Rex aka Lady Camden, Gives Us a Glimpse Into the World of Drag. From What We Thought We Knew, To What We Really Didn’t.
“I don’t think that people know some of the sacrifices Drag Queens have to make. For a lot of queer people, coming out to their family is already a huge moment. Coming out as a drag performer can sometimes feel like coming out all over again…”
The world of Drag Queens has often fascinated most of us. Which for all intensive purposes I suppose is the whole point to mystic Drag Queens are known for. Behind the costumes, makeup and personas I find myself wondering just who these ladies are when they aren’t in Drag?
I got to sit down with a dear friend of mine, Rex Wheeler, as he walked me through the journey he took in creating his alter ego, Lady Camden, as well as opening my eyes to somethings I didn’t quite know.
From professional ballet dancer to drag queen, What was the journey like?
As a kid I always wanted to grow up to be a professional dancer. After auditioning for ballet schools, training for years and finally getting to dance professionally for almost a decade, an injury I had noticed creeping up on me from time to time was starting to become a real obstacle. At a time when I really felt I was hitting my stride, really starting to feel my strongest I slipped a disk in my back while lifting my partner at the end of the day on a Friday. It was a pretty devastating thing to happen and even more devastating to see come back after recovering from it. During my recovery period I wasn’t physically allowed to do much. I couldn't dance, exercise or do anything really. One day I decided I needed to do something creative. What can I do that doesn’t require much movement? I’ll paint my face! Over the many months of recovery I started to develop my skills with makeup and overtime it became the thing I needed to lift my spirits and keep me happy. A little project each day that would make me feel beautiful at the end of the day.
What is it about drag that made you want to do it?
When I started playing with the idea of doing drag, my first instinct was to keep it a secret. I thought that my friends and family would find it weird and that people from back home in England would see on facebook and judge me for it. I think I knew deep down that I was opening up a can of worms too.... Because I quickly became obsessed. At first it was just something to do- a quiet moment to myself, like painting or knitting might be to someone else. After a few months I started exploring ideas for costumes, reimagining story characters that I loved growing up as a kid, like princess Aurora, Edward Scissor-hands and Poison Ivy. It became a way to embrace the childlike aspects of my personality I was fighting hard to hide. Ballet was always so serious and very gender specific. My role was always expected to be masculine, strong, in love with a woman. Drag made me feel like I could embrace a lot of the naturally feminine parts of who I am. It reminded me of when I would secretly play with Barbies as a kid… I was free to do what I wanted and embrace who I actually am.
How did you create Lady Camden, from personality to her creative looks?
Growing up I had pretty creative and funky parents. My mother is a designer who has re-invented herself many times throughout her career and always comes up with ideas that blow my mind. She's explored Jewelry, bridal, clothes and is now a milliner (hat maker) in London. My father was the manager of a famous North-London night club called the Electric Ballroom. When he wasn’t doing that he was renovating apartments, houses or cars. He still does! Both parents were never happy unless they were busy creating something. I think it’s these two influences that made me begin my drag by seeing what materials I had lying around my apartment, finding a hot-glue gun and making something out of it. My parents always taught me through example that if you want to create something, you have the power to teach yourself how to do it. My mum always loved the villains in movies which I think is where I get my wicked sense of humor from and my father was always very ambitious with how much he could build on his own. I’ve realized the times when I’m the happiest are when I’m creating something… usually something ambitious and with a sense of humor.
How is Lady Camden and Rex different and similar?
It’s funny I was recently reflecting on my journey as a drag queen and I think the biggest difference between then and now is that Rex and Lady Camden are slowly rubbing off on each other. In the beginning stages I tried very hard to impress people, to give audiences the impression that I had been doing it longer than I had. Nowadays I think Lady Camden is a little bit more like Rex but Lady C can get away with more. As Rex I try to be cute, pleasant and try to seem like I have it all figured out. Lady Camden allows me to be a larger than life version of whatever I’m really feeling. I feel like I can confess when I have no idea whats going on, make fun of it even. I can be more unkept, sillier and less judging of myself. If I want to be comedic, beautiful or even sexy, Lady Camden allows me to be those things without any self-judgement. As Rex I think I could take a leaf out of her book and be a little less afraid to show my true colors.
What questions do you get asked all the time when in drag?
Q: "Are your tits real?"
A: "Define real..."
Q: "How many wigs is that?"
A: "What wigs?"
Q: "Don't your feet hurt?"
A: "Yes"
Q: "How long does it take to do your makeup?"
A: "Never tried the stuff."
But in all seriousness I get asked all kinds of questions. The kinds of questions I tend to avoid directly answering are questions like “How long does it take to do your makeup?” “How long have you been doing drag?” “How did you make that?” because they’re questions that can sometimes spoil the allusion for people and although they’re curious ultimately it’s more fun for them if they don’t know the answers.
I like questions that open up a two way conversation like influences, music choices, references to genres and decades etc.
How has Lady Camden helped you be more self accepting?
The parts of Drag Queens that people sometimes fall in love with are the parts they can relate to themselves. I've learned that about studying comedy in acting school too. Whether it be ballet, drag, choreography or acting... what moves people is the ability to see a person. A real person going through a real experience that isn't perfected for someone's approval even if it's disguised as a 6 foot drag queen. I've learned to embrace saying "This is me, my taste, my experience, my heart. Take it or leave it." Now having said that there are times where I feel myself retracting and trying to put on a bit of a different finish to my drag to seem more polished, more perfected to impress people. This usually happens when I’m not feeling as confident. Sometimes I get caught up in needing to fit in with other drag queens - I think this is only human. But my successes, no matter how small, are usually instincts that were fully realized.
What should people know about Drag Queens that they don't?
I don’t think that people know some of the sacrifices Drag Queens have to make. For a lot of queer people, coming out to their family is already a huge moment. Coming out as a drag performer can sometimes feel like coming out all over again… it takes a while for people to accept it, no matter how much they love you. It can also feel like you’re not seen the same way by guys. I often have felt like because men see me as a performer, they don’t see me as Rex. There can be a sense of respect within the community which is nice but sometimes it can feel like you're sacrificing a part of you to be the entertainer in the room. There’s a great deal of time, money and courage that go into making a new look, constructing the hair, mixing music, choreographing the routine and putting it all together to be there on time. It’s a huge amount of work and at the same time a reflection of you and your taste.
Describe your SLAY.
My one sentence would be… “Make some time for your joy today and if there’s no time, cancel something.”
You can follow all of Lady Camden’s adventures via her Instagram and YouTube page.