Where Glitter Meets Science: A Conversation with Friday The Professor
A Quiet Café, A Loud Presence
The coffee arrives first. Strong, dark, unapologetic — much like the energy sitting across the table. It’s one of those slow Helsinki mornings where the city feels like it’s still deciding whether to wake up. Outside, people pass by in silence. Inside, there’s laughter before the conversation even begins.
Friday The Professor doesn’t enter a room — she shifts it.
Even without the full drag transformation, there’s something unmistakable about her presence. A kind of intentionality. A softness that coexists with precision. You get the sense that every version of her — the teacher, the performer, the activist — is always in dialogue with the others.
And maybe that’s the point.
More Than a Persona — A Living Intersection
LGBTQ+ visibility, drag in Finland, queer education
Friday The Professor is a Brazilian-born educator, drag queen, DJ, and human rights advocate now based in Finland. With over 16 years in education and more than a decade in drag performance, her work exists in a space where knowledge isn’t separated from identity — it’s embodied.
Originally trained in Natural Sciences, her path shifted during her master’s studies toward human rights education. That pivot didn’t just change her career — it reframed her purpose. Today, through projects like AFRONTE, The Fabulous Trivia Night, and her YouTube channel Delta Drag, Friday creates spaces where humor, education, and queer visibility meet without compromise.
But none of it feels forced. It feels lived.
When It All Clicked
Queer identity in education, representation matters
“I decided I wanted to be the teacher I had needed growing up.”
– Friday The Professor
There’s a moment I ask her about — that turning point where everything stopped feeling fragmented and started making sense.
QM.- Your journey brings together science, education, drag performance, and human rights advocacy — worlds that many people might not immediately connect. Can you take us back to the moment when you realized these different passions could actually coexist and become the foundation of your work?
FTP.- I think that realization began during my master’s in Teaching of Natural Sciences, when I wrote my thesis on gender relations in science. That process opened my eyes to how deeply science lacks representation - and how I had never had a queer teacher myself. That was a turning point: I decided I wanted to be the teacher I had needed growing up.
But it took me a few years to fully understand the power of that decision. I remember a colleague once asked me, ‘How would you feel if you had a teacher like you?’ I completely froze. I had always seen my existence as something natural, almost invisible, and in that moment, I realized it could actually be transformative for others.
That’s when everything clicked: my identities didn’t just coexist, they strengthened each other.
Building Space From Scratch
Queer community Finland, immigrant LGBTQ+ stories
Migration often comes with reinvention — but also with absence. When Friday moved from Brazil to Finland, what she didn’t find became just as important as what she did.
QM.- After moving from Brazil to Finland, you began creating projects like AFRONTE and The Fabulous Trivia Night. What personal need or vision were you responding to when you decided to build these spaces, and what kind of community did you hope they would nurture?
FTP.- The Fabulous Trivia Night was really my starting point, and it’s still a fully independent project. I do everything myself, from designing the posters to writing the questions. It became a gateway for me to develop new skills: hosting, comedy, production, and connecting with different audiences.
The project was born out of a lack of opportunities. As an immigrant drag artist in Finland, I quickly realized that if I wanted space, I would have to create it myself. And that’s exactly what I did.
Looking back now, I feel incredibly grateful. The community I’m part of today is something I couldn’t have imagined a few years ago. What started as a necessity became a belonging, and that’s very powerful.
The Classroom and The Stage
Drag as education, LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools
There’s a quiet revolution in the way Friday moves between worlds — the classroom and the stage don’t feel separate. They echo each other.
QM.- Drag has traditionally been associated with nightlife and entertainment, yet you’ve transformed it into a powerful educational tool. How has being an LGBTQ+ performer and educator shaped the way people receive your work — both inside classrooms and on stage?
FTP.- Being both an LGBTQ+ performer and an educator has deeply shaped how people connect with me. In the classroom, I’ve built very strong relationships with my students. By being open and vulnerable about who I am, I create space for them to be more honest and expressive as well. It builds trust - and trust is essential for learning.
