TRINITY JOHNSTON, 28, TRANSGENDER DRAG QUEEN
Trinity Arianna Johnston feels at home posing for our cameras, flinging her arms in a range of motions and pursing her lips. She’s most comfortable in gowns, lengthy wigs and full make-up.
While the transgender drag queen is relaxed amid the glamour, she sometimes felt like a fish out of water growing up in a small rural area of the Hawke’s Bay.
“I come from a bit of a country-bumpkin town, where I never related to anybody, even though I had lots of friends,” explains the bubbly House of Drag star, who’s best known as Trinity Ice. “During primary school, I had a very high voice that people thought was an issue, but I never did.”
Coming out as bisexual as a male teen, she was supported by family who’d watched a younger and much shyer Trinity dress in girls’ clothing throughout childhood. But by 17, she was depressed and unfulfilled in her male form, bursting to experiment with gender. After connecting with drag queens online, Trinity Ice was born.
“Trinity Ice is the reason I’m almost bankrupt!” laughs the Aucklander, who started doing drag in the buzzing Wellington scene. “It’s expensive because you have to have big costumes, big hair and makeup, and you’re constantly doing something new. But it gives you mental strength, kind of like armour, which is s empowering.”
Despite pite loving the dragging lifestyle all those years ago, Trinity still felt a void.
“I always ways thought being gay was s the answer and then it was drag, but I had an emptiness. I didn’t know why, but there was a gap in my mind.”
For a while, she’d questioned whether her love of drag was more than the glitz, drama and money-making.
“I never wanted to take it off and often wondered if I was trans,” she recalls. “When I started transitioning, I felt like my authentic self – big, bold and keeping eping it fabulous!”
But finding and accepting herself didn’t mean others were as forthcoming.
“When en I first moved to Auckland seven years ago, I hid behind hind my drag persona because people were transphobic and I was ashamed.”
But when the opportunity to compete on House of Drag emerged, Trinity knew it was time to represent her adopted community with pride.
“Trans is who we are and drag is what we do,” explains Trinity, who encourages people to educate themselves by asking questions.
“I never realised being the first trans on a reality show along with Hugo would be so huge. I’m proud to be making trans history.”