Derbyshire drag queen says school cancelling LGBT Drag ‘n’ Rainbows event is ‘terrible’

Tom Prince, who is known in the drag circle as Dame Feisty, grew up in Buxton and thinks a drag event at the New Mills school would have done so much good.

The 30-year-old now living in Shirebrook, said: “I was so angry and so annoyed when I found the school were cancelling their pride celebrations – it’s terrible.”

The non-uniform day would have featured Sab Samuel, better known as Aida H Dee, who runs Drag Queen Story.

However, the school cancelled the event last week after a backlash from angry parents. The school said the event would take place when the Year 11s were taking their GCSEs so to avoid any potential disruption it would no longer be going ahead.

Tom said: “As a gay man growing up there was no representation in schools, no acceptance and this would have been a wonderful way to celebrate pride and offer a new life experience and different perspective to students.”

Tom has been a drag queen for nearly three years and says while it can be sexual his Dame Feisty persona reflects the likes of Dame Edna and Lily Savage with a quick wit - not always in a sexual way.

He said: “It’s about giving students the right information and for me had I seen a drag queen while I was at school it would have given me reassurance.

“It could have done so much good for the pupils and the LGBT community but sadly it has been shouted down by complaining parents who are stuck in their old ways and think everyone is straight but that’s not the case.

“I am disappointed in the school and think this has done nothing to increase acceptance and students deserve better.

“The event should still go ahead with people being allowed the freedom to dress how they want and that wonderful drag queen should go and hold her head high and celebrate Pride with the students.”