(Photo Philippe Vogelenzang) (Interview Marco Hohl)
The Netherlands' best-known drag personality. In 1995 Diva MayDay broke through to a wide audience by regularly appearing on various TV programmes. Today she works internationally: alongside shows and hosting gigs she DJs and since 2010 has organised Can You Feel iT? Gay.nl named this party the best in the Netherlands. In 2012 and 2014 MayDay was voted Entertainer of the Year. She also won the DIVA OF THE YEAR Award in 2013 and the Absolutely Fabulous Award in 2014. For years she has been night mayor of Sitges in Spain, and since 2016 she has been one of the faces of Dragfever at Amstel 54 and the fabulous cocktail Wednesday at Taboo.
Interview May Day
“My mother always encouraged me to be myself”
We are proud to name Diva MayDay a EuroPride ambassador. But who is Diva MayDay really? The ultimate Dutch it-girl who became known for being herself. Beyond being a familiar face at many parties and a striking presence in a glamorous dress, MayDay is much more: hostess, DJ, event organiser and a close ally of the community.
As a four-year-old boy called Robin, MayDay already wore her first dresses. The feeling it gave her was special: “When I started I really had no idea what I was doing. I simply enjoyed playing a female role because it transformed me. If I put on a cowboy hat I remained the same, but when I put on a dress something truly changed.”
Asked how she needed to come out despite a childhood where she could be herself, she replies: “I never said it out loud, certainly not to my father. At some point he couldn’t cope. Sadly he died of a heart attack and we never had the chance to talk about it. And my mother — mothers just know. I never said, ‘Hi mum, I’m gay’. For her it was an obvious conclusion. My mother always encouraged me to be myself and she’s super proud of what I do.”
MayDay is especially a well-known figure within Amsterdam’s LGBTQ+ community. Even in difficult times she stands by her values. Two years ago she was confronted with discrimination in a violent incident. Because she didn’t want to stay silent, she posted about it on Facebook. That post gained traction when the media picked it up. By speaking out — something some may not dare to do — MayDay aims to set an example so others will feel empowered to stand up for themselves.
“People approach me easily. Yesterday, for example, a young man came up to me in a bar and said I am his hero because I have the courage to be myself. He said I have a strong personality and that gave him the strength during his own coming out.”
Pride Ambassador since 2016
