Kylie Devon, a 23-year-old Libyan drag queen, spent most of his life in Tripoli with his parents and three sisters. Though he didn’t complete his university studies, he aspired to specialize in plastic surgery. However, circumstances led him to become a makeup artist and eventually a drag queen after seeking refuge in Germany three years ago. Kylie recalls, “I always loved men, but I didn’t realize it meant being gay or different from others. My sisters talked about men with admiration, but I never saw the point in admiring them. They were the common standard of what’s considered normal, but society had another saying.”

Kylie faced tremendous struggles within himself and with society

“When I started to understand the meaning of the word ‘gay,’ I succumbed to denial due to Libyan society’s inferiority towards homosexuals. I feared being disliked by everyone because of my sexuality. I hid my true self and became self-destructive, but eventually, the truth emerged. I came out to my younger sister and mother, and fortunately, they had no choice but to accept and support me in being who I truly am.”

High school was particularly challenging for Kylie as everyone discovered he was gay after a video clip of him dancing in a feminine manner was uploaded on YouTube without his consent. He faced bullying and harassment, but with the help of his friends and family, he overcame this setback and learned to embrace and love himself. He stopped paying attention to negative comments and found acceptance for his natural sexual orientation.

In contrast, Kylie’s mother warned him about the consequences of his actions, forcing him to hide his true self to survive in Libyan society.

Feeling trapped and wanting to escape this oppressive reality

Kylie started learning English at a center in Tripoli. His father suggested finishing his university studies in Germany, which seemed like an opportunity for a different and more accepting life. After two years of hard work and determination, he managed to resettle in Germany, experiencing an overwhelming feeling of freedom to be himself, to act, dress, and speak however he wished.

The art of drag played a transformative role in Kylie’s life

“I love singing and dancing,” he says. “Since arriving in Germany, I’ve been honing my makeup skills professionally. A friend from Brazil invited me to a gay party, where I decided to embrace the persona of Kyle Devon, a character I had always imagined – where I became both the painter and the painting, a representation of my true self. Now, two years later, the feeling I get when I wear drag is different from my first experience.”

Despite his newfound confidence, Kylie understands the challenges of publicly embracing his identity as a Libyan drag queen. He recognizes that Libyan society is not yet accepting of being gay and would likely label him as “an effeminate dressed in a woman’s dress.” Hence, he chooses to wait until Libyan society evolves and gains sufficient awareness of individual freedoms and acceptance of diverse identities.

Kylie acknowledges the tremendous impact drag has had on his life. Not only did it help him get to know himself better and liberate him from the confines of the closet, but it also gave him the opportunity to make a living and offer himself asylum. Kylie views his drag friends as his true family, and he believes that this art form continues to shape his life positively, little by little.