LEAVES US ANOTHER GAY ICON

Long before it was popular to support the LGBTI+ community there was one person who stood firmly with us - the icon - Tina Turner. So it is with profound sadness that we say goodbye, rest in peace to an ally.

Tina passed away after suffering for some years from cancer. She was 83.

The singer whose unique voice, boundless energy, with fabulous wigs and legs to die was without doubt the Queen of Rock.

Tina’s wigs were an extension of her stage persona and she often styled them herself. Her look bacame iconic and over the years hundreds of drag performers have strutted across our stages belting out lip-synced Tina Turner tunes but its always been the hair, and the shimmering mini tassel-dresses that they’ve taken great pains to emulate. I’ve even seen Thai drag queens doing the Tina Turner thing...

Tina, who was abandoned by her mother at and early age and then lived for years in an abusive relationship, finally leaving husband Ike, had to rebuild her career from scratch. And she did - with the release of the album Private Dancer in 1991 Tina skyrocketed with 7 charting songs from that one album.

The super star visited South Africa a couple of times and is rumoured to have had her wigs made here at one stage ... perhaps just a rumour ... what isn’t a rumour is the Queen of Rock performed at the opening ceremony of the first ever Gay Games in San Francisco in 1982. This was at a time when the AIDS pandemic was affecting almost exclusively gay men, and a time ,when other artists would not be seen supporting LGBT+ issues.

Almost 20 years later, in 2000, she pledged her support once again, voicing her thoughts on the “wonderful thing” that was same-sex marriage in an interview with the gay magazine, The Advocate.

Royal Vauxhall Tavern, in London, one of the world’s most famous drag venues tweeted that “Many a drag artist has rocked out to Proud Mary on our stage, with the song being a drag favourite. Thank you Tina!

It’s unsurprising to see drag performers in their hundreds sharing tributes on how Tina Turner changed their drag careers and their lives. RuPaul’s Drag Race season 13 queen Tina Burner posted a heartfelt message on their Instagram about how Turner taught them “never to give up on what you love”.

Even the Queen of drag herself, Rue Paul has lyp-synched Tina’s iconic Proud Mary on the Netflix show, AJ and the Queen, in a fringed yellow bodysuit. That’s some recognition of her importance as a drag icon...

With solo hits including “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “The Best”, Tina secured 12 Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, seven Billboard Awards and a spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As well as being inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame twice.

Her life story of overcoming adversity is in itself a source of inspiration for the gay community, Tina, who was born Annie Mae Bullock, with be sadly missed ... but always remembered ... and I dare say that for years to come she will continue be reborn on drag stages everywhere.