Famous local drag queen Scarlet Skylar Rae has announced she is stepping down as chair of Perthshire Pride after a successful five years at the equality and diversity charity.
Scarlet will step down at the member’s AGM at the end of the month off the back of organising the hugely successful 2022 Perthshire Pride event - which local actor Alan Cumming headlined for 8500 people.
A committee member with the charity since its inception in 2017, Scarlet stepped up as chair towards the end of last year.
She has played a major role in organising and performing at all five Perthshire Pride events and represented Scotland at Global Pride 2020.
Scarlet also headed down under in November 2019 to take part in Pride Western Australia - which became a symbolic twinning between the two Perth’s’ LGBT+ communities.
She also sang the unofficial fan made cup song ‘Come On You Saints’ for St Johnstone’s League Cup final in 2020 and in May 2019 led Perth’s first ever drag and LGBTQ+ club night ‘Perth, Wind and Fire’, where some of Tayside’s hottest acts took the stage.
Following these five glamorous years Scarlet has decided to step down and is heading to pastures new in events management.
“It’s all been a blast!” Scarlet said.
“I have had an amazing time spending the last five years in Perth.
“I’ve met so many incredible, inspiring people along the way.”
Reflecting on how far the LGBT+ community has come in the region, Scarlet said: “For the first Pride event we were astonished 3500 people came along to that.
“And it was one of the first performances I got to do in drag in Perth which was particularly nice and was lovely to be supported by so many people.
“It has developed over the years and some things have changed and conversations we are having have changed which has been absolutely fascinating as well.
“The 2019 one was incredible, 7500 thousand people coming in with Sir Ian McKellen coming in on a bright sunny day in Perth.
“I ended up hosting a lot of that day and it was incredible.
“The 2022 Perthshire Pride event was my final hurrah for Perth, and it was incredible to see support from people like Ella Vaday, Alan Cumming and all 8500 of you to launch the Ross William Robertson Scott stage.
“I got to represent Scotland at Global Pride as part of Perthshire Pride which was great fun and was never expected.
“It has been a good old adventure.”
Scarlet found it tough to pick a favourite moment from so many highlights, but engaging with the community is something that is cherished the most.
“I did enjoy ‘Perth, Wind and Fire’ and we managed to sell it out,” Scarlet said. “It was a great atmosphere and I got to crowd surf on that one as well!
“But if I had to choose one, I really enjoyed doing some of the workshop aspects.
“One occasion we ended up doing a consultation group with the LGBT youth group at Perth Autism Support.
“It was really lovely to get all the young people’s perspectives on things.
“Doing a lot of the outreach things, the drag queen story times in particular, is just nice to engage with people in a different way.
“The one thing about Pride is that we are a fully accessible event and we are proud of that.
“People in Edinburgh and Glasgow who could not take part in their own parade came up to Perth.”
Scarlet added: “We are hopefully starting to build that sense of community and sense of place.
“Whoever they decide on as chair will be very competent and able to deliver this vision.
“There is a bit of melancholy experience for me because it is a lot of work carrying out and even running the charity.
“But I also feel like I have done my part and I am quite happy to pass the torch on to someone else.
“I am sad because I have had such an emotional connection with Perth.
“My story is just one of many stories that has come through Perthshire Pride over the past five years.
“I never felt I should be the face of Perthshire Pride because it is a community effort and for the last year people have recognised me.”
In a heartfelt thank you, Scarlet said: “Thank you so much to everyone I have worked with over the last five years.
“They have been absolutely incredible.
“Perthshire Pride will be in safe hands and I look forward to being able to pop up next year and see you all again - enjoying Pride as an attendee!”
In a social media post a Perthshire Pride spokesperson said: “We here in Perth are sad to see the amazing Scarlet Skylar Rae: Drag Queen step down as the chair of Perthshire Pride in late October.
“Scarlet has made such massive achievements for the LGBTQ+ community and for Perth collectively over the last few years. We would love to wish you all the best in your new position.”
