personally believe Brooke Lynn Hytes is a force to be reckoned with and I would love the chance to meet her, but since that probably won’t happen anytime soon, I’ll settle for my one night to remember. Her performance will forever be a highlight for me, and I am still humming Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”. Even when I am old and grey, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will hear Demi or Celine and instantly be taken to that one special Church.
You know, the one in Brooke Lynn Hytes.