My bedroom looked like a glitter bomb had exploded, but I loved it.
I was 18, and that day had been applying drag make-up for an hour. Finally, I slipped into my black sequin frock and styled my wig.
Now I feel like myself, I thought, beaming.
Growing up in Grafton, NSW, a small, often conservative town, I’d felt alone and isolated. I’m queer and a wheelchair user with cerebral palsy, and I didn’t see anyone like me reflected in my community.
But online, I’d discovered the drag community. The performers were all so confident and funny.
My twin brother Braydon and I had both studied make-up artistry, so I created my own drag persona.
As Helen Wheels, I found freedom. I also loved cooking, so created a food show dressed as my alter ego and posted the videos on Instagram and TikTok.
I called it Helen’s Meals on Wheels. In my first video, I made lemonade scones.
“I want to eat them with a saucy man,” I said cheekily.
“This is gold!” someone commented. Making people laugh lit up something in me.
Soon, I’d gained thousands of followers.
In 2022, I turned to them for help.
“Hello, my name is Helen,” I said. “I’m a drag queen who uses a wheelchair in Queensland. I’ve been wanting to perform at a venue for a long time, but I don’t know if there are any accessible spaces.”
Performers rallied, and soon I booked my first gig at a local queer bar.
As I finished lip-syncing to You Say by Lauren Daigle, the crowd gave me a standing ovation.
This is what I want to do with my life, I thought.
But accessibility was a barrier.
I needed a ramp to get on stage, accessible bathrooms, and sometimes a quiet space to help with my audio sensory processing.
Some venues said no. Others asked if I could bring my own equipment.
I put a call out online for other drag performers living with disabilities to join me in a cabaret show. The response was overwhelming.
I named the show ABILITY and now needed a venue that met all our needs.
Rejections rolled in.
“Sorry, we only have stairs,” I was told repeatedly.
But I didn’t give up and in 2023, I finally found a venue.
I promoted ABILITY online and got a sold-out show.
On stage, I asked each performer how able-bodied people can be better allies.
“If you don’t understand or if you’re unsure, just ask,” one drag artist who uses a wheelchair said.
“People living with a disability would be more than willing to share their needs if approached respectfully,” I agreed.
The show was vibrant, educational, and full of heart – and the audience loved it.
In October 2024, I was invited to Brisbane’s 63rd Annual Queens Ball, an awards night for the drag community in Queensland.
During the ceremony, I told my support worker I needed the bathroom.
“You might want to wait five minutes,” she said.
Moments later, one of the awards was called.
“Our 2024 Activist of the Year is… Helen Wheels!”
Rolling to the stage, I was in disbelief.
“Thank you for this recognition. I’m proud of the work I can do for my community,” I said.
Now, I continue to post online, perform, and develop ABILITY shows around Queensland.
One video of me doing a drag make-up tutorial even went viral and got 2.6 million views!
I want to be a role model for people like me, and I hope to show venues that accessibility can be achieved through collaboration.
I want to tour ABILITY across Australia and show others living with disability that their dreams are always valid – and always achievable.
Follow Helen on Instagram: @helenwheelsofficial
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