At my young age of 21, I’ve learned very quickly that life is full of surprises and can take you on journeys you never thought you’d one day be embarking on.

In January 2008, I was a 3rd year broadcast journalism student at Ryerson with an eagerness to learn about radio and television. I had a loving and supportive boyfriend who I thought was my ideal partner and someone I had a future with. My thick, Italian eyebrows looked like two caterpillars chasing after one another, and my arm and chest hair would have made any cub or bear squeal with glee. I was content and felt as though I had finally found that balance in life we all seek to achieve. That soon changed with a tube of lipstick and an application for Drag Idol 2008.

Since a very young age, I’ve always enjoyed making people laugh. Whether it is through written word, performance, or even telling a joke in passing, I get a weird high from laughter. It excites me, and still does to this day. I had often contemplated dropping out of journalism school to attend acting and improv classes, but I could never force myself to go through with it. Why? Well, my Italian mother would have never let me hear the end of it! Longing to perform, I soon found an outlet for my creativity in the art form of drag.

This blog will be a collection of stories about my journey as a 21 year old guy living in Toronto who just happens to throw on a dress for money. I will chronicle my experiences that many gay youth face in today’s world, but with a bit of a twist. I will introduce you to Church Street characters you may already know, and some who you’ve yet to meet. We all have stories and it is time we share them. So come along with me as I embrace life, love, and lipstick.