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COURTNEY ACT Activist drag queen and CBB winner gets under the covers this Fringe
When Courtney Act was announced as the winner of this year’s Celebrity Big Brother, following a nail-biting head-to-head with former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe, there was a collective sigh of relief that permeated from members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community. ‘Imagine if you were some young gay boy
who’s fourteen years old, who hasn’t told anybody that he likes boys, and then he sees Ann. Think about that. Think about the message that sends out,’ she told fellow CBB contestant Wayne Sleep, in a bid to highlight the harm of Widdecombe’s bigoted rhetoric. Although known chiel y for her stint on season
six of Drag Race, Courtney’s online following has exploded in recent years, largely down to
her insights on topics ranging from politics to sex, which she discusses with an intelligence that encourages debate and introspection, something that was visible during CBB. She may be stunning and sickeningly talented, but Courtney Act is a i rm fan-favourite for more than that just her looks and vocals, which will undoubtedly become clear during the upcoming Fringe run of her latest show, Under the Covers. As drag heads further into the mainstream, it’s encouraging that queens like Courtney Act continue to use their position to i ght inequality and challenge homophobia, racism and sexism wherever they go. (Arusa Qureshi) ■ Underbelly’s Circus Hub, 3–18 Aug (not 7 & 8, 13), 6pm, £18–£21 (£17–£20).
1–8 Aug 2018 THE LIST FESTIVAL 39