THEY HELPFUL –
June 16, 2025 – During the Season 2 finale of Canada’s Drag Race, Brooke Lynn Hytes asked Kendall Gender about her journey to that point. In her emotional response, Gender gave the world a glimpse into her past struggle with substances. “For me, drugs and alcohol stole so many years of my life and so many opportunities that I feel like I could’ve had. The thing that turned my light back on was drag.”
When the season premiered in 2021, Gender was in her sixth year of sobriety. This year, she will celebrate a decade – and in honour of the milestone, she has launched The Kendall Gender Foundation. The not-for-profit organization raises funds for at-risk individuals seeking treatment at drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres. Partnering with Last Door in British Columbia, the foundation’s goal is to cover the cost of one person’s treatment every calendar year. On average, the cost for a 90-day treatment can be about $30,000.
The foundation’s idea came to Gender during the Canada’s Drag Race promo shoot but, while she was excited to bring it to fruition, her life after Season 2 was a whirlwind. “Performing and travelling…that stuff took up so much of my time. Now I’m more in control of my schedule…to do projects I’m passionate about, and it’s obviously this,” she says.
