West emphasized that performing drag remains an inherently political act. "Drag is political.
It always has been political and it always will be political," West said.
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West noted that her presence serves as a direct message to the public.
"As soon as I put on my outfit, my hair is done and I walk out there, that's a political statement," she said, adding: "The political statement is: 'I'm here, I'm queer, and you're just going to have to deal with it.'"
Community leaders pointed to provincial policy changes, such as Alberta's Education Amendment Act requiring parental consent for pronoun changes under age 16, as creating challenges for local youth.
"We're definitely seeing a lack of visibility," said Mitchel Bowers, executive director of Wood Buffalo Pride.
Bowers observed negative trends affecting LGBTQ+ youth in the region.
"We're seeing less youth being able to participate and we're seeing an increase in bullying," Bowers said, attributing these impacts directly to political decisions.
"The impacts of this current government are directly harming queer people in our communities."
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas welcomed attendees at the opening of the event. "You walk in here.
No matter who you love, you belong here," Farkas said, adding: "You can't say that about every place, but you can say that about Calgary, and you can say that about Cowboys."
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Separately, the BBC announced that RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 8 will premiere on August 11, 2026, featuring 12 contestants competing over 10 weeks on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer.
