The Canada’s Drag Race runner-up talks about launching her foundation with the hopes of helping 2SLGBTQI+ individuals conquer addiction…
By Stephan Petar
During the Season 2 finale of Canada’s Drag Race, Brooke Lynn Hytes asked Kendall Gender about her journey to that point. In her emotional response, Gender gave the world a glimpse into her past struggle with substances. “For me, drugs and alcohol stole so many years of my life and so many opportunities that I feel like I could’ve had. The thing that turned my light back on was drag.”
When the season premiered in 2021, Gender was in her sixth year of sobriety. This year, she will celebrate a decade – and in honour of the milestone, she has launched The Kendall Gender Foundation. The not-for-profit organization raises funds for at-risk individuals seeking treatment at drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres. Partnering with Last Door in British Columbia, the foundation’s goal is to cover the cost of one person’s treatment every calendar year. On average, the cost for a 90-day treatment can be about $30,000.
The foundation’s idea came to Gender during the Canada’s Drag Race promo shoot but, while she was excited to bring it to fruition, her life after Season 2 was a whirlwind. “Performing and travelling…that stuff took up so much of my time. Now I’m more in control of my schedule…to do projects I’m passionate about, and it’s obviously this,” she says.
Fighting substance abuse in the 2SLGBTQI+ community
According to the Florida-based Addiction Center, “an estimated 20 to 30 per cent of the LGBTQ+ community abuses substances, compared to about nine per cent of the general population.” Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health notes that some of the reasons for this difference can include the need to escape feelings of isolation, alienation and discrimination from a homophobic society, along with other unique challenges like stigma and identity.
“I think a lot of that comes from the idea of dislocation. The idea that you feel foreign in a situation…it’s different for everyone,” Gender says. “I had trauma that I needed to deal with that made me want to escape from my own quote-unquote reality. I wanted to numb that pain, and that’s so common for many people.”
She is also conscious of the current climate we live in, and worries about its potential impact. “Right now, queer people are in a really precarious time politically, socially and economically. That unfortunately comes hand in hand with mental health and addiction issues.”
For Gender, it was important to weave her lived-experience into the development of the foundation. The queen experienced first-hand the impacts of substance abuse and the crushing feeling of wanting help but being faced with barriers. She shares how, after being an active addict for years, she moved back home when she felt she had hit rock bottom.
She recalls looking at treatment facilities with her father, but how the cost made her recovery journey feel almost impossible. “It was a daunting experience because I really wanted help,” she says. “I see people in active addiction and it’s tough because it feels like an unattainable solution. I wanted to find a way to alleviate that stress for someone.”
The financial barrier is one deterrent for 2SLGBTQI+ people. There are also worries that counsellors and nurses will not understand one’s circumstances or will be ignorant about sexual orientation and gender identity issues.
When Gender initially searched for treatment, she was questioning her gender and sexuality. This made her unsure if she’d be comfortable in a men’s-only rehab centre. “It was a confusing time for me,” she says.
A growing sober movement
When Gender first started drag, she was not sober. When she began her sobriety journey, she started to feel a sense of empowerment. “I felt so strong and I allowed myself to use drag as my therapy in a lot of ways,” she explains. “When I’m going through something, you can tell based on the songs I’m performing or the costumes I choose.”
She now uses her public image to share her journey in the hopes of breaking stigma. “I’m not ashamed of being sober; I see it as part of my story,” she proclaims. “I get people all the time saying, ‘You sharing your story about sobriety made me want to open up to my co-workers about the fact that I’m sober.’”
She’s also not alone in this mission. Many Drag Race queens from across franchises have spoken about their sobriety. Last season, contestants Jaylene Tyme and Perla had an emotional conversation about the topic, with Tyme noting the strong sober community that has been built.
“The more that people are open about it and the more you hear about it…it erases that stigma a little bit,” Gender explains. “That’s how people feel more comfortable with talking about it.”
As the activist continues to build her foundation, she says the goal for Year 1 is simple: raise funds online, at performances, through dedicated fundraisers, corporate sponsorships and more. From there, she hopes to continue to build her partnerships with organizations across Canada and make a change in the lives of 2SLGBTQI+ people.
To learn about upcoming fundraising events or to donate to The Kendall Gender Foundation, visit kendallgender.com or follow her on Instagram @kendallgender.
STEPHAN PETAR is a born and raised Torontonian, known for developing lifestyle, entertainment, travel, historical and 2SLGBTQI+ content. He enjoys wandering the streets of any destination he visits, where he’s guaranteed to discover something new or meet someone who will inspire his next story.
POST A COMMENT