Parents' Guide to We're Here

This uplifting series uses drag performance to promote messages of empowerment and acceptance to LGBTQ+ members and their allies, as well as to those who may not be as receptive. It's fun watching the professional drag queen trio work with participants to physically transform them into glitzy, glammed up, lip-syncing performing women with larger-than-life personalities. But We're Here is also a process of inner-transformation. The experience gives many participants a sense of community and safety, which bolsters their confidence and encourages them to continue being true to themselves while living in places where they feel invisible or unwelcome. The opportunity to perform in drag also offers them a chance to learn more about themselves, the LGBTQ+ community, and what tenets they want to live by going forward.

It's full of positive vibes, but it also makes room for discussions of difficult topics, like suicide and being rejected by loved ones with conservative beliefs. It doesn't let viewers forget the prejudice people in the LGBTQ+ community often face, and the isolation they feel in smaller communities. The cast even makes a point (albeit humorously) of creating a safe space where they can be themselves at each location, the need for which is underscored by some of the bigoted reactions caught on camera. But the supportive people they do meet serve as a reminder that no matter how small a place may be, it's important to look for those who will support you. These are powerful messages, but We're Here successfully delivers them with courage and heart.