Ember Touché, Miss Teen Drag USA of 2024–25, is a “mortuary Trans male historian” by day and an exquisite drag queen by night. Mainstream drag, like that popularized by RuPaul's Drag Race, has often centered around cisgender Gay men dressing in exaggerated feminine personas for entertainment. But Ember is different. Assigned female at birth, Ember transitioned in 2018, then started drag around six years ago, doing cosplay.
“If you are feminine, you are seen as invalid, not a real man. And it was something I took very much to heart as a very young kid,” Ember told the SGN.
Ember’s first shows were all-ages drag storytimes, where she realized that her power as a performer was to promote drag for everyone, regardless of age, gender, race or religion.
“A lot of shows, if you come down to Seattle, they're at bars. Everything is 21+, and even navigating being a younger drag performer — figuring out where to go— is very difficult,” Ember said.
Ember used the frustration of these barriers to fuel her own mission: She broke the glass ceiling of the drag world and created her own show: Ember’s Brunch Bash. Based in Everett, the show welcomes young performers who struggle to find spaces in which to perform.
And she’s found great success with this approach. Through a weekly community night at the café, she’s even found her very own drag daughter: Miss Demolition.
After winning several different categories, Ember has recently been awarded the proud title of Miss Teen Drag, officially recognizing her as drag royalty.
But Ember’s message is one of inclusivity and a reminder that anyone can live their dreams.
“I love our elder Queers, everything they've done for us, the doors they've opened for us, but at the end of the day, when they are gone, we are leading the next generation. We need a space to be us,” Ember said.
A multigenerational tradition
When a drag queen is given a name, they enter into the drag “family, “ where they have support, mentorship and others possibilities. Ember’s family of choice are the Touchés, and her drag mom is Jennavsia. She was awarded the family name on her 19th birthday and has worn it with pride ever since.
Drag has always been part of Ember’s home life, spanning generations. Her mom Jennifer even grew up going drag herself.
“When I was a teenager and in my early twenties, I hung out with predominantly Queer people, and this was when I went to high school in Arkansas,” Jennifer said. "This was in the early ’90s... It was, very homophobic, and so it was a very closed community. I was being snuck into drag bars before I was legal to go into them.”
The future of Teen drag
A big part of what makes Ember’s work so meaningful is advocating for and helping the next generation of Trans and drag performers feel seen and heard.
“I would love more young drag performers, young Queer people, just not your typical drag performer or your typical person being on the front page... Or in general, anywhere in Seattle, bring more of the weirdos and freaks out,” she said.
“The younger generation that I am a part of definitely is not gonna stand for the bullshit going on.”
Recent administration changes have led to backlash against drag and LGBTQIA+ expression, including restrictive laws, censorship, moral panic, and rising harassment. Several states, including Tennessee, Florida, Texas, and Montana, have passed or proposed laws restricting drag performances where minors are present.
Despite this, drag can be a powerful form of resistance: it challenges stereotypes, promotes self-expression, and builds supportive communities. By continuing to perform and be visible, young drag artists push back against stigma, inspire others to embrace their identities, and show that creativity and authenticity can thrive even in the face of oppression.
And although social media has its drawbacks, it’s a powerful way to connect the drag community for welcoming and supporting all forms of creativity. Ember says it’s also a way the younger generation differs from the past: it gets more people involved, especially politically.
Find more about Ember’s future shows and other content at instagram.com/emberroyale
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