Dust has three mothers, one with whom they vacationed on Vancouver Island days before performing with their other two at East Vancouver’s weekly drag show, which will have a Mother’s Day theme this Sunday.

David Cutting, as Dust's biological mother would say, first started performing as “Dust” two years ago, once their drag mother Shanda Leer adopted them after their third request.

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“Dust came to my shows, we got along really great, and when she mentioned that she wanted to do drag, she kept dropping hints like ‘I won’t do it until you teach me how to do makeup,” says Shanda Leer, a self-taught queen. “I just kept saying ‘Well, figure it out — no one’s here to hold your hand.’”

Today, the definition of drag mom is different for everybody, says Dust, but back in the day it referred to the queen who put another queen in drag for the first time and helped them land their first performance gigs.

Carlotta Gurl, a prominent Vancouver queen who’s been performing “since the Dead Sea was just getting sick,” is Dust’s other drag mother.

“As of late, I think it’s more about a younger queen saying ‘I’d like to be in your drag family, would you take me under your wing?’ So I think it’s evolved over the years,” Carlotta Gurl says. Their mother has never been to a drag show, but watches Carlotta perform through online videos from her small town in Newfoundland.

Dust says motherhood is more of a mentorship/friendship to them, with Carlotta Gurl serving as an active mentor through hosting several shows weekly, while Shanda Leer’s retirement from drag nearly eclipsed with Dust’s and their friendship.

“It’s really heartwarming because a drag mom is someone you can always fall back on, just like your regular mom, for emotional support and validation when you need it,” Dust says.

Dust founded Commercial Drag, a weekly show hosted at The Penny, back in February in hopes of getting their family (Dust has five drag children themselves) together consistently.

“There were a few East Van drag shows happening monthly, but I wanted to create a space for people to watch drag and feel a sense of community weekly.”

Realizing that this week's show fell on Mother’s Day, Dust asked Shanda Leer if they would come out of their drag sabbatical to perform with the family.

“I have a drag granddaughter now, and I think she’s great, but like, that’s insane,” says Shanda Leer, who agreed to perform because “It seemed like a nice way to spend a Sunday.”

“It’s an old tradition that I think is a bit diluted now in that I think people just want to say they have a drag daughter or a drag mother,” says Shanda Leer, who at the same time says they have no problem with a viable art form gaining momentum in the mainstream.

As a self-proclaimed “uninvolved mother,” Shanda Leer is happy to co-parent with Carlotta Gurl who they consider a sister due to their shared upbringing in the Maritimes and close friendship.

Shana Leer’s also a huge supporter of the Dogwood Monarchy Society of Vancouver that Carlotta and Dust are a part of. Partial proceeds from each Commercial Drag show are donated to DMS.

“It’s a lovely family to be a part of as well,” says Carlotta Gurl of the society that raises money for different charities all around the Lower Mainland.

The registered charity is entering its 47th year in Vancouver, making it the oldest international court system in Canada. Jose Julio Sarria, the original Empress, founded the International Court System in 1965, which at the time was a way for San Francisco’s queer community to fundraise for other members in need.

Dust has a role in the monarchy under the gender neutral title of Princet Royale. The original community of DMS Vancouver was predominantly gay, but Dust says it’s transformed into a queer community, inclusive of different sexualities and genders. As of last year, they added the option of a reigning Emprex to their monarchy.

“The message is really beautiful — people in the community supporting other people. But God bless queers: you’ve got to add some pageantry to it,” laughs Shanda Leer.

And while the three queens know where the money from Sunday’s show is going, as of our interview one day prior, the structure of the lineup was less clear.

“It’ll be a family-oriented show, a lot of songs about Moms, sharing memories and talking about what family means to us,” says Dust, who shared Carlotta’s understanding that there would be a group number involving them and Shanda Leer.

“We haven't talked about doing any group numbers because I really dislike those,” Shanda Leer told the Courier over the phone.

But whatever is in store on Sunday, Dust says the small venue will allow for it to be a vulnerable and authentic show.

“My goal with drag has always been to heal the world,” says Dust. “I’ve chosen very sensitive, loving drag kids and my drag moms are people that I really look up to.”