In schools and among colleagues, my presence often becomes part of a broader conversation about inclusion. My voice is frequently invited to reinforce the importance of creating safe spaces for all students.
On stage, that same authenticity translates into connection. People don’t just see a performer; they see a story, a perspective, a lived experience. And that makes the work resonate on a deeper level.
Becoming Visible
Drag identity journey, LGBTQ+ self-discovery
Some moments don’t feel big when they happen. They only reveal their weight later.
“People don’t just see a performer; they see a story.”
– Friday The Professor
QM.- Many queer people describe their identity as a journey of discovery rather than a fixed destination. Looking back, what were some of the moments or experiences that helped you truly understand yourself — not only as Friday the Professor, but as a person?
FTP.- One defining moment was when I went to school in drag in Brazil. That decision sparked a lot of public attention, I appeared on TV shows and was later recognized by São Paulo’s Pride organization.
At the time, it felt like a bold personal choice. But looking back, I understand it as a moment of clarity. It showed me that being unapologetically myself could have a real impact, even beyond my immediate environment.
That experience helped me understand that Friday the Professor is not just a character - it’s an extension of who I am. It’s where my identity, my values, and my purpose come together.
Joy as Strategy
©Friday The Professor
LGBTQ+ activism, humor and education
There’s something disarming about laughter — it opens doors that seriousness alone sometimes can’t.
QM.- Your work blends humor, knowledge, and activism in a very intentional way. Why do you believe joy, laughter, and playfulness are such important tools when talking about serious topics like inclusion, human rights, and LGBTQ+ visibility?
FTP.- I truly believe that how we invite people into conversations matters. Topics like inclusion and human rights can feel heavy or even intimidating for some, and humor becomes a powerful bridge.
My background as a teacher helps me navigate these conversations with care. I use humor, playfulness, and joy to create an entry point: a way for people to engage without fear. Once they’re there, we can start having deeper, more meaningful discussions.
Joy doesn’t diminish the seriousness of these topics; it actually makes them more accessible and human.
Creating More Than Events
Queer cultural impact, LGBTQ+ spaces Finland
The conversation shifts toward impact — not the abstract kind, but the kind you can feel in a room.
QM.- Through your events and collaborations, you create spaces where local artists, internationals, and LGBTQ+ audiences come together. What kind of cultural or social impact do you hope these spaces can have, especially in places where queer visibility is still evolving?
“Joy doesn’t diminish the seriousness — it makes it human.”
– Friday The Professor
FTP.- I hope these spaces inspire more people to create, not just attend. We need more events, more platforms, more voices. Take risks. Try things. Don’t wait for permission.
It’s also important to look beyond your immediate circle. Give opportunities to new artists, different perspectives, and unexpected talents. Instead of seeing others as competition, see them as a chance to learn and grow.
If we want real cultural impact, we need to build a scene that is diverse, collaborative, and open. The goal is not just visibility, it’s sustainability and inclusion for everyone.
A Message That Stays
©Friday The Professor
LGBTQ+ youth, finding your voice
By the time the coffee is gone, the conversation has softened into something quieter — something that lingers.
QM.- Looking toward the future, what message would you share with LGBTQ+ young people around the world who may still be searching for their voice, their community, or the courage to live authentically?
FTP.- Your existence is valid, exactly as it is. And even if it doesn’t feel like it right now, there are people out there who will see you, understand you, and celebrate you. You are not alone.
Finding your voice and your community can take time, but don’t give up on yourself in the process. The world needs you, not a version of you, but you.
The Conversation Doesn’t End Here
As we step back into the Helsinki streets, there’s a sense that this wasn’t just an interview — it was an exchange. One that doesn’t neatly conclude.
Because Friday The Professor isn’t offering answers as much as she’s opening doors.
And maybe that’s the real work: not just being visible, but making space for others to be seen.
Continue the Conversation
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