IN THE PRESS

2024

03.25.2024 | City of Kelowna: 49th annual Civic & Community Awards finalists revealed - Freida Whales nominated for Honour in the Arts

02.17.2024 | Kelowna Capital News: Vernon queer community ‘disheartened’ after drag show cancellation

01.29.2024 | Penticton Herald: No trouble at Drag Story Time

01.27.2024 | Kelowna Capital News: Kelowna Art Gallery hosts story time with award-winning drag artist

01.27.2024 | Castanet: Dozens gather in support of Drag Story Time in Penticton

01.26.2024 | Castanet: Drag performer hoping storytime at Penticton Art Gallery inspires more kids to read

01.13.2024 | The Daily Courier: Gallery unbowed by expected protests at Drag Story Time

01.08.2024 | Kelowna Capital News: Drag Story Times heading to Vernon and Kelowna

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2023

12.20.2023 | Kelowna Capital News: Kelowna drag queen praises Ontario court ruling over ‘groomer’ 2SLGBTQIA slur

12.07.2023 | Kelowna Capital News: Drag Story Time hosted by Kelowna performer heading to Penticton

09.18.2023 | Kelowna Capital News: Queer advocates speak out against anti-gender education march in Kelowna

08.30.2023 | Infotel: Kelowna gay bar to pay up after reneging deal with drag queen

08.28.2023 | CTV Vancouver: B.C. tribunal orders Kelowna bar to compensate drag performer

08.28.2023 | Kelowna Capital News: Kelowna queer bar ordered to pay drag performer for services, entertainment

08.27.2023 | Castanet: Kelowna drag queen wins unpaid $1,100 for cocktail lounge shows

08.25.2023 | Daily Hive: Unpaid drag services forces performer to sue BC cocktail lounge

08.01.2023 | Community Votes Kelowna: Freida Whales wins Platinum in Entertainer, Whalemade Prod. wins Gold in Entertainment

06.30.2023 | Virgin Radio Kelowna: Freida Whales checks in one last time during Pride Month

06.13.2023 | Kelowna Capital News: Kelowna drag performer awarded Quesnel’s ‘Most Courageous Queen’ after year of harassment

05.02.2023 | Kelowna Capital News: Kelowna’s Drag Queen of Controversy turns hate into funding for queer youth

03.03.2023 | Times Chronicle: Sage Pub hosts ‘whale’ of a time

03.01.2023 | Quesnel Cariboo Observer: Drag queen takes a flyer on Quesnel

01.28.2023 | CBC News: Drag Queen Story Time reader in Kelowna, B.C., thanks supporters upon return

01.28.2023 | Kelowna10: SUPPORTERS VASTLY OUTNUMBER PROTESTERS AS DRAG STORYTIME RETURNS

01.28.2023 | Global News: Drag Queen Story Time sparks protest outside Kelowna, B.C. library

01.28.2023 | Kelowna Now: VIDEO: Duelling demonstrators square off outside Kelowna Library over Drag Story Time

01.28.2023 | Castanet: Hundreds gather in support of Drag Story Time in Kelowna

01.26.2023 | Kelowna Now: VIDEO: Battle brewing over Drag Queen Story Time in Kelowna

01.26.2023 | Kelowna Capital News: Drag defenders asked to bring signs, flags and love to downtown Kelowna rally

01.24.2023 | Infotel: Anti-hate rally promoting Drag Story Time planned for Kelowna library

01.19.2023 | Global News: Drag Storytime returns to the Okanagan Regional Library

01.19.2023 | Castanet: Taking a stand against hate

01.19.2023 | Infotel: How Drag Story Time became a thing at Kelowna’s downtown library

01.19.2023 | Virgin Radio Kelowna: It's another STORYTIME with Freida Whales!

01.17.2023 | KelownaNow: Drag Queen Story Time returns to Kelowna Library and renews controversy

01.17.2023 | Castanet: Drag Story Time event a 'reset' for Okanagan Regional Library after past controversy

01.15.2023 | Kelowna Capital News: UPDATE: Drag queen speaks out after online petition condemns Kelowna Drag Story Time for families

01.13.2023 | Kelowna Capital News: Drag Story Time returns to Kelowna library more than 3 years after controversy

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2022

06.28.2022 | PentictonNow: Freida wins Gold for Best Drag Artist in Best of Penticton 2022

06.18.2022 | Homoculture: An Okanagan Whale Tale: Boat Cruises and Wine Tours

06.13.2022 | KelownaNow: Freida wins Gold for Best Drag Artist in Best of Kelowna 2022, and places in two more categories

06.01.2022 | The BC Ale Trail: Dragging Diversity into Tasting Rooms

01.25.2022 | KelownaNow: Freida Whales' weekend Slackwater drag shows a sign of the times

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2021

10.29.2021 | Kelowna Capital News: Kelowna educators and staff discuss the importance of LGBTQ2S+ representation

07.23.2021 | Staycation in the Nation: Freida Whales, Kelowna BC, Canada's Wettest Drag Queen

06.17.2021 | CTV News: Pride month TikTok drive encourages stem-cell donations from gay, bi men

06.17.2021 | CityNews: Doctors turn to queer communities for stem cell donors 

06.09.2021 | KelownaNow: Freida wins Gold for Best Drag Artist in Best of Kelowna 2021, and places in all categories nominated

06.2021 | OutlookTV: Reporter Sister Fancy Pants chats to Kelowna's news making public figure "Freida Whales" (watch now on OutTV)

05.20.2021 | e-know.ca: Pride Month Drag Story and Craft Time coming

04.19.2021 | PODCAST: High've been Thinking: Drag Race Tea, Trivia & 420 with Freida Whales

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2020

11.07.2020 | CBC Radio: How a B.C. library's Drag Queen Story Hour turned into a nationwide fight for intellectual freedom

10.15.2020 | OC News: Familiar faces in smaller spaces: OC’s creative connection to Dr. Bonnie Henry

10.08.2020 | Salmon Arm Pride Project: The Art of Drag: Interview with Freida Whales
07.10.2020 | CBC British Columbia: Celebrate B.C.'s LGBTQ shining stars with CBC British Columbia (check out Freida's nomination)

07.06.2020 | KelownaNow: Freida wins Silver - Best Local Artist (not musician) in Best of Kelowna 2020

07.03.2020 | Kelowna.LGBT: TV Night With Freida Whales: Episode One Success!!!

06.12.2020 | Autism BC: Conversation with Drag Queen Freida Whales
04.03.2020 | KelownaNow: Kelowna queen to perform in virtual show featuring 20 BC drag artists
01.01.2020 | The Daily Courier: Drag artist Freida Whales voted Kelowna's Newsmaker of 2019

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2019

12.23.2019 | The Daily Courier: Year in Review: Drag Queen Story Time a story in itself this year
11.16.2019 | KelownaNow: VIDEO: Drag Queen Story Time makes a triumphant return
11.16.2019 | Global News: Despite controversy, Kelowna library’s Drag Queen Story Time grows in popularity
11.15.2019 | Global News: 'Drag Queen Story Time' debate in Kelowna
09.18.2019 | KelownaNow: VIDEO UPDATE: Library board drags out storytime decision
09.13.2019 | The Daily Courier: Haters will not drag her down
09.20.2019 | CBC News: Drag Queen Storytime is 'controversial' and 'potentially divisive,' says Okanagan library CEO
09.20.2019 | HomoCulture: Get boozy and cruisey on the Wine and Whales Drag Queen Tour hosted by Freida Whales
06.12.2019 | KelownaNow: Local drag queen bringing Kelowna its first ever Pride Cruise this month
04.10.2019 | Kelowna Capital News: Kelowna’s Freida Whales shares bill with RuPaul Drag Race star
03.07.2019 | Tourism Kelowna: Meet Freida Whales - Kelowna's Fishiest Drag Queen!