Guy Anabella on how drag, creativity and teaching intersect

Guy Anabella is a fierce creativity professor and drag artist, drawing inspiration from her Guyanese heritage. Ahead of her workshop at DesignThinkers Toronto, we asked her a few questions about drag, its influence on her approach to teaching and what attendees can expect from the conference’s first-ever session hosted by a drag queen.

Can you tell us a bit about how you got into drag?

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been drawn to powerful, feminine energy—Whitney, Mariah and especially the Spice Girls were my icons. But growing up, I was taught that boys weren’t ‘supposed’ to like those things, so I pushed that part of myself aside for years. As I became more comfortable with my identity, I realized that drag was an incredible way to reconnect with those influences and express both masculine and feminine parts of myself. What started as lip-syncing Britney in my room has now become a way to heal my inner child and embrace the full spectrum of who I am. And also be so incredibly creative!

You’re an award-winning creativity professor. How does your work as a professor influence your approach to drag, and vice versa?

At first, I didn’t think academia and drag could influence each other—after all, you don’t often see drag in a classroom setting. There’s also this level of professionalism that you feel like you have to maintain. But I quickly realized they absolutely do intersect. Drag is an incredibly creative art form, from makeup and costumes to performances. It’s about expressing yourself, often in ways that challenge societal norms, and that’s a valuable lesson in creativity and design. In the classroom, I’ve found that students appreciate this unique perspective because drag artists (kings and things included), in their own way, have been teaching society about inclusion and self-expression for decades.

Is there a lesson in creativity and self-expression that you’ve learned from your drag journey that you find yourself teaching your students?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from drag is that true creativity comes from feeling psychologically safe. That’s why creating inclusive environments—whether in the classroom, the workplace or any creative space—is so important. When people feel accepted for who they are, they’re able to take risks, explore new ideas and ultimately be their most creative selves. For me, drag has reinforced that we need to build those spaces for everyone.

You’re leading a workshop at DesignThinkers where participants can design their own drag characters! Can you give a brief overview of what people can expect to do in the session?

Eeeee! What an honour! Shoutout to RGD for curating queer content! I’m really excited to lead this workshop at DesignThinkers. This is an opportunity for participants to explore their creativity through the lens of drag, no matter their gender or background. We’ll dive into the art of drag and use creativity exercises to help each person design a character that reflects their unique personality. This session is all about creative exploration and self-expression.

What do you hope participants take away from your workshop?

I hope participants walk away from this workshop with a deeper appreciation for drag as an art form and the creativity it embodies. Drag is about celebrating yourself, your gender expression and elevating all the positive things of who you are. It’s like stepping into a superhero version of yourself. I hope folks were able to see that they can access their drag persona at any time to embrace and amplify their unique strengths, creativity and confidence. I want them to feel inspired to apply these tools in other areas of their lives, whether that’s in design, problem-solving or self-expression. I also hope it sparks thoughts on how inclusivity can enhance their creative processes and overall work.

Secure your spot in Guy Anabella’s workshop, Design Your Own Drag Character! ($20), on November 8 at 11:30 a.m. Register when you purchase your conference ticket or according to the additional programming registration instructions in your pre-conference emails.