Nina West Teaches Us the ABC’s of Drag

Nina West, RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11 Miss Congeniality and fan favorite, takes us back to school to learn “The Drag Alphabet.” Nina firmly believes that children are our future, and the fundamental task of learning the ABCs does not have to be a chore.

From A is for “Absolutely” to Z is for “Zsa Zsa,” children of all ages can have fun singing and dancing along all while learning some common phrases and words associated with the drag community. Even the big kids are invited to join in the fun!

“Drag is not just a niche product anymore,” West said. “Drag is for everyone! I wanted to use my platform to teach the children of the world a new way to learn their ABCs in a fun way while also teaching them some fundamental words and phrases from drag culture.”

The colorful video directed by Brad Hammer features Nina alongside a group of children who dance and teach us the new word they have learned. The video also celebrates and highlights two very special young women—Daniela Maucere, a deaf teen from Burbank, CA and Ivy Alona, a deaf, openly transgender nine-year-old who signs the alphabet and associated words by using ASL to include the deaf and hard-of-hearing while also teaching the children how to sign.

“I want everyone to be able to be included and to learn alongside each other, so I was thrilled when Dani and Ivy agreed to come and help teach me, as well as the audience, how to sign ‘The Drag Alphabet,’” West said. These amazingly talented young women represent the future and are forging their own paths while bringing intersectional activism to two very overlooked and underrepresented communities. They inspire me to learn and keep teaching people that underrepresented communities like ours need voices, but they also need to do it in fun and educational ways.”