Drag Race UK’s Divina de Campo on Genderless Awards and the Rising Tide of Anti-Drag Sentiment
Sign up for more LGBTQ+ news and updates at TrueQueer.
Divina de Campo, the beloved star of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season one, has been keeping herself busy this year with a string of exciting projects. One of her most notable endeavors has been her role as Plankton in the UK tour of The SpongeBob Musical, alongside Gareth Gates from Pop Idol.
But SpongeBob is just one of the many projects that Divina has taken on since her time on Drag Race. She has graced the stage as Mary Sunshine in a UK tour of Chicago and received critical acclaim for her performance in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. It seems like she has been in more pantomimes than Cinderella herself.
Since the end of lockdown, Divina has hardly had a moment to rest. “Since 2020, I’ve had about six weeks off,” she tells PinkNews. With a hint of exhaustion, she adds, “I’m ready for a break!”
Theatre has always been a home for Divina. Her journey into performing started in junior school when she landed the role of the narrator in Orpheus in the Underworld. She continued to pursue her passion for dance and drama at Manchester Metropolitan University, taking on semi-professional roles along the way.
Interestingly, Divina didn’t have to audition much for the roles that came her way after university. They were usually offered to her by friends of friends. However, after appearing on Drag Race, she found herself auditioning more frequently. “You would’ve expected less auditioning, but no, they want me to audition,” she says with a laugh.
While many of her Drag Race UK sisters have chosen to return to reality TV or embark on nationwide drag tours, Divina seems to have found her niche in theatre. But with every success comes its fair share of disappointment. “This industry is notoriously difficult to crack because there are so many of us and everybody’s competing for the same jobs,” she explains.
On the first of next month, Divina will be hosting The Stage Debut Awards, a ceremony that celebrates those who have cracked that glass ceiling. The awards went genderless last year, with categories like best actor and best actress becoming best performer. Divina, who identifies as non-binary and uses all pronouns, was nominated as best performer in a musical for her role in Hedwig.
The topic of genderless awards is a hot one. In the US, non-binary Broadway stars Alex Newell and J Harrison Ghee became the first to win Tony Awards, but they had to choose which category to enter. Divina believes that all awards could become genderless in the future. However, she acknowledges the potential for abuse and unfairness if the decision-making process is not transparent.
Divina’s perspective on awards goes beyond gender inclusivity. She believes that diversity should extend beyond appearances and backgrounds. It’s not enough to have a room that looks diverse if everyone thinks the same way. She suggests that everyone involved in the awards process, from the chief executive to the cleaners, should have a say in nominating and awarding artists.
As a non-binary individual, Divina has faced her fair share of challenges and misconceptions. She realized she was non-binary while at university after reading Judith Butler’s book, Gender Trouble. Divina sees herself as “just a human being, doing human being things.” She is often referred to as “madam,” but she understands that people experience the world differently.
Like trans and non-binary individuals, drag performers have recently faced backlash from certain corners of social media. Divina’s Drag Race UK co-star Crystal was subjected to a right-wing smear campaign after performing with an angle grinder during a Pride event. Cheryl Hole was attacked simply for appearing on Celebrity Masterchef. However, drag has always been a part of British culture, and Divina believes there are appropriate and inappropriate venues for drag shows.
Despite the challenges, Divina remains undeterred in her pursuit of being on stage and doing what she loves. After wrapping up her role in SpongeBob, she will take a short break before preparing to become the Evil Queen in Snow White. She dreams of taking on roles in productions like La Cage aux Folles or Priscilla, Queen of the Desert but is happy as long as she can pay her bills.
Divina will be hosting The Stage Debut Awards on October 1st, a platform that celebrates emerging talent. She believes it’s important to shine a spotlight on those who have something special and create space for those who may do her out of a job. As the industry continues to evolve, Divina hopes for a future where awards are more fair and honest, reflecting the true diversity of talent in the performing arts.
Follow us on: Facebook for more LGBTQ+ news and updates at TrueQueer.
“genderless awards”
