Today, on her birthday, Dominique Provost-Chalkley came out as a queer woman. She wrote a lovely post on her website, Start the Wave, joining her castmate Kat Barrell in the queer fold. Dominique talks about how she’s always had an inclination she might be into more than just boys, but how society and fear kept her from facing that truth. She goes on to say that things changed once she got her beloved role on Wynonna Earp.
She says, “[Showrunner] Emily Andras took a chance on me and cast me as the beautifully positive bisexual representation that is Miss Waverly Earp. Through this incredible, enlightening journey of playing a queer character and meeting the fans that are drawn to her, I guess I’ve reevaluated how I am to face this part of me.”
I’m glad Waverly helped her as much as she’s helped so many of us.
Sometimes TV Editor Heather Hogan and I joke that we’re going to do the math on the percent of people who have played queer and then later came out as queer themselves, because it seems to be a trend we’ve seen, and loved, over the years.
But the truth is, I don’t think it’s a coincidence. I think in this heteronormative world, sometimes being cast as someone who is queer can often be the first chance a person has to face the possibility that they might be queer in a way that feels somewhat safe. I think often they get to play through what it’s like to be queer in a way I think a lot of us wished we could “try it out” with no consequences before we came out, but also it thrusts them into queer communities and often exposes them to more and more queer people and more and more queer stories and it’s a great way for them to see that there’s no one way to be not-straight and there’s no right story.
Barring any kind of unsafe situation, there’s no “bad time” to come out. You can be young or old, married or single; your truth is your truth, and however long it takes you to find it, that’s your story, and it’s valid.
And Dominique confirms this in her coming out post. She says playing Waverly and meeting the queer fans of Wynonna Earp (and possibly also helped by her queer roles in the Carmilla Movie and the Tello film Season of Love) made her feel like she could try to be brave and live her authentic truth.
She ended with the hashtag #OutIsTheNewIn, and also her official coming out, in her own words:
I am queer.
I am into ALL humans.
I guess maybe I am just really into love?
Who knows?
But finally…
I am OUT.
EVEN WAYHAUGHT IS QUEER FOR WAYHAUGHT
Comment award
Seconded!
Thirded !
Um, is forthed a thing? :D
That’s way hot.
ahhh finally I’ve been waiting for this moment!
I’m so happy for her. There is nothing like finally being able to live your truth freely – what a fabulous birthday present to give oneself! Wishing all good things for Dom.
Here for queer British-French-Canadian long-haired brunette enthusiastic artsy representation! I mean really, how often does that happen 😋??
Truly though, this brings me joy. Happy Birthday, Joyeux anniversaire Dominique! Que all tes queer dreams se réalisent!
(Not posted as a reply this time!)
Here for queer British-French-Canadian long-haired brunette enthusiastic artsy representation! I mean really, how often does that happen 😋??
Truly though, this brings me joy. Happy Birthday, Joyeux anniversaire Dominique! Que all tes queer dreams se réalisent!
Love this.
Woohoo! That is all.
OH HELL YES!!! Also the f aaact that she said she’s queer makes me trust her, since the people against that word are usually drinking the terf juice.
10/10 good shit 😍
actually literally went and dug out my passwordkeeper to find the password for this website which I have not logged onto in perhaps years just so I could reply to your comment and say:
“DRINKING THE TERF JUICE!”
That sounds so utterly disgusting, with connotations of ‘trash juice,’ and that’s of course exactly what terfs are drinking, so thank you for adding this delightful phrase to my lexicon.
So lesbians are not to be trusted? I see…
I think they just meant that there’s a lot of overlap between TERFs and people who refuse to use the word “queer” ever. Not that if she had called herself a lesbian or bisexual it would have been bad, just that she used the term queer within her post at all is comforting to them.
Thank you sweet Kaballah Monster. Amen.
Now I need to DPC to sing “Into the Unknown”.
#LeadUsThereEmilyAndras
YES this is such joyful news in such shitty times, thanks!
Dom is the kindest, sweetest, most amazing person in the universe and she deserves the world. I’m so proud and happy for her! 💜
This is the sweet story I needed today! I haven’t watched Wynonna Earp (yet…it seems right up my alley, so maybe someday!), but I love that playing a queer character helped her feel more comfortable with herself.
I’m waiting for the moment when Sherri Saum and Teri Polo come out as bisexuals because we all know it’s coming.
Yes! I’ve definitely noticed a trend re actors coming out after playing queer roles. Obviously it can be a chicken and egg situation for everyone on the outside, but I totally agree with the idea that meeting actual queer people and realising we’re not all baby-eaters and weirdos (or not any more so than anyone else, lol) makes such a difference.
There really is a difference between “accepting” difference intellectually and being around it consistently… and realising what you think of as “difference” isn’t really that different to you. That while some of us are butch and proud (it me), you can have all manner of gender expression and be as queer as the day is long.
And well, hanging out with a bunch of queer(-friendly) hot people (naming no names) – you’d be very Kinsey 0 if you didn’t reconsider your sexuality even a tiny bit.
(I’m going to bask in the slightest amount of smugness that my in-person queerdar has not failed so far. Actors can look really convincing on-screen, but they don’t give you a vibe in person… but others do give a vibe).