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Glastonbury Festival 2023: The Highlights

The 53-year-old event, dubbed “UK’s biggest musical festival,” was filled with drama, stage shocks, and huge surprises. Glastonbury’s gate flung open on Wednesday, 21 June 2023, and welcomed over 210,000 people who trooped into Somerset’s Worthy Farm to experience the anticipated occasion’s glitz, glam, and glory. 

Here are seven highlights from the event before the curtains closed on Sunday, 25 June 2023.

The Churnups? What The Hell!

Mystery band, The Churnups were announced as headliners, leaving speculations on their identity. But the atmosphere roared with life when Dave Grohl came on stage and revealed The Foo Men as the missing piece of the puzzle. The band’s frontman dedicated their last song on the setlist, Everlong, to their deceased drummer, Taylor Hawkins, and introduced Josh Freese as his replacement. Friday night also saw performances from Arctic Monkeys, Kelis, and Guns N’ Roses.

Blimey! Is that Cate Blanchett?

Two-time Oscar award-winning actress Cate Blanchett got the crowd wild on Friday night when she appeared on stage with US pop duo Sparks. Glastonbury has a reputation for pulling off surprises, but no one was ready for the 54-year-old Australian superstar dressed in a yellow suit and buzzing with vigour. Sparks performed “This Girl Is Crying In Her Latte” while Cate replicated her energetic dance routine in the song’s music video. 

Confession Time With Lewis Capaldi

Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi announced his struggles with Tourette’s syndrome in September 2022. While singing his final song, the worldwide hit “Someone You Loved,” on Saturday, the 26-year-old pop artiste lost his voice in an emotional atmosphere. He took the backseat, allowing the crowd to fill in for him as his band played the outro, signifying an end to his one-hour set. On Tuesday, the singer announced an indefinite break from touring to focus on his health. 

Headliner Lana Del Rey Cut Short On Set

Lana Del Rey’s performance at the Glastonbury Festival got cut short after she arrived 30 minutes late on Saturday. The technical crew muted the 38-year-old’s mic before she could perform anticipated tracks like “Summertime Sadness.” But the fans protested and sang “Video Games” a capella, while the critically acclaimed American songwriter joined them just in time before security led her off stage. 

Jacob Collier Brings The Church To Town 

English multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier led the audience at the West Holts Stage on a soulful rendition of Queen’s “Somebody To Love.” He split the crowd of 30,000 into various sections and directed them to sing in different harmonies, waving his hands like a skilful choir director to signify unison, change in keys, and up and down scales. The 28-year-old Jazz singer was left dumbfounded at the magical result and thanked the audience for being unbelievable and surreal.

Debbie Harry Shows Up In Style

On Sunday, the 77-year-old lead vocalist of the ‘70s band Blondie rocked the Glastonbury Festival in an all-black mini dress. Debbie Harry paired the dress with a black jacket and a black inner t-shirt. She also wore dark visor sunglasses to match her striking outfit and started her performance with the band’s smash hit “One Way Or Another.” However, some online and onsite viewers complained that they couldn’t hear the American rock legend.

Elton John Bows Out Gracefully 

On Sunday, Sir Elton John came out in a gold suit and delivered an impeccable performance on what may be his last gig at Glastonbury. With hits upon hits like “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer,” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” the 76-year-old British legend didn’t disappoint, taking the audience on a nostalgic ride into every era of his 50-plus-year career. 

John was joined on stage by Brandon Flowers, Stephen Sanchez, Jacob Lusk, and movie debutante Rina Sawayama. The Beatles legend Paul McCartney watched from the wings as the singer dedicated his single “Don’t Go Down On Me” to his deceased friend, British legend George Michael who would have turned 60 on Sunday. 

These were the memorable events of the just concluded festival. Early this week, organisers Michael and Emily Eavis confirmed that there would be Glastonbury 2024 when they shared a picture on Twitter with the words “See you in 366 days”. Although the dates are not confirmed, we look forward to more surprises as we anticipate next year’s event. 

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Art + Culture Featured

‘Pageboy’: New Elliot Page Memoir

pageboy by Elliot page

‘Pageboy’, the upcoming memoir from Elliot Page, is set to be an Immense Personal Triumph

Described by publishers as “ground-breaking”, Juno and The Umbrella Academy star Elliot Page has announced the release of his first book and memoir, ‘Pageboy’. With a release date of June 6th 2023, Page took to Instagram to share the news, along with an in-depth and personal explanation as to the contents and meaning behind his decision to write such a memoir. 

The actor wrote, “The act of writing, reading, and sharing the multitude of our experiences is an important step in standing up to those who wish to silence and harm us.” Pages’ use of ‘us’, here, is in reference to the trans community, following the actor’s December 2020 announcement that he identified as a transgender man following months of intense self-reflection during the COVID-19 enforced lockdowns.  

 

Elliot Page
@ Ruven Afanador

He reflected on this further through the announcement of ‘Pageboy’, highlighting how promotional photoshoots often left him feeling uncomfortable in his own body during his pre-transition stardom: “At many points in my life it felt unbearable to be in front of a camera but making this cover with acclaimed photographer Catherine Opie was a joyful experience that I will never forget.”

He takes this notion further, ending the post on a note of hope for other transgender individuals that this comfortability is achievable, which appears to be a message that will continue throughout the pages of his memoir. “I could barely sit still, let alone focus long enough to complete such a task. At last, I can be with myself, in this body.”

Page is best known for his role in the coming-of-age teen movie Juno, released in 2007. More recently, the star has taken on a leading role in popular Netflix superhero series, The Umbrella Academy.

‘Pageboy’ by Elliot Page will be published by Flatiron and available for sale in stores and online from June 2023.

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Community Featured

Is Christian Fascism on the Rise in the US?

christian fascism

Should we be worried about Christian fascism gaining popularity?

Many Americans are concerned with how religion bleeds into modern US politics, especially considering the current state of affairs in its political climate after the overturn of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. And, there are some concerns that Christian fascism is rising in the US. Others even say it has always been on the rise, and it’s only now that the American population faces the consequences

Christian fascism takes the worse traits associated with Christianity, twists its moral values and teachings, and imposes them on a community as a natural world order. It believes that Christianity is a global religion and its tenets should be adopted by everyone

It’s a far-right political ideology and encompasses the totalitarian traits of the Christian church. Journalists like David Newert and Chris Hedges have tracked the origins of US Christian fascism, also known as Christofascism, back to the Great Depression. 

Hedges’ book, American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America, discusses cult tactics employed by churches in the movement and the worship of masculinity. There’s a high emphasis on women’s alienation, isolation, and (yikes) subjugation, using Biblical scripture to reinforce male supremacy. 

Is Christian Fascism on the rise in the US?
Stack of coins money with USA America flag © Vecteezy

We can appreciate the not-so-subtle traits of this narrative in the arguments used by some Christian Republicans and radical pro-lifers. Many users accuse associate justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, Brett M. Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Neil M. Gorsuch, each nominated by ex-president Donald Trump, of being part of a conservative bloc that has slowly allowed Christofascism to subjugate American politics and law.

The consequences of Christofascism rising can be seen in the fights for women’s health rights, same-sex & LGBT+ rights, and climate change.

Urologist Ashley Winter mentioned in a tweet how she got her abortion in a liberal state but was frightened by the numerous protestors outside the clinic, one of the manifestations of Christofascistic fervor against women who seek an abortion. 

In another example, a state-sponsored Christian adoption agency refuses to help a couple in Tennessee because they are Jewish. They filed a lawsuit challenging a 2020 law that established legal protections for private adoption agencies to reject the state-funded placement of children to parents using their religious beliefs as a basis.

The law was mainly used as a free pass to discriminate against LBGT+ couples seeking to adopt. Still, it didn’t deter the Holston United Methodist Home for Children in Greeneville from denying them a home-study certification when they attempted to adopt a child from Florida.

Christian fascism has negative consequences for anyone who’s not a Christian and even for Christians who don’t wholeheartedly agree with everything stated by the Christofascistic doctrine.

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Art + Culture Featured

Berghain To Close Down Permanently This Year

Berghain: the world’s techno capital is set to close its doors

Techno heads are having a breakdown this week with the circulating news that the world’s most well-known techno venue, Berghain, is due to close down. Although it’s not confirmed, multiple reliable sources are claiming the rumours are true. This means that you have just months to dust off your leather bondage and book a one-way ticket to the concrete haven in Kreuzberg, Berlin.

Berghain
The infamous queue (Clubs Berlin)

“The Berghain is closing forever — the final end will come this year,” alleges one inside source to Faze Magazine. “One of the founders has already been paid out and is said to be staying in the countryside in Brandenburg,” says another. “The others simply ‘don’t feel like it’ anymore and have other life plans in mind.” To make things worse, it’s likely that Berghain will not be put on the market, meaning that it will likely close for good. Faze Magazine, continued: “In this case, there are different concepts, for example passing the club on to younger hands or selling it to another operator. Apparently, this is not desirable.”

Berghain first opened to the public in 1998, when it was first called Ostgut. In 2004 it was completely gutted and redeveloped into Berghain. Since then, the club has gained notoriety for being one of the most mysterious underground techno clubs in the world. Despite gaining an immense reputation in the techno scene, it has still managed to maintain its mystique by enforcing one of the strictest door policies ever known. Each night thousands of budding clubbers descend on the club in an attempt to be one of the lucky hundreds who make it past the stern-faced bouncers and into the multi-storey techno complex.

One of the few inside shots of Berghain (National Geographic)

Within the building hides ‘Lab.oratory’ – a notorious space for the sexually adventurous. Little is known about this room, apart from the fact that it is frequented mostly by gay men for those who are interested in leather, rubber and BDSM. The Berghain in general is an extremely queer venue, but not an exclusive one. Berghain is free for anyone who fits the open-minded brief. There is a strict no-phone policy to encourage visitors to be in the moment. There are very few rules inside, and drugs are everywhere. There are dark rooms to fulfil your sexual desires, and there are even hidden rooms and mazes equipped with bondage equipment and cages.

Everywhere has its moment, and for Berghain, its moment has spanned over 2 decades. Regardless of what happens, Berghain has helped expand the minds of thousands of clubgoers over the years, and for that reason alone, the legacy of Berghain will always live on.

 

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Featured TV and Film

Blue Jean Tells An Important Story at London Film Festival

Blue Jean Cast and Crew

Chapter Z was lucky enough to watch Blue Jean this month at London Film Festival, and it’s definitely one we’d recommend 

Blue Jean follows Jean (Rosy McEwen), a PE teacher who frequents lesbian bars at night with her long-term partner, Viv (Kerrie Hayes). Set in 1988, Thatcher’s government are about to pass Section 28 – a law that meant homosexuality was not to be ‘promoted’ – meaning Jean has to lead this double life. When new student Lois (Lucy Halliday) arrives, Jean does everything she can to stop her sexuality from being discovered.

There are moments where some of the acting or jokes feel slightly made-for-TV, but it’s easy to get over if you choose to just to see it as it is a BBC film. Aside from that McEwan, Hayes, and Halliday, all deliver exceptional performances, and we ended up enjoying the film more than we expected going into it.

Set in the North East, Jean works in a state school in Tyneside, after recently coming out as a lesbian to friends and family since being divorced. We watch students make homophobic jokes and accusations about other students’ sexuality with Jean in the room, with students unknowing and Jean staying quiet in an attempt to keep her job.

Blue Jean
© Venice Film Festival

Outside of school, Jean goes to a lesbian bar with her friends and long-term partner Viv, an escape from the suffocating reality of being queer in 80s Britain. Whilst not ideal, Jean has accepted that she must live two lives if she wants to keep her job and livelihood.

That is until new student Lois joins the school, who despite not saying anything, is bullied for her queerness by Siobhan, a player in the school’s netball team that Jean coaches. Siobhan, like the rest of the school, is unknowing about Jean’s sexuality and so, whilst she is desperate for Jean’s approval, she mocks Lois. This is to ensure that no one suggests anything about her and her sexuality.

Lois ends up going to the same lesbian bar as Jean one night, causing Jean to be unsure of what to do, wanting to protect herself more than anything. And, this dilemma makes up the rest of the film.

Written and directed by Georgia Oakley, Blue Jean makes for an impressive feature debut. Ultimately, the story, paired with some great acting mainly from McEwan and Hayes, makes for an enjoyable watch. And, with the recent news that hate crimes in England are on the rise, it makes for an important watch too.

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Art + Culture Featured

I, Joan at The Globe: A Review

Currently, The Globe Theatre is home to the lively and bold retelling of Joan of Arc, ‘I, Joan’, which received criticism before it even arrived on the stage

Written by Charlie Josephine and directed by Ilinca Radulian, ‘I, Joan’, is the powerful and joyous new play that tells the story of Joan of Arc with a fresh new perspective.

“The men are all fighting, again. An endless war. From nowhere, an unexpected leader emerges. Young, poor and about to spark a revolution. This is Joan. Rebelling against the world’s expectations, questioning the gender binary, Joan finds their power and their belief spreads like fire.”

I, Joan
©whatsonstage.com

This production faced criticism very early on for taking a feminist icon and stripping her of her femininity. However, this play takes Joan’s story and imagines what it might have been like if the language we have now was around at that time. At its heart, it is a story about what it means to be human. Anyone who might have any doubts about this play should quickly dispel them.

The Globe released a statement on ‘I, Joan’ and Identity, stating, “We are not the first to present Joan in this way, and we will not be the last. Regarding the use of pronouns, ‘they’ to refer to a singular person has been traced by the Oxford English Dictionary to as early as 1375, years before Joan was even born. Regardless, theatres do not deal with ‘historical reality’. Theatres produce plays, and in plays, anything can be possible. Shakespeare did not write historically accurate plays. He took figures of the past to ask questions about the world around him. Our writers of today are doing no different, whether that’s looking at Ann Boleyn, Nell Gwynn, Emilia Bassano, Edward II, or Joan of Arc. The Globe is a place of imagination. A place where, for a brief amount of time, we can at least consider the possibility of worlds elsewhere. We have had entire storms take place on stage, the sinking of ships, twins who look nothing alike being believable, and even a Queen of the fairies falling in love with a donkey.”

A rousing battle cry

This piece feels theatrical and rousing and exciting, with Joan’s army made up of Groundlings, it is an honour to join them on their journey of self-discovery. With a live band positioned directly above the stage, a fantastic set design on which actors slide in and out of the action, and amazing movement direction you really feel like you’re preparing for battle. Josephine’s use of language combined with an extraordinary performance from Isobel Thom (they/them) makes for a truly captivating show. It felt truly magical to stand amongst such a diverse audience at The Globe and watch this story unfold. And, whilst it could be painful at times, it really captured the essence of what it feels like to not fit into society’s boxes or labels. The language was often repetitive, reinforcing the notion of having to explain yourself over and over again to every new person you meet.

I, Joan
© timeout.com

Ultimately though, throughout the course of the play, as more and more people were plucked from the crowd to join Joan’s army, it really felt like I was a witness to, and a participant in, something truly special.

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Featured Music

Ella Henderson Receives Huge Backlash for Performing at Tory Party Event

Ella Henderson

Is the former X Factor star, Ella Henderson about to be cancelled?

Usually, the Conservative Party Conference is an attempt to rebrand and refresh policies and ideas for their own party and the public. But, this year, the conference has struggled to draw up any positive enthusiasm, thanks to the succession of scandals that have plagued the party. Public frustration at the Tories is reaching an all-time high. People are sick of the harsh immigration policies, the neglect of the economy, and the unprecedented rise in bills. All this anger needs to be directed somewhere, and it appears, former X Factor contestant, Ella Henderson has unexpectedly been caught in the crossfire.

Ella Henderson
Ella (Promotional Shots)

Fans went into meltdown this week as the Lincolnshire-born singer was pictured performing at the tory party conference. The footage shows an upbeat Ella, singing her greatest hits to a room full of MPs and officials in suits. The attendees look quite thrilled at the private show, which is probably due to the fact that most artists reject such offers. However, Ella looked delighted on stage, which angered many of her supporters.

“It’s important to remember in a time we talk about queerbaiting a lot, be conscious that it doesn’t have to involve anything sexually suggestive,” says Chris (@ChrisJaeThey) on Twitter. “One of the prevalent forms of queerbaiting is performing every Pride that’ll pay you on a Saturday, then at a Tory event on a Tuesday,” they continued. Most of the disappointed fans are from the LGBT+ community. To make things worse, Ella’s career has been propped up by the UK’s queer community and she even gigged at Brighton Pride just a few months earlier. Accepting a gig from the Tories, therefore, is a stab in the front – let alone the back.

“Would hate to be on Ella Henderson’s PR team this morning,” says a half joking half serious Twitter user. And, Ella’s PR team has responded, claiming that the event was organised by TikTok, and as a result, the show doesn’t suggest that Ella has political affiliation with the party. The team also claim that Ella was due to perform at the Labour Party conference a week before, but had to pull out due to an illness.

Regardless of whether Ella’s performance was meant to be a political statement or not, it still made a statement. The Conservative Party has had a very real negative impact on many vulnerable communities in the UK, including the LGBT+ community. So, the backlash is unsurprising, to say the least. The world is going through a very tumultuous time, and artists need to be more conscious of the political contexts in which they choose to work in. If Ella didn’t want backlash, she should have remained politically neutral, but she didn’t. Ella decided to follow the money, and for that, she must now face the consequences.

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Featured TV and Film

Velma Comes Out of the Closet: Mystery Solved

Velma (YNaija)

Sorry, China, you may want to censor Scooby Doo, too!

It’s not the biggest surprise in the world, but LGBT+ fans are delighted to hear that their suspicions were right all along and that Velma from Scooby Doo is in fact a lesbian. Fans have been picking up on the character’s mannerisms all throughout the animated series and live-action movies and, finally, the show’s creators have confirmed the news, sending fans into a frenzy.

Velma
Velma (Pink News)

“In 2001 Velma was explicitly gay in my initial script,” wrote James Gunn, who wrote the early live-action movies. He continued, “But the studio just kept watering it down & watering it down, becoming ambiguous (the version shot), then nothing (the released version) & finally having a boyfriend (the sequel).”

Scooby Doo’s producer, Tony Cervone, was also on the same page. In a lengthy Instagram post during 2020’s Pride Month, he wrote: “I’ve said this before, but Velma in ‘Mystery Incorporated’ is not bi. She’s gay. We always planned on Velma acting a little off and out of character when she was dating Shaggy because that relationship was wrong for her and she had unspoken difficulty with the why. There are hints about the why in that episode with the mermaid, and if you follow the entire Marcie arc it seems as clear as we could make it 10 years ago. I don’t think Marcie and Velma had time to act on their feelings during the main timeline, but post-reset, they are a couple. You can not like it, but this was our intention.”

Velma
Velma (Glamour)

For many, the news is a silly news story, which is being used for publicity. Whereas for queer fans, the revelation is more personal, as it means a greater LGBT+ reputation on our screens, especially in a show which caters towards a younger demographic. “OMG LESBIAN VELMA FINALLY CANON CANON IN THE MOVIES LETS GOOOOOO,” says one tweet, which has been liked by over a quarter of a million times.

Many are hailing the news as an important coming-out landmark moment for the lesbian community. Often, in movies and TV, the first characters to come out are gay men. Lesbian characters are mostly snubbed, even in 2022. “I definitely identified with Velma,” says Julie Bindel, in a piece for the Guardian. “Like her, I was always the odd one out. Of course, I didn’t wonder at that young age whether she was a lesbian, but I certainly knew that she was what we used to call a “tomboy”, just like me.”

The Scooby-Doo world has been around for more than half a century. The show touched multiple generations, and so, Velma’s coming out is an important moment which will unite a wide age range of people – who at some point in their lives – found relatability and escapism in the cute and goofy, Velma Dinkley.

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Community Featured

Liz Truss: Should the LGBTQ+ Community Trust the New Prime Minister?

Liz Truss

Will Liz Truss do any good for the LGBTQ+ community during her time as Prime Minister?

On the 6th of September, the now-former Prime Minister and Conservative Party Leader, Boris Johnson, made way for a new era in politics in the form of Liz Truss. Aged 47, Truss was officiated as the country’s Prime Minister by the late Queen Elizabeth II, and we, the nation’s citizens, are now subject to yet another (in recent years) tumultuous period in which the Conservative Party find their feet in Downing Street under new leadership.

But, of course, Truss has made a name for herself before the new title as the former Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development affairs, of which she was appointed in September of 2021. If we are to look back even further, Truss began to receive public attention after she took the role of Minister for Women and Equalities in September 2019. This attention, however, was not positive from members of the LGBTQ+ community. As Minister for equalities, Truss promoted anything but. She has never been “particularly vocal in supporting Trans rights”, nor has she made any movements toward re-instating the LGBT Advisory panel that was disbanded and abandoned in April 2021 after Jayne Ozanne resigned, stating that it was “a hostile environment.” Consequently, the LGBTQ+ community are left floundering, with little to no government representation and a Prime Minister that doesn’t seem particularly keen on bettering their place in society. As the Minister of Equality, we received little from Truss, will we receive even less as she takes on the role of Prime Minister?

The concern for Truss and her ‘opinions’ of members of the British LGBTQ+ community has risen significantly in recent weeks. In a Talk TV Leadership interview that is now taking the internet by storm, Truss is asked by host Julia Hartley-Brewer if she believes that trans women are women, to which Truss simply replies “No.” Unfortunately for the country’s trans community, this is perhaps unsurprisin, as Truss is known for not being particularly pro-trans rights. This notion came to a head in 2020, when as Minister for Equalities, Truss scrapped planned reforms to the ‘Gender Recognition Act’. This act was a vital step forward for trans people as the GRA would have made it much easier for trans individuals to change their legal gender without a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

Liz Truss
© Henry Nicholls

This hit hard and was incredibly disappointing for the majority of the trans community who were vocal online about their upset, and yet, Truss defended her decision to scrap the GRA reforms, stating “it wouldn’t be right to have self-identification with no checks and balances in the system.” After her role as Minister for Equalities, it appears as though we cannot expect beneficial policies for the trans community under her leadership, as she initially appears to be doing her “best to focus on economy and taxes over trans issues.” This, of course, is still a necessary issue considering the current cost-of-living crisis the UK is facing, but considering Liz Truss’ previous stance on trans issues, it is perhaps fair that their community are unlikely to hold out hope that she will employ policies that will benefit them. 

Whilst it is clear that Truss is causing indirect damage to the trans community; it does not stop there. The Prime Minister, due to the pressure of the leadership race, has chosen to position herself as central to the Tories’ ‘war on woke’ would help garner some support within the party. As a result of this ‘war’, the government promptly disbanded its own LGBT Advisory Panel after several members resigned. The situation began in March 2021 when Jayne Ozanne, an anti-conversion therapy campaigner and a member of the panel, cited a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ people on the panel. Following their lead, other members of the panel resigned within the next week. The government responded by formally disbanding the Panel in April, and whilst Truss promised a new panel with speed, it is yet to materialise over a year on. “It was a disappointing moment for LGBTQ+ people who still harboured hope that the government would turn things around and improve life for queer people in the UK.” 

Consequently, the LGBTQ+ community are left to continue to fight for themselves, with little trust that the leaders of the country will listen, fight with for the community and instigate change. It is an especially hopeless time for the trans community, who Truss outwardly continues to disregard, but also a time of grave worry and stress for the entire LGBTQ+ community. 

 

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Art + Culture Featured

Cherry Valentine, Drag Race UK Star, Dies Aged 28

George and Cherry (Pink News)

Tributes pour in as the news breaks of George Ward’s passing

On September 23rd, Drag Race fans from throughout the world woke up to the devastating news of the passing of Drag royalty Cherry Valentine. At the moment, we are unsure of the cause of death, but what we do know is that her legacy will live on in the masses of people that she touched during her short but colorful life on earth.

Cherry Valentine
Cherry Valentine (Sky News)

Cherry Valentine, born George Ward, rose to fame on the second series of the British take on Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Despite not winning, Cherry stole the hearts of the nation, as his infectious laugh, good sense of humor and kind nature made her shine. The series was broadcast during the COVID-19 pandemic, where George Ward helped on the front line as a mental health nurse for the NHS. George believed that his journey as a drag queen had a positive impact on his ability to offer the best care to patients in his day-to-day job: “If you are a drag queen you are working with people. And to understand people I think you go the extra mile.”

Shortly following the show, Cherry’s light shined brighter, selling out shows all across the country. Just last year, she was handpicked by British pop icon, Charli XCX, to perform in her music video for the lead single, Good Ones. Cherry’s drag was described as “glamour”, “gothic” and “dark” by herself and many of her fans.

Cherry was a huge advocate for mental health. This February George opened up like never before, discussing his “traveler” heritage in BBC’s ‘Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud.’ In this poignant documentary, George went back to his ‘gypsy’ routes and discussed the stigma within the community surrounding sexuality and mental health. The show was incredibly emotional as George discussed his reasons for leaving the community in search of freedom. The show shined a light on the community and presented an angle to the traveling community that is relatively unknown.

Cherry Valentine
Cherry (BBC)

Since the news broke on Twitter, Cherry’s cast-mates and friends shared their disbelief at the news. “I’m in shock and not quite sure how to process the news,” says Joe Black. “I will cherish the times we had together. An exceptional artist and person.” Ginny Lemon shares their grief, “Just woke up, just found out. I’m devastated and can’t stop crying.”

The fourth season of UK’s Drag Race premiered yesterday. A short tribute on next week’s episode is expected.