The Simon Fraser Rugby Football Club partnered with the SFU Quadball Team to host “Decades of Drag.” The event was a night of drag, drinks, and dancing at Biercraft on Burnaby Mountain. Drag queens performed dances to music from across different decades. With the intention to promote diversity in sports, all proceeds went towards QMUNITY, an organization working “to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives.”
The Peak interviewed Jess Picco, the women’s representative of the Rugby Club, and Brooke Davis, the captain of the Quadball Team. They spoke about how the event came to be, its purpose, and next steps for these sports teams.
Picco said a drag event at SFU was an idea the SFU rugby community has been considering for some time. “There’s a lot of people within the community who identify with the LGBTQIA2S+ community. It was definitely an idea that people would be excited about, but no one had really taken it to action.” Picco also noted UBC Drag is a key component of UBC campus life, and “that was something missing within SFU.”
Davis mentioned, “The whole point of it being a drag show is that we’re bringing two worlds together: both sports and the queer community.” They emphasized the need to create a space to “broaden the community” and welcome people who have been searching for an inclusive environment.
Picco noted the Rugby Club provided her with a supportive community, and she hopes sports can do that for everyone. “The reason that I am playing rugby and want to continue with the sport, even after finishing my studies, is because of the people,” she said. “I could be who I was authentically, and love who I wanted to love.”
Davis also appreciates the experiences they have had through SFU sports, as it allowed them to discover who they are and “find a welcoming community within the SFU campus.”
However, both players stressed the importance of inclusivity across all sports at SFU. Davis said, “I don’t think that enough teams acknowledge the variety of pronouns that people use to identify themselves.”
Davis said, “You never know what new player can make a difference on a team and regardless of their background, be open to the change that they can make when they join a team.”
Picco shared that while athletes and students need to be welcoming of all identities, it’s still a work in progress. She noted events such as the drag show is a good start to making a difference.
To donate to QMUNITY, visit their website at www.qmunity.ca.
