‘Bloody Good Drag’ aims to increase blood donations and highlight N.S. drag artists
Global News
In September 2022, Canadian Blood Services eliminated screening questions about sexual orientation and replaced them with sexual behaviour questions that apply to all donors.
With rainbow banners in the air, sequin-clad performers dancing and a booming mix of music and giggles, Cin Diesel says they’ve never before seen a blood drive like the one in Halifax on Thursday.
The 54-year-old drag artist, who was recently crowned the 2025 East Coast Drag Icon, was one of the hosts of the Bloody Good Drag blood drive.
Diesel, who works as a phlebotomist with Canadian Blood Services when not performing in drag, said the event is aimed at increasing donations while having fun and highlighting the positive impact of Halifax’s drag scene.
“This is all about giving back, raising awareness about blood donation and who can be donating, and really spreading some queer joy,” Diesel said Thursday, decked out in a bright pink suit with black and pink feathers on their shoulders, a dark moustache, and five-inch-tall blue, yellow and orange high heels.
Diesel said this type of event is possible because Canadian Blood Services removed eligibility criteria in 2022 that prevented many LGBTQ+ people from donating blood and plasma. Last year, the national blood service issued a public apology to Canada’s LGBTQ+ community and acknowledged the harm it caused by preventing men who have sex with men and some transgender people from donating blood for many years.
In September 2022, Canadian Blood Services eliminated screening questions about sexual orientation and replaced them with sexual behaviour questions that apply to all donors.
“By taking away those restrictions, it has finally opened up the chance for us as the queer community and Canadian Blood Services to heal and grow again. And I think a lot of people in the queer community might not know how eligibility has changed,” Diesel said.
Mya Foxx, a Halifax drag queen on the current season of “Canada’s Drag Race” co-hosted the event and donated blood Thursday. Foxx said it makes perfect sense that drag performers would get involved with Canadian Blood Services.
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