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“My favourite part of my job is any time I get to be in person with our alumni. We do so much work online but being in the room with alumni is electric. It’s so great to hear their memories about their time here.”

Pelrine also works with our generous donors to honour them and help bring their visions to life in how they want to support the faculty.

When asked what an average day on the job is, Pelrine laughed and said with ten academic units there is no telling what the day will bring, but that’s what he loves about the job.

“I am learning, I’m not just doing something that is rinse and repeat. I love being challenged and having that experience. I don’t like being in stagnant water, the Faculty of Health is always flowing and ever-changing.”

Bunni Lapin to centre stage

If you’ve been to a drag show in Halifax, chances, are, you’ve seen Bunni Lapin – Pelrine’s drag persona.

Pelrine has been doing drag as Bunni Lapin since he was 19. It wasn’t something he was always comfortable sharing about in his workplace, but now he not only shares about his events, but welcomes people to attend.

“The outpouring of support from my colleagues has been fantastic. If you want to have a good time, laugh and escape the world around us, that’s what my drag shows are all about.”

Full circle

Pelrine is a Dal alum himself, with a Bachelor of Arts combined Honours Music and Theatre. One of his first drag performances was at the Grawood, and he continued to do many DalOUT events.

“Becoming a drag queen was embedded in Dal. If I didn’t have this experience to feel comfortable and be who I was in university I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

After graduation, Bunni had an incredible drag career in Toronto before moving back home to Nova Scotia. Now, you can catch Bunni at local events including her .

Things have come full circle for Pelrine – coming out as an undergrad student at Dal and is now a member of the Steering (Queering) Committee in the Queer Faculty and Staff Caucus.

“I’m so proud of being back and being part of that experience and supporting others on their journey now.”

Be you

Pelrine says that the backlash against drag queens and their performances is rooted in homophobia, and the hatred is uninformed and misguided.

“A show I would do for a 19+ venue is very different from what I would do at an all-ages show. You can’t compare a video from a night club to what would happen at drag story time. We are artists, we can always show different palettes, just like an actor playing different roles. People are taking the humanity out of it.”

Pelrine says he didn’t come out until he was 19. He knew he was queer sooner, but he had to figure it out on his own and what that journey would look like for him.

“If there’s anything we could teach children, it would be that regardless of sexuality, it’s all about inclusion and being yourself. We’re not saying be queer, we’re saying be authentically you.”