Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.02.2018, Qupperneq 56

L IF E , T R AV EL & EN T ER TA INMEN T IN ICEL A ND
Issue 02 × 2018
Feb 2 – Mar 1
www.grapevine.is

LAST WORDS
Iceland Loses
A Wonda
Words: Wonda Starr
The departure of Iceland’s favourite drag queen
to England may just be the death of the queer
culture renaissance in Iceland. Its life was
short and troubled, but for a while there, it was
bordering on impressionable.
Perhaps I’m biased, because said drag queen
is me, but the thriving queer scene in Iceland
will struggle to survive once I’ve gone. Unless
you’re a philistine with no interest in cross-
dressing attention seekers, life in Iceland will
become more bleak and dark than… life in
Iceland? I don’t think there’s a better analogy.
I first landed on this sorry little rock four
years ago, with nothing but a restraining order
from Kevin Spacey and a few international
arrest warrants. The cultural scene was a pu-
ritanical wasteland. Performers, no matter
the medium, were universally clothed; trigger
warnings were issued then not lived up to; and
audiences would leave a show in the same state
of pregnancy, mental wellbeing and wetness
with which they entered. It was tragic.
Thankfully, through the art forms of perfor-
mance, writing and shameless self-promotion,
I changed all of that. From nothing, queer vari-
ety shows were born all around the city, and all
of those that were at least half-decent starred
me. While some say I cannot claim full (or
even any) credit for the blossoming drag scene
across Reykjavík—with regular shows now
in Gaukurinn, Loft and Kiki—I like to do so
anyway.
My work is now a legacy. Performers once
again know that the more clothes they remove,
the more tips they receive. Ethnic jokes are
back, more ostracising than ever. And drunken
acts of public violence are once again consid-
ered a form of entertainment. Let’s hope it
lasts.
Through achieving these goals, however, I
have also been part of a powerful youth move-
ment. The drag renaissance has reinforced the
ideals of LGBTQ+ liberation and celebration,
challenged ideals of the gender binary, and
brought attention to the needs of the disen-
franchised and ignored. It has also proved that
every oddball child will have an avenue where
they can express themselves and a community
to embrace them in the future.
For my part in these things, I sincerely
apologise. For the rest: you’re welcome.
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Reviewed January 23, 2017