Stoney Nakoda First Nation will be hosting the first Morley Pride event this Saturday.
“Nobody has really thought about hosting a Pride event before,” Argintina Hailey, a two-spirited former Morley resident explained.
“I wasn’t sure if people would be up to supporting it or not but we’ve been testing the waters over the last couple of months to see if people would come and support it and the community has been very supportive and we’ve received really good response.”
Argintina Hailey, 36, is the stage name of the drag diva originally from Morley, who asked to be referred to by their two-spirited name.
“Two-spirited is for First Nations people who don’t identify as gay or lesbians,” Hailey explained.
“We used to be very respected individuals because we possess both female and male spirits, that kind of thinking changed after a few years and we were not put in the same light as before but people are starting to come around and accept us as part of the community again.”
The former Miss Gay Calgary said she only realized she was two-spirited in her late teens and has since received several titles after adopting her stage persona, including Her Imperial Sovereign Majesty Empress in the mid-2000s, where Hailey travelled around North America as a gay ambassador for Calgary and area.
“I think it is good for the community to show that we are here and we are part of the community and I want them to have that sense that we live our lives just like anyone else, it is no different,” Hailey said.
Hailey said she has been performing in drag since she was 21 years old and said she feels more “alive” as her stage persona.
“In my day-to-day persona, I am more quiet and shy but when I put on Argintina, I become a totally different person – I am more comfortable and outgoing,” Hailey explained.
“I personally never really had bad experiences, I’ve always known people to be accepting of who I am. It took a while for my family to accept me for who I was but as long as they accept me for who I am, I never really bothered to care about what other people think.”
The inaugural Morley Pride event will feature Argintina Hailey, Visa De’Klein, Miss Ellen Q & the Pumas, with two-spirit “Facebook Sensation” Dane Cunningham hosting. There will also be special guests performances by Girls Got Rythme Band and Nina Tron.
“I want everyone to come out and have a good time and be themselves and show a sense of unity and a sense of pride of who we are,” Hailey said.
“I want to give people a safe place and a nice night out would be great. We want people to celebrate with us and to be able to say, we are here and we are not crazy.”
The Morley Pride will be hosted at the Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino in the ‘Chill Room’ on Aug. 27, with doors to open at 8 p.m., a live band from 8 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., Showtime to start at 9 p.m. and a dance cabaret to follow.
Tickets are available for $15 for advance and $25 at the door. For more information go to the official Facebook page at “Morley Pride: A Drag Diva Cabaret.”
