Transformation Tuesday just got a whole lot QTer…New queers featured every week! Tag us, take a pic of us and follow us on Instagram at QWERRRKOUT, and you too could be the next QT! YOU BETTA QWERRRK! (Mx Qwerrrk pic by Santiago Felipe, illustration by Piepke)

Ryan Hemminge

Age: 20

Location: Manchester, United Kingdom

About:

“At the start of the year, I decided to take the plunge and move from a small town in South Wales, up to the big party city which is Manchester. I already had quite a big understanding of Manchester due to traveling back and fourth to visit friends here, and I knew that this was the city for me.

Due to the party life that lies on Canal Street, Manchester’s very own gay village, I was sucked into and completely mesmerized by the art of drag. I started off just experimenting in the house and was a bit afraid to go out with makeup on, due to the stigma and hate that comes with it. When I finally sucked it up and thought, fuck it, I’m going to go out with makeup on tonight, that’s when everything changed. Getting such positive and loving feedback off people in general (and obviously off all the village queens), that helped me and pushed me to keep practicing at my art.

I think what I love about drag the most is that we are constantly pushing gender norms and stereotypes in a positive direction that will always make such an impact to every day LGBT life, and I’m so happy, honored and proud to be involved in that movement.

As well as hosting on a Thursday night at KIKI Manchester, I work a lot on pushing my art through social media, because I know that’s where a lot of young queer people seek out inspiration; and also, I suppose hope that they aren’t alone in the way they feel or choose to live their life. Drag is such a beautiful art and no one should hide away due to negative comments injected into the world and through the media.”