I met Giselle Cassidy Carter at the first drag brunch I attended in Raleigh, NC. I have vivid memories of her dancing to the sound of her screaming fans as SAVAGE played in the background. Her choreography was tight but the way she loosened that crowd of people as she danced circles around us was electrifying.

Brian Stockton is not only a talented hairdresser, he is a well-known drag queen from Greensboro, NC known as Giselle Cassidy Carter. Her stage presence entrances a room and the charisma she exudes uplifts the crowds she dances around.

A few months after my first drag show, I am sitting on the balcony stairs in her studio apartment in Greensboro, NC. Her wardrobe suitcase, filled with wigs and pumps, is laid across the floor. She freshens her face for the occasion, while I lean in to admire the process. I have always been fascinated by the artistry of makeup. And Giselle is no amateur. The sharp curves of her eyebrows complimented those long, wispy lashes.

“Where do I begin?” I asked myself. “How do I make space to hear the story that created Giselle?” Awkwardly, I stumbled over the words, ”So…when did you first come out?”

Giselle looked up from her mirror, with a half-painted face and laughed with her sassy tone: “Boo, I’ve always been out.”

The humor brought some relief to my urgency of discovering the story. And soon she filled the room with words. Powerful words that brought me back to the beginning of the story.

Brian took me back to high school in Elkin, NC. “My mom passed away in 2008…the year I graduated high school.” The room filled with an empathetic silence and I let that silence pull me deeper into the story. “Growing up, I would go to football practice because it was what my dad wanted. When my mom picked me up from practice, we would typically go shopping. She would let me pick out a Barbie. This was her way of showing me that she understood the sacrifices I was making for my dad.”

Brian recounted his mom’s health: “She had been in and out of the hospital throughout my childhood and took nearly 30 pills a day to to survive.” After staying around Elkin a while after she passed, Brian’s brother invited him to live in Greensboro with him. “The culture in Elkin wasn’t a positive place for that season of my life while I was mourning the loss of my mother. However, I did find relief in being back to shop. I think shopping was my way of coping with that incredible loss.”

As his story shifted to his new life in Greensboro, I noticed an ease in his demeanor. So I asked, what introduced you to drag? “Well, growing up, I was classically trained in dance. After an injury, I was unable to continue performing.”

Moving to Greensboro, Brian landed a job working at a make up counter and his brother noticed Brian’s talent with hair. While working in Greensboro, Brian met his best friends here and got connected with a vibrant LGBTQ+ community. This gave him space to discover more of himself and process the loss of his mom. As he was introduced to this community, he quickly found purpose in performing as a drag queen. His natural ability and background in hair, makeup, and dance made this a perfect fit for him.

Brian pulled a long, blonde wig out of his wardrobe suitcase. “I am going with my real hair today,” he said as he combed through this human hair wig that he made. As Brian was finishing up the last touches of his make up, he shared how amazing his relationship with his dad is now. “After going through the loss with my mom, I knew that the relationship with my dad was so important. He is now one of my best friends and we talk all the time.”

We made our way around downtown Greensboro stopping by the brick alleys and ivy-covered walls. The sequence leggings, belt, and booties reflected the bright sun. I felt honored to be walking around town with such a pillar in this community. At one point, we were stopped by an eight-year old girl, who was enthralled with the excellence of Giselle’s look. “Wow! You are so pretty,” she exclaimed as she walked by Giselle and I holding her dad’s hand." This is the representation we need for the LGBTQ+ Community.

After spending the day with Giselle, I further understood the importance of creating space to Share Your Story. Often times in the LGBTQ+ community there is a recurring theme that you must hide your truest self to be seen, loved, and respected. But as I walked around downtown Greensboro with this queen, I watched heads turn as they admired the boldness that lives inside of Giselle. She is unapologetic in her identity. She tears down walls and gives people space to be their truest self. Whether she’s on a catwalk performing for a room of screaming fans or walking in downtown Greensboro, she stands tall knowing that the greatest crown she owns is her resilience and love for herself.

Giselle Cassidy Carter, you make us better. Your story gives us space to accept the truest version of ourselves. May we all aspire to wear our crowns of self-love and acceptance as boldly as you.