Capital Region Community Services presents

Wear It Purple Day Celebration: “A Celebration of the Arts”

Pre-Event program and activities commence from 4pm in the Belconnen Community Centre foyer, doors open from 5pm with show commencing at 5:30pm.

Join us on Wear It Purple Day August 25 and promote acceptance across our community through positive visibility. This family friendly event will showcase performers from across the LGBTQIA+ community promoting the 'Write Your Story' theme of Wear It Purple Day and embraces the core goals of visibility, community and acceptance.

All young people participating are aged 10 to 25 years old. This event is organised and produced by Capital Region Community Services, led and voiced by young people to commemorate, acknowledge and empower the young people who represent the LGBTQIA+ community.

Grab your ticket and bring the whole family for a great night of entertainment.

What is Wear It Purple?

Wear It Purple is a volunteer and youth led not-for-profit organization working towards raising awareness for our young LGBTQIA+ communities.

In 2010, Wear It Purple was founded in response to many global stories of teenagers taking their own lives due to bullying and harassment. These real stories, real responses and real heartbreak resulted from a lack of acceptance, a lack of community, support and safety due to their sexuality or gender identity.

Wear It Purple chose to use purple as it is not a primary color. This means it is a color that takes on many other colors to mix together to become what it is, purple. This idea embodies what Wear It Purple stands for – being made from a diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community and coming together to make something amazing. The goal of Wear It Purple is to encourage a culture of acceptance and tolerance, while enhancing awareness of issues relevant to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Each year, Wear It Purple’s Youth Action Council (YAC) brainstorms a theme relevant to them. Their task is to come up with the day’s focus based on how they’re feeling and the rhetoric in the LGBTQIA+ youth community.

"Write Your Story" as the 2023 theme places emphasis on the importance of personal expression and individuality for rainbow youth. In a world where social media, the media and our education system often creates pressure to conform to norms, broken structures and certain standards, the theme hopes to encourage young people to embrace their unique perspectives and to share their stories with others.

Meet the Host and Performers

Ravi Oli - Host/performer

He is The Man™ with the megawatt smile so it's no surprise Ravi Oli means Sun Light. This sleek and suave Drag King is here to light up your life. The crown winner of April Fool's Drag Pageant 2022 Ravi is a dapper and delightful ethnic who thrives in the spotlight but still longs to drag you away to a candle lit corner and woo you one on one.

Get ready for everything spicy and saucy from Ravi Oli, the tastiest of treats.

Tina Cox

Miss Tina Cox is a proud First Nation's Queen living on Ngunnawal country. From tribe Wiradjuri, Tina is here to make a change showing blak excellence though her drag. Tina has performed at her first show Too Deadly Night and is ready to take on more 🖤💛❤️

Franki H Glamour

This debuting young performers takes that terrifying glint in the corner of your eye at night and the taboo dejour and twists them into a joke that makes you spit milk out your nose Frankie H Glamour is the kind of clown that shows up at the country fair to turn you in to cotton candy before returning to the liminal space in which they live.

Primary school won't stop Frankie from tapping into your primary fear and making it a festive farce ready to laugh at.

Arnie-mation

Arnie-mation may not be the illustrated mascot of an evil corporation (yet) but, they are here to help you cut through the doldrums of your day. We all like a snack and whether your go to is cereal or vodka, they both pair well with cartoons...

So why not sit back and allow the theatre nerd exuberance of Arnie-mation to be the Kif to your Zapp, the Simpty to your Ren and the Barney to your Fred.

Rat Bastard

Scurrying out of your walls and onto his second stage yet, Rat Bastard is here to steal your cheese and gnaw his way into your heart. Cocky, smug, and with considerable experience in the realm of bastardry, this rat king will have you setting traps for more.

Mini B

MiniB is the Spawn of MadB and proof that gender is an illusion! They've graced Yesfest, Fairday, Freshout and more with their wacky Mix of everything.

Can't wait to see what their bringing!

Alistair Ott

Alistair (They/He) is a Wiradjuri Queer artist, academic, & activist living and working on Ngunnawal Country. Alistair works at A Gender Agenda supporting trans, gender diverse, and intersex youth, and at the Australian National University as an Indigenous Academic Associate and PhD Student.