BPM MediaA schoolboy from Chaddesden has been crowned Prom Queen after attending his leavers’ ball dressed head to toe in drag.
15-year-old Xavier Parkins looked beyond elegant when he rocked up to the Lees Brook Community School leavers do wearing a short pink strapless dress and heels.
Dressed up to the nines, Xavier also sported flowing blonde hair and a full face of make-up. And his mum couldn’t be prouder of his victory.
BPM MediaMum Sharnee Parkins said:
I’m totally humbled, I can’t imagine where you get the courage at the age of 15 to do that, it is so brave. His friends were really supportive. A few people weren’t happy for him but that was outweighed by the positive feedback.
Xav was hoping to get the Best Dressed award because it isn’t gender-biased, but he did say he’d love to get Prom Queen. It was his peers who voted for him which is an accolade because it takes a lot of courage for them to come out and support it as well.
BPM MediaSharnee continued:
I always say to him, if you’re happy at home you can cope with anything. Dressing up is a leisure activity for him. With it being Pride month as well it’s even more poignant, if it can help one person who is struggling with their sexuality.
He wants to be a Drag Queen but he’s very academic too so he could do anything. He’s got a very wise head on his shoulders.
His brothers have also shown the budding Drag Queen support, with his older brother texting him a sweet ‘I love you’ on the day of the prom.
BPM MediaLike any good Drag Queen, plenty of hard work went into making Xavier look a million dollars. He designed the gown himself with a dressmaker and did all his own make-up, hair and nails.
It reportedly took Xavier a full six hours to get ready, and his skilful efforts paid off. He became the very first boy to be crowned Prom Queen at his school, with classmates left impressed by his glamorous appearance.
Although he was initially nervous on the night of the prom, Xavier’s fears quickly dissipated after he received a warm welcome from many of his classmates:
It was quite scary at first, but when I walked in everyone said ‘you look so good’.
One of my teachers was taking photos with people and he didn’t know who I was. When he later found out it was me, it was amazing. Some lads were saying things about me, but I didn’t really care.
I really wanted to win Prom Queen to cause a stir because it would be so unexpected.
BPM MediaGoing to the prom in drag was a huge and courageous step for young Xavier, who is currently preparing to study for his A levels at Bilborough College.
The teenager usually does his make-up at home, and has only ever worn drag publicly when performing at a charity fundraising event for a young boy with cancer.
Toni Jacobs, a trustee for Derby Pride, has praised Xavier for choosing to express himself through drag:
Drag has always been a very important part of LGBT+ culture, both as a performance and as a way of exploring gender identity and self-expression.
Encouraging and supporting young people to be themselves is very important and celebrating diversity leads to a more accepting society for all.
Congratulations Xavier!
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.