Teen drag queen from Doncaster says stage persona helps him to feel confident

Joe Marriott, aged 18, from Cantley also goes by the name Phillipa when he is dressed in drag.

He said: “Drag has given me so much confidence.

“It’s an amazing creative outlet and a break from real life.

“I’ve known that I have always wanted to perform in some way but drag has made me comfortable and confident enough to do it - it’s sort of like having a mask on.”

Joe has been doing drag for two years and says that he has been welcomed by the Doncaster drag community with open arms.

“It started when I met with another drag artist in Doncaster called Bipolar Abdul who encouraged me to wear drag for the first time,” he continued.

“I went to a Fluidity event dressed as Phillipa and then Doncaster Pride - since then I haven’t stopped.”

Fluidity is a drag group that work and perform in Doncaster.

“Here in the UK we’re exposed to drag from a young age - from going to the panto at school,” he continued.

“There are so many different sides of drag that I didn’t know existed - I didn’t know that drag king’s existed and some of the performers are incredible.

“There are limited spaces in Doncaster for LGBTQ+ people so it’s amazing that we have such a strong drag scene here.”

Joe says that drag has brought a lot of joy into his life as well as it being a way for him to express himself.

Through learning makeup and costume skills online he has found a creative outlet as well as a vibrant new lifestyle.

He said: “It made me realise that I don’t actually need the wig and lashes to be that confident in my normal life.

“The way I feel when I’m Phillipa is very different - I can command a room whereas as Joe I wouldn’t say I’m always as confident just yet.”

Joe performs as Phillipa in venues across Yorkshire and beyond - he recently competed in Mamma Bear’s Drag Battle in Leeds.