Todd Moore applies makeup in his mirror at home to become Trixie in preparation for his drag performance that evening at Southbend Tavern in Columbus, Ohio. Todd Moore has been a drag queen for over four years and performs at Southbend Tavern every Tuesday night. Growing up Todd didn’t have a lot of confidence or friends. He was bullied so bad he decided to be homeschooled in high school. After graduation Todd moved to Columbus and found drag and a whole new world opened up for him. “Becoming Trixie helped me become all the parts of me I was too scared to be and become a fuller person” Todd said.
Wigs and other accessories lay scattered on a table backstage at Southbend Tavern on Tuesday, October, 2, 2018. Queens will often swap wigs, outfits and accessories backