RIP San Francisco Drag Legend and Club Owner, Heklina

News broke on Monday that the world has lost another absolute legend of the drag and Queer communities with the passing of Stefan Grygelko, better known to most as Heklina.

Her death was first announced by best friend and fellow drag queen Peaches Christ. The two were performing their critically acclaimed show Mommie Queerest, a musical drag tribute to the Joan Crawford biopic and Faye Dunaway vehicle, Mommie Dearest, a fave of the LGBTQ+ community. After touring the world with their show, the two brought Mommie Queerest to the iconic SoHo Theatre in London, where they were currently in rehearsals, and which was set to open tonight, April 5.

Posting to her social media accounts, Peaches said, "I am shocked and horrified to bring this news to you. I am living in a real-life nightmare so forgive me if I don’t have all the answers just now. This morning, in London, England I went to collect my dear friend Heklina, who is costarring with me in a Mommie Queerest 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."

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Peaches Christ (@thepeacheschrist)

Born in Minneapolis, Heklina was raised for part of her youth in Iceland, the culture of which she honored with her drag name, which is a reference to the Icelandic volcano Hekla. She got her first break in '95 working as a bartender for the Sick & Twisted Players in San Francisco. The next year she created Trannyshack, which would become one of the most famous drag shows in the country. The show was put up at Stud Bar in San Francisco, one of the most famous gay bars in the world.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Drag Queen Extraordinaire (@heklina)

In an interview with the SF Reporter, Heklina talked about the fundamental need for a show like Trannyshack at that time. “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," she said. "I’d planned to go to some people’s funerals and there they were onstage with me.” Heklina's successes lead to her becoming a co-owner of the Oasis nightclub.

Around this time, the LGBTQ+ community was starting to reconsider some of our more outdated phrases. RuPaul's Drag Race even (begrudgingly) got rid of the segment "You've Got She-Mail" amidst complaints. Likewise, Trannyshack was rebranded to T-Shack, and then again to Mother, running weekly until 2020. And to any of my Queer Gen Z readers... yes, "Mother" was a phrase before both M3GAN and Meghan.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Drag Queen Extraordinaire (@heklina)

This has been a rough last few months for the Queer community, and the recent passing of some major drag legends have been particularly heartbreaking for so many. Make sure to go support your local drag queens. Heklina was 54 at the time of her passing. Rest in Power, Queen. Thanks for the joy and love you brought to our community for so long, and for the space you created for so many.

Fleshbot: Plug In Get Off.
Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected]
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.