‘Bloody Good Drag’ aims to increase blood donations and highlight N.S. drag artists

CITYnews halifax / By Lyndsay Armstrong, The Canadian Press

Cin Diesel says Thursday’s blood drive in Halifax, hosted by drag queens, drag kings and other performers, is likely the first of its kind in Nova Scotia.

The 54-year-old drag artist, who was crowned the 2025 East Coast Drag Icon, says the goal of the Bloody Good Drag event is to increase blood donations and highlight the positive impact of Halifax’s drag scene.

Diesel says this type of event is possible because Canadian Blood Services removed eligibility criteria in 2022 that prevented many LGBTQ+ people from donating blood and plasma.

Last year, the national blood service issued a public apology to Canada’s LGBTQ+ community and acknowledged the harm it caused by preventing men who have sex with men, and some transgender people, from donating blood for many years.

In September 2022, Canadian Blood Services eliminated screening questions about sexual orientation and replaced them with sexual behaviour questions that apply to all donors.

Diesel, who works as a phlebotomist with Canadian Blood Services when they’re not performing in drag, says they hope the event will increase awareness about new eligibility rules for queer blood donors.

The event at the Canadian Blood Services centre in Bayers Lake will feature a number of local drag artists, including Mya Foxx, who is appearing on the current season of “Canada’s Drag Race.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2025.