Victoria mayor dresses in drag in solidarity with 2SLGBTQ+ after show cancelled by threats

After a family-friendly drag show in Victoria had to be cancelled due to threats of violence, the city’s mayor made a show of solidarity with the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Mayor Lisa Helps dressed in full drag — complete with a “5 o’clock shadow and a rainbow bowtie — during the raising of the Pride flag at city hall Friday.

“I did it in solidarity with anyone in our community who feels or felt unsafe from those threats, and particularly for any of the young people who might have been part of that family-friendly drag show on Saturday night — I wanted them to know, for everyone but for young people in particular, that our city is safe and our city is welcoming, and that we love them,” Helps told CityNews of her decision.

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps, dressed in drag, speaks at the Pride flag raising event on Friday, June 17, 2022. She says she dressed in drag to show solidarity with the community after an all-ages drag event was cancelled due to threats of violence. (Submitted by Lisa Helps)

Caffe Fantastico was forced to cancel the event, set for Saturday, June 18, after it said people had been calling the business and harassing staff members.

According to Helps, some of the calls involved threats of gun violence — something she says is unacceptable.

“Threats of gun violence are very scary,” she noted, adding “it is very worrying.” Helps says police are investigating.

Ryan Taylor, owner of Caffe Fantastico, said complaints initially started off as “homophobic sort of harassment” but escalated as the week went on.

While Taylor didn’t take the phone call, he said an individual called Caffe Fantastico and told a worker “someone should come in and shoot the place up and everyone in it.”

According to Taylor, the threats left a severe negative impact on the staff.

“A number of staff had to take mental health days and (were) not able to work and it’s understandably terrifying,” he said.

“We have seen a tremendous outpouring of support from the community. So the last couple of days (has) really helped turn people’s spirits around. But it was a really hard couple of days.”

In response to the cancelled event, Caffe Fantastico organized a new event on Saturday to show support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

“We felt that it was very important that something happened and that we speak up as loudly as we can and the show goes on. So we reached out a bit to the community and had just a wonderful response. We’ve had musicians and DJs and there will be some drag performers during the show tonight as well.”

Taylor said police had told him they had identified a few of the suspected callers.

In a statement, Victoria police said they were investigating the phone calls and planned to keep the staff at the café updated.

“It is very disappointing to learn of these deeply concerning calls and the impact that they have had on staff, event organizers and those who were looking forward to this event,” Diversity Advisory Committee Co-chair and VicPD Staff Sgt. Jennifer Ames said. “Hate has no place in Victoria.”

Read more: Family-friendly Victoria drag show cancelled due to threats, harassment

Despite the cancellation of Saturday’s show, the mayor says those working at the coffee shop aren’t going to sit idly by.

“[Saturday], from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m., instead of the planned event, they’re having a fundraiser for the Pride Society. They’ve pivoted and, again, when we come together when these threats happen, it actually builds solidarity and makes the community, including the queer community and allies, even stronger and more supported,” Helps explained.

When it comes to dressing in drag, Helps says she had to come up with something to show her community that she stands with them.

“I knew we were raising the Pride flag anyway the next day, and I thought, ‘what can I do with more than words to actually show solidarity?’ And that’s when the idea occured,” she said. “I had to scramble — I don’t wear makeup — so I had to knock on some neighbour’s doors … it was 10 at night. I kind of cobbled it together.”

She says her decision was “received really, really well.” However, she acknowledges there’s always a risk.

“It is always a risk because the point was not a publicity stunt and the point was solidarity with people who felt threatened or worried, and I think that is what came across. I’ve had a number of emails from parents of young trans kids or queer kids just saying, ‘Thank you so much. I always felt Victoria was a safe place for my kid but your action today really affirmed that, even in the face of the threats,'” Helps recalled, adding she spoke at length with her staff to ensure she was “saying the right things.”

“I think the message that it sent to young people who are queer, or trans, or questioning, or non-binary, is that this is a city that is welcoming for them, a city that’s safe for them,” she added.

“The message was really clear: I am dressed in drag today in solidarity with anyone who feels afraid, or threatened, or worried to show that we’re here together and that you are loved.”

Pride flags set up outside of Victoria City Hall in June 2022. (Submitted by Mayor Lisa Helps)

Caffe Fantastico says it has a “wonderful history of promoting diversity and inclusion” and has showcased drag shows, among other artists, in the past without issue.

For The Love Of Drag, which is behind the show, says the event will be pushed to another date.

-With files from Denise Wong and Kareem Gouda