Aside from all the glam and beauty, Gender, born Kenneth Wyse, is a biracial activist based in B.C. who always looks out for the LGBTQIA2+ community in any way she can. In and out of drag, her awareness of creating safe spaces and uplifting those in need stays at the forefront of everything she does. Leaning into the drag persona of Kendall Gender (made on a play of Wyse's nickname Ken-doll and reality TV's Jenner gang) always felt natural. "I sort of came out of the womb a little more feminine, if you will. It was like an instant thing for me. I always wore my mom's pearls, hats, and stuff when I was young. So, it wasn't a big surprise for everyone when I got into drag. Everyone was like, 'okay, yeah, that makes sense!" That seems like a natural progression for you (laughs)." 

“But I think the biggest change in my life from professionally doing drag was when I started doing it as a sober entertainer. I started doing drag when I was partying. Then I took a little bit of time off, about eight months. And that aha moment was when I stepped back on stage as a sober performer. For me, it was something I felt so much joy in for many different aspects of my life. Sort of like going back to being a little kid and being able to express myself that way. It was like all the things I liked in my life coming to a head at that moment,” says Gender.

And Miss Gender served, honey. She came through as none other than the Queen Bee herself, singing a cover of Beyoncé’s fiercely unapologetic hit, “Formation.” I think it’s safe to say that was the performance of her life. As the tears fell post-performance, the pivot was made, and there was no turning back. Since then, Gender has been able to perform and share her talent with everyone on multiple stages. It only makes sense to pursue the thing that brings you the most joy.

{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZSV74K1fnA}

Gender had her fair share of challenges growing up as a biracial kid and learning about her ethnicity. Gender’s dad is Black with Nova Scotian roots, and her mom is white from B.C. So, on the one hand, you can be seen as not Black enough, and on the other, not white enough. There’s often no middle ground and Gender’s experience was lived somewhere in the in-between. 

“I think I’ve lived and experienced that in the idea of neither. That’s something I’ve felt many times growing up. It’s that you are neither of the full races. So, I feel like my cultural identity came from a mixed-race ideology. And when I say that, it’s because most of my extended family is also biracial. Many of my cousins and many marriages on my dad’s side are interracial as well. So, my family is blended not just in Black and white but in different ethnicities. That is the melting pot I grew up with,” says Gender.

As we delved deeper into the subject, the discussion of her annual VISIBLE event came to light. The event has been a fundraising endeavour to raise money and awareness for visible minorities every year since its inception. In 2020 alone, the event grossed $9,000 for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. She also loves to connect with the community anytime she can. Not too long ago, she did so in B.C. with an event curated by Twisted Element. Gender hosted a brunch where performers or audience members took to the stage to perform freely in a space without judgment.

“I’ve been doing it for a couple of years. It’s so very special. Some performers can be as young as eleven or twelve years old. To see them changing over three years and in that period of life, they’re growing up in front of me. I think that drag and children and all that stuff is a hot topic of discussion right now, especially in the States. For me and how I view it, I wish I had spaces like this when I was younger. I think it’s imperative to remember, too, that these spaces may not necessarily be for everyone. But they are for someone.” 

“I didn’t like having to go to basketball or baseball when I was younger. Which honey, I did because my dad was all, ‘you’re going to be in sports!” I didn’t always enjoy that! But if there was a space like this, even if it’s not as a performer but as a person, it’s somewhere I could have gone to be accepted, understood, heard and safe. Some of these kids don’t feel safe in their school. These are safe spaces for these kids, and we must recognize that drag can be such a welcoming and loving environment,” she says.     

Gender continues to serve her community while actively learning about herself in the process. It’s a continuous educational cycle for her. Learning about colourism, ethnicity across the board, causes, rapport, relationships and everything else she encounters on her journey. Daily ingrained in everything she does, whether through drag or her identity, it’s always done with immense understanding and the utmost respect. 

With this sense of pride and assuredness, she auditioned for Canada's Drag Race. It was a gruelling trial but so well worth it. "It was a very long audition process. Basically, it's the Olympics of drag. So they want to see if you can do every single sport to be a full Olympic athlete! (laughs). They sort of compress the show into a short video format. So you do dance challenges, acting challenges, lip-sync, fashion, and runway and show it to the producers. It's a lengthy process, so by the time you get on the show, you're like, yeah!"

{https://www.instagram.com/p/ClEfXBGLh0d/?hl=en}

To think Gender auditioned for the first season but didn't make the cut. But, of course, she took it as a challenge and rose to the occasion. It allowed her to fine-tune her position while upping her game, situating herself in the public eye, crossing all her t's and dotting the i's. So by the time season two came around, Gender presented the complete package and wasn't taking no for an answer.     

"By this point, I was already serious about drag and invested in my drag career. It was one of those opportunities that was the right wig, at the right place, at the right time (laughs). After that, everything fell right into place. It's been a magical journey that's changed my life in every way," says Gender.

Gender is loving the busy life that she's worked so hard for. Creating spaces where drag and culture intersect is impactful and resonates with many. Growing up, Gender didn't have outlets where she could perform or even share her queerness. Drag is an art form and a gateway for many. It's where those in the know share their talent and gifts and support their own. While others who are ready to absorb and discover its creativity and soul come to revel in its pageantry, unity and spectacularness.

Gender believes that visibility can save lives and continue to educate people. She said, with full gusto, that she's ecstatic that there are opportunities to continue to share her queer agenda with anyone who will listen. So you already know that Kendall Gender hasn't even begun with her reign on the masses. People, get ready. Gender is on a mission and has a job to do. You can’t tell her anything else otherwise.      

"I remember growing up; my school didn't have a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA). That didn't exist in my high school. Now, they're in almost every school regardless of how celebrated it is. So, even over these years, we've seen a shift. We're heading in the right direction, even though we have a lot of work to do."