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Legendary drag queen and staple of the San Francisco drag scene, Heklina, has died at the age of 55.<\/p>\n
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Close friend and collaborator, Peaches Christ, announced her passing on social media<\/a> on April 3. \u201cI am shocked and horrified to bring this news to you. I am living in a real-life nightmare so forgive me if I don\u2019t have all the answers just now,” Peaches wrote. “This morning, in London, England, I went to collect my dear friend Heklina, who is costarring with me in a Mommie Queerest<\/em> show here, and found her dead. I do not know the cause of death yet. I know this is shocking news and I am beyond stunned, but I wanted to let folks know what has happened. Heklina is not just my best friend, but a beloved icon of our community. I am a mess. Given this crisis, please do not try to contact me as I am utterly heartbroken, stunned, and focusing on what needs to get done next. I shall be in touch.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2014 Peaches Christ (@Peaches Christ) <\/p>\n Born in Minneapolis, the drag queen drew inspiration for her name from the Icelandic volcano Hekla, having lived in the Nordic island nation for a period of three years during the ’80s. Heklina got her start in drag in 1995, working as a bartender in San Francisco for a punk drag show before going on to cofound Trannyshack at the Stud bar in 1996. After becoming San Francisco’s longest running drag show, it would go on to be rebranded as Mother after Heklina became one of the owners of Oasis nightclub in 2014.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “There was a real need for Trannyshack,” Heklina told the Bay Area Reporter<\/a><\/em> in 2008. “There was a real void for an alternative venue. When Trannyshack started in 1995, people had just stopped dying of AIDS, because new medications came out. It felt like a celebration after all that mourning, which was a dark year for me. I’d planned to go to some people’s funerals, and there they were on stage with me.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In addition to the recurring drag show, Heklina collaborated with Peaches on numerous projects throughout her career including several horror spoofs, a yearly production of Golden Girls<\/em> where she played Dorothy and most recently, the drag parody Mommie Queerest<\/em> which the two were set to tour across the UK this spring.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHeklina is an institution,\u201d Alaska Thunderfuck told SF Chronicle<\/a><\/em> in 2020, citing Trannyshack as one of the inspirations that pushed her into starting her own drag career. \u201cThe seedlings of drag that she has planted and watered over the years have grown into innumerable gardens and bouquets of drag excellence. I continue to admire her work ethic, her tenacity and her heart. And her mole.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since word of her passing, tributes from across the drag community have poured in:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2014 Trixie Mattelu2122 (@Trixie Mattelu2122) <\/p>\n \u2014 OASIS (@OASIS) <\/p>\n \u2014 Yvie Oddly (@Yvie Oddly) <\/p>\n \u2014 Lady Camden (@Lady Camden) <\/p>\n \u2014 Ginger Minj (@Ginger Minj) <\/p>\n \u2014 MILK (@MILK) <\/p>\n \u2014 Pandora Boxx (@Pandora Boxx) <\/p>\n \u2014 Divina De Campo stream DECODED (@Divina De Campo stream DECODED) <\/p>\n \nSee on Instagram<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n \nSee on Instagram<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n \nSee on Instagram<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n \nSee on Instagram<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n \nSee on Instagram<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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u201chttps:\/\/t.co\/UoyC4wDYHVu201d<\/div>\n
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u201cIcon! Heklina was punk rock and made drag what it is today. Legend. u2764ufe0fu201d<\/div>\n
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u201c@sfoasis Iu2019m legitimately SO SORRY for your loss. Heklina was so incredibly kind and warm. Such an incredible supporter of fellow queens, and she made me feel like family anytime I came to Oasis. Sending yu2019all so much love, and my deepest condolences ud83dudc94u201d<\/div>\n
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u201cIu2019m heartbroken to hear about @Heklinau2019s passing. She wasnu2019t just a staple in the drag community, she was a whole-ass stapler. RIP queenu201d<\/div>\n
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u201c@Heklina is and always will be a San Francisco legend. Hilarious, humble and encouraging. ud83dudc94 Weu2019re lucky to have had you.u201d<\/div>\n
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u201cud83dudc94 over the loss of the legendary #heklina u2026 she was funny, punk, groundbreaking, a good friend, surrogate drag mother, the best at suggesting restaurants, and the absolute epitome of the word COOL! I loved her, I love her, and the world will miss her so much. #ripheklinau201d<\/div>\n
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u201cthis Heklina news ud83eudd7aud83dude25u201d<\/div>\n
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u201cIu2019m absolutely gutted right now. Heklina was a drag legend and I adored her. She was a blast to work with. I will cherish the memories I have of her. Sending love out to all of her family and friends in this tragic time. You will be missed by many. ud83dude22ud83dudc94u201d<\/div>\n
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u201cSuch sad news RIP Heklina xu201d<\/div>\n
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