{{Short description|Canadian drag performer}} {{Infobox person | name = Kendall Gender | image = File:DragCon 2023 @ DVSROSS Photgraphy -125 (cropped).jpg | caption = Kendall Gender at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2023 | birth_name = Kenneth Wyse | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|7|16}}<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=kendallgenderxo |number=1416063749681664005 |title=go shawty , it's my birthday 🥳}}</ref><ref>{{Cite instagram |user=kendallgender |postid=Cuw0OIYLtnH |title=I don't know about you , but I'm feeling 33 🥳🦀🎂 |date=July 16, 2023}}</ref> | birth_place = Richmond, British Columbia, Canada | education = Kwantlen Polytechnic University | occupation = Drag queen | television = ''Canada's Drag Race'' (season 2) <br /> ''Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World'' (season 1) | website = {{URL|kendallgender.com}} }} '''Kendall Gender''' is the stage name of '''Kenneth Wyse''' (born July 16, 1990), a Canadian drag performer most known for competing on the second season of ''Canada's Drag Race'' in 2021. She returned to compete in the first season of ''Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World'' in 2022.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Nolfi |first=Joey |date=October 17, 2022 |title=See the 'Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World' cast of international all-stars |url=https://ew.com/tv/canadas-drag-race-canada-vs-the-world-cast-revealed/ |access-date=2022-10-17 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}}</ref>
==Early life== Wyse was raised in Richmond, British Columbia.<ref name=CBC>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/biracial-drag-queen-album-covers-1.5834640|title=This biracial drag queen is paying homage to famous Black artists by recreating their album covers|website=CBC News|last=Moliere|first=Ashley|date=December 12, 2021|access-date=December 18, 2021|archive-date=November 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129082313/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/biracial-drag-queen-album-covers-1.5834640|url-status=live}}</ref> He graduated from Henry James Cambie Secondary School in 2008 before attending Kwantlen Polytechnic University.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}
==Career== Wyse chose the drag name Kendall Gender as a reference to reality television personality Kendall Jenner,<ref>Conor Clark, [https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/heres-your-first-look-at-canadas-drag-races-season-two-snatch-game/ "Here's your first look at Canada's Drag Race's season two Snatch Game"]. ''Gay Times'', November 4, 2021.</ref> although for the Snatch Game episode of ''Canada's Drag Race'', she chose to impersonate Kris Jenner.<ref>Rebecca Alter, [https://www.vulture.com/article/canadas-drag-race-recap-season-2-episode-4-snatch-game.html "Canada's Drag Race Recap: Snatch and Release"]. ''Vulture'', November 5, 2021.</ref>
Her first time in drag was in 2014, where she performed Beyonce's "Ring the Alarm".<ref name="thekit">{{cite news|url=https://thekit.ca/beauty/celebrity-beauty/kendall-gender-drag-queen/|title="Drag Saved Me in So Many Ways," Says Kendall Gender|date=June 24, 2022|first=Katherine|last=Lalancette|website=The Kit|access-date=July 5, 2022}}</ref>
Kendall Gender won the Vancouver's Next Drag Superstar competition in 2017.<ref name=CBC/> In 2020, she became the first drag performer to perform the halftime show at the Rugby Sevens tournament.<ref name=vanmag>[https://www.vanmag.com/Vanmags-2022-Power-50-List "Vanmag's 2022 Power 50 List"]. ''Vancouver Magazine'', January 24, 2022.</ref> She also recreated four albums by Black artists: Beyoncé's ''Dangerously in Love'', Mariah Carey's ''Merry Christmas'', Rihanna's ''Unapologetic'', and Whitney Houston's ''Whitney''.<ref name=CBC/> She was a finalist on season 2 of ''Canada's Drag Race''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Alter|first=Rebecca|date=December 18, 2021|title=Canada's Drag Race Season-Finale Recap: Give Them All Swords|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/canadas-drag-race-recap-season-2-episode-10-queen-of-the-north.html|access-date=December 18, 2021|website=Vulture|language=en-us|archive-date=December 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218173817/https://www.vulture.com/article/canadas-drag-race-recap-season-2-episode-10-queen-of-the-north.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She won the show's roast challenge.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 26, 2021|title=Canada's Drag Race Season 2 Episode 7 Recap: Kendall Roasts Back|url=https://screenrant.com/rupauls-drag-race-canada-season-2-episode-7-recap/|access-date=December 18, 2021|website=ScreenRant|last=Sim|first=Bernardo|language=en-US|archive-date=November 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126121522/https://screenrant.com/rupauls-drag-race-canada-season-2-episode-7-recap/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Following her run on ''Canada's Drag Race'', she was named to ''Vancouver Magazine's'' annual Power 50 list of influential Vancouverites.<ref name=vanmag/> She has appeared in a campaign for Canadian swim and loungewear brand Londre and is the face of Annabelle cosmetics' Proud Out Loud collection.<ref name="thekit"/>
==Personal life== Wyse is biracial (half black and half white).<ref name=CBC/> He is based in Vancouver,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/from-kenneth-to-kendall-the-transformation-of-a-drag-queen-1.4771116|title=From Kenneth to Kendall: The transformation of a drag queen|website=CBC News|last=Coulter|first=Christine|date=August 3, 2018|access-date=December 18, 2021|archive-date=November 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103133201/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/from-kenneth-to-kendall-the-transformation-of-a-drag-queen-1.4771116|url-status=live}}</ref> where he has regularly performed as part of the "Brat Pack" drag troupe alongside his ''Canada's Drag Race'' castmates Synthia Kiss and Gia Metric.<ref>Kevin Ritchie, [https://nowtoronto.com/movies/news-features/canadas-drag-race-synthia-kiss-on-the-best-and-worst-drag-trends "Canada's Drag Race: Synthia Kiss on the best and worst drag trends"]. ''Now'', November 20, 2021.</ref>
==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! {{nowrap|Year}} ! {{nowrap|Title}} ! {{nowrap|Genre}} ! {{nowrap|Role}} ! {{nowrap|Notes}} |- | 2021 | ''Canada's Drag Race'' | TV | Contestant | Season 2, 10 episodes (Runner-up) |- | 2022 | ''Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World'' | TV | Contestant | Season 1, 1 episode (9th Place) |- | 2023 | ''Stay'' | Short Film | Ivy Diamonds / Kaleb | Premiere in the 18th Vancouver International Women in Film Festival<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://viwff.eventive.org/films/63b49f746baa1d0045025f17|title=Stay {{!}} Vancouver International Women in Film Festival|publisher=viwff.eventive.org|date=February 20, 2023|access-date=March 10, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://filmfreeway.com/Stay_dragfilm|title=Stay - FilmFreeway|publisher=filmfreeway.com|date=February 25, 2023|access-date=March 10, 2023}}</ref> |- | 2024 | ''Alert: Missing Persons Unit'' | TV | Canary / Drag Queen | Season 2, Episode 4 & 10 |}
=== Web series === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" | Notes ! style="text-align: center;" class="unsortable"| {{abbr|Ref|Reference(s)}} |- |2021 |''Meet the Queens: Canada's Drag Race Season 2'' |Herself |Stand-alone special |style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OPMMWgV-O0|title=MEET THE QUEENS: Kendall Gender|publisher=Youtube.com|date=September 14, 2021|access-date=November 17, 2022}}</ref> |- |2021 |''eTalk'' |Herself |Guest |style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj2hVTNH9Q8|title=Meet Kendall Gender {{!}} Canada's Drag Race Season 2|publisher=Youtube.com|date=October 29, 2021|access-date=November 17, 2022}}</ref> |- |2022 |''It Gets Better Canada'' |Herself |Guest with Patch Donaghy |style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOcKETPKsU|title=Kendall Gender and Patch Donaghy: a celebration of love|publisher=Youtube.com|date=June 23, 2022|access-date=November 17, 2022}}</ref> |- |2022 |''Meet the Queens: Canada's Drag Race vs The World'' |Herself |Stand-alone special |style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg66yQqABTA|title=Meet The Queens {{!}} Kendall Gender - Canada's Drag Race Vs The World|publisher=Youtube.com|date=October 17, 2022|access-date=November 17, 2022}}</ref> |} * ''Bring Back My Girls'' (2024)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category| Kendall Gender}} * {{Official website|https://www.kendallgender.com}}
{{Canada's Drag Race}}
Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people Category:Black Canadian LGBTQ people Category:Canada's Drag Race contestants Category:Canadian drag queens Category:People from Richmond, British Columbia Category:Drag performers from British Columbia Category:Drag performers from Vancouver Category:Kwantlen Polytechnic University alumni Category:Black Canadian artists