'I want to lead the way for transgender youngsters'

Venus Wailer (R) moved from Venezuela to Bristol, where she feels she can express her true identity

A drag queen who moved to the UK from Venezuela says she feels "on top of the world" being able to perform on stage in her "adoptive city".

Venus Wailer had to hide her true identity in her home country, where being transgender is socially unacceptable and there is a "shame and stigma" attached to the LGBT+ community.

Ms Wailer, who now lives in Bristol, hopes to use her experience of developing a drag act to help mentor transgender youngsters.

"It gives me hope for the future because they get it and I just want to lead the way for them," said the 32-year-old.

Ms Wailer took part in Bristol's 2024 Pride Day on Saturday, when the event celebrated its 15th anniversary.

During her childhood, Ms Wailer learnt to keep "very quiet" in order not to draw attention to herself.

"There were kids in my school who were very flamboyant and getting bullied, so I was just like, 'I don't want that'," she told BBC Radio Bristol in an interview.

"Since I was very little I just learned to hide it [being transgender] because otherwise you get harassed or mocked.

"I made myself learn English from a very young age, since I was 12, just because I wanted to get out and escape to America."

Ms Wailer (C) grew up in Venezuela before moving to Bristol in 2017

It was a "tough decision" to leave her home country, and her family, and come to Bristol in 2017, she said.

"Venezuela is a beautiful country and the weather, and the people are really nice," she added.

Four years ago she developed her drag act, which she has been performing in the UK.

Last year, she helped found the south west's first drag queen fitness class with her drag sister, UGLY, and the workout opened Pride celebrations in Bristol in June.

'Spread the joy'

The Drag Queen Workout focuses on comedy and confidence building.

Speaking at the time, she said: "We feel we have spread the joy of exploration through the workouts. And the people that join us are great.

"They allow us to make them laugh, move with us, shake out some stress and lift their self-esteem; that’s what drag is all about.”

She is also part of the inclusive dance collective Shade Cartel and has graced stages such as Bristol's Love Saves the Day festival.

Ms Wailer helped found the south west's first drag queen workout class

Ms Wailer said she felt very accepted in her new city, where she was "loved by all my friends, my dance crew and my chosen family".

"It's been magical to me," she added.

However, an enduring sadness for Ms Wailer is still not feeling able to tell her Venezuelan grandmother that she is transgender.

"I haven't told my grandma. I feel like I don't want to put this onto her at her stage of life right now.

"We speak a lot, but we haven't gone on video chat for a long time as I have changed my appearance.

"I feel like if she saw me out of context right there on the stage, dancing and doing my thing, she'd be very proud of me, so maybe eventually," she said.

"I tend to focus on the good, because there's a lot of good feedback. Whoever doesn't support me, it says more about themselves than me.

"I just want to be an example to younger people like me."

Ms Wailer said she had not seen her grandmother since she left Venezuela and became transgender, but thought she would be "very proud" of her, if she saw her on stage