Queanbeyan drag queen Tyson Wighton inspiring kids to be their true selves
Meet Tyson Wighton, a proud Queanbeyan resident, Wiradjuri person and drag queen. They’re young, they’re fierce and they’re full of enthusiasm to show young people that it’s okay to be your true self.
Tyson says that becoming their true authentic self has been a lifelong journey, one that has been supported by their friends, family and Indigenous community. The former Karabar High School captain first moved to Queanbeyan to live with their grandparents and has since made an impression on everyone they’ve met. After graduating high school, Tyson worked at Winnunga Nimmityjah – an Aboriginal health service in the ACT – and has recently moved into a role as an assistant curator at AIATSAS.
“A lot of big things have happened since I left Karabar High and now I’m just reaching for the stars, I’m trying to show mob back home that it can be easy and it can be done,” Tyson says.
“There aren’t a lot of drag queens in Queanbeyan obviously, or if there are, it’s not as talked about. When I think about Queanbeyan it’s a very heterosexual place, it’s very straight, I had to hide my true self when I went to Karabar, for a little bit.
“I didn’t come out until I was in Year 10 and I came out as bisexual first, and then gay, and now I’m non-binary so it wasn’t just one easy step, it takes a while to figure out who you are.”
In recent months, drag queens have been persecuted online and in the media, with some people calling them out as being overtly sexual and trying to indoctrinate children. Tyson says this has just motivated them further to put a spotlight on the queer community and show people who they really are.
“Instead of going out in the garden or playing with boy toys, I was playing with Barbie dolls and dressing as a princess,” Tyson says.
“I’ve always just had this big flamboyant energy, as my mum says, ‘If you don’t tell people how it is, how are they gonna know?’ so that’s how I am, I’m here, I’m queer and I’m here to show people that it is alright to be who you wanna be.
“I’m over seeing people discriminated against for who they love, who they are, and what they want to do. We are in 2023, why are we going backwards, why aren’t we standing up and trying to change and put a foot forward instead of two steps back? Everyone needs to stand up, show up and be there for each other, because we’re all human and we all share the same love.”
A self-professed fashion queen, Tyson says they have been serving looks for years but are now ready to bring that energy to the stage, encouraged to enter the drag world by their Drag Mum ‘Ashtray Moona’ who also has roots in the small NSW town of Condobolin.
Tyson will perform in their first ever drag show on Saturday 3 June at the “Too Deadly Night”, showcasing artists in the Ngunnawal region in Canberra with drag, comedy and singers, all rolled into one deadly night at Smiths Alternative in Civic.
Their drag queen character is the sassy, elegant Miss ‘Tina Cox’, a loving tribute to Tyson’s mum, Lesley.
“Mum loves Tina Turner, I have a photo of mum dressed up as Tina in the 70’s, so it’s kind of a love message to my mum,” Tyson says.
“Then the Cox part was just to be a little bit cheeky and funny … Tina Cox is funny, she’s flirty, she’s lovely, she’s sassy and now it’s time for her to hit the stage.”
Tyson’s mum, Lesley, dressed up as Tina Turner back in the day.
“There aren’t a lot of Canberra queens that are Aboriginal, there are only four or five, including me, and it could be bigger, we could be represented more in the drag space.
“The reason I wanted to do drag was to give people a voice and to have a voice for the First Nations mob. I want a younger Tyson like me to walk down the street and see me and look up to me and think, ‘If they can do it, I can do it too.'”
Tyson says growing up in a traditional, football-loving town like Queanbeyan presents challenges to those that don’t conform to typical masculine roles and stereotypes. They have now set their sights on creating spaces and opportunities for the queer community,
“I feel like it’s something I could do for the rest of my life, after this gig hopefully more doors will open and more opportunities,” Tyson says.
“My goal in the future is to hopefully do a drag night in Queanbeyan. We do have a lot of queer people in Queanbeyan, it’s just that it’s hard to be ourselves in Queanbeyan sometimes.
“I want to be an advocate for young black kids like me, and show them that if you put your mind to it and put your whole heart into it, then you will get there. It’s obviously going to take some steps, we all go through things, we’re all human, but we need more advocates for the young ones to look up to and I just hope I can be that for someone.”
Buy tickets to Tyson’s first ever drag show here
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About the Author: Holly Winchester
Part Jennifer Coolidge, part Jennifer Garner (gaudy and geeky), Holly idolises Dolly Parton and Princess Di and loves NRL. When she's not creating killer content, you’ll find Holly at the Maccas drive thru getting her chai latte fix or buying 1990s memorabilia for the walls of her Googong home. Specialist subject: the Woolies carpark.
