Drag Queen Nymphia Wind Leads Beach Cleanup for Taiwan Pride
By Alex Chen/Yuan Tuan/Irene Lin
World-renowned drag performer Nymphia Wind and fellow artist Hannah Monina swapped their signature stage makeup for work gloves, joining volunteers along New Taipei’s coast for a massive beach cleanup. Partnering with environmental organization HiiN Studio, the group collected more than 600 kg of marine waste. Nymphia revealed plans to incorporate the gathered ocean plastic into an upcoming Taiwan Pride parade outfit designed to draw attention to the critically endangered Formosan pink dolphin.
Covered in sweat and with sore backs, these volunteers are spending their weekend cleaning up this section of Taiwan's northeastern coast.
While it may seem like a regular beach cleanup... Its co-organizer, Leo Tsao, is the world-renowned drag queen Nymphia Wind. He says he's looking to incorporate ocean trash into his pride parade outfit this year.
LEO TSAO, DRAG PERFORMER 'NYMPHIA WIND':
"I don't have an idea of how exactly it would look like, but it just is an initial idea. On the parade in October, I really want to focus awareness on the, um, Formosan pink dolphin on our west coast. Just be the change that you want to see and be inspired by the people who are actually doing activism work that are helping our community and our environment."
Without their signature dramatic stage makeup and outfits... These drag performers put on gloves and blend in with the crowd...
It's not the first beach cleanup for Chien Shih-han, the artist behind his stage persona Hannah Monina.
CHIEN SHIH-HAN, DRAG PERFORMER 'HANNAH MONINA':
"I picked up lots of plastic stuff. I couldn't tell what it is. So I think it's kind of fascinating, like you're watching it and just see what what is this like before it became trash? Every time I did this, um, beach cleaning, I always see children. So I, I think it's really important because their parents bring them here. So it means their parents got the concept of how to be nice to our environment."
Some of their fans have also come to support their efforts.
BEACH CLEANUP VOLUNTEER:
"I decided to come because of Nymphia's Facebook post. I have experience in beach cleanups so I wanted to contribute a bit for Nymphia. Drag queens out of drag are also strong and thoughtful."
Giving volunteers instructions and a lesson on how trash from our daily lives ends up in the ocean and enters the food chain... Co-organizer Chen Jen-ping says his ultimate goal is to help people reduce waste.
CHEN JEN-PING, HIIN STUDIO:
"It may seem like a lot of people have done beach cleanups but if you ask any random passerby they may say they’ve never done it. Beach cleanup advocacy still doesn’t have enough strength, accessibility and influence. We've picked up so much trash, 600 kg of it. That’s still way less than if each person in Taiwan is willing to skip one plastic bag. If everyone uses one less plastic bag that would exceed 600 kg. That's why we hope people can change their daily habits. That would tackle the root problem. Beach cleanups can’t solve everything."
But for now, children, parents and drag queens alike are picking up trash, with everyone doing their part... on and off the stage.
