While studying at university in New Brunswick, Denim began pursuing drag more seriously. “I was really just doing drag in my bedroom, because there was no queer scene. I was pulling looks [and] posting them on Instagram.” Eventually, that private self-expression turned into Denim doing live performances, and the realization that drag could be a full-on career. “The first time I performed on a stage was at a college party in someone’s basement,” Denim says. “I performed ‘Goodbye Earl’ by The Chicks. I was wearing a denim thong, so I said, ‘My name is Denim Pussy!’ The name Denim stuck.”
On this season of Canada’s Drag Race, that initial sense of flamboyancy and fun was still very much alive and well. No matter what the challenge was, Denim brought a sense of style and humor to the screen. “My drag is controlled chaos,” she says. “It’s camp, it’s avant-garde.” Equally as important throughout the season, says Denim, was finding looks that also felt true to her trans identity. “As a trans man doing drag, I’m always trying to find ways of accentuating the features that make me feel comfortable in my body. I like playing with soft features against really harsh, masculine features—like having my flat, hairy chest out while having a super glam painted face.”
Photo: Courtesy of @denimjustdenim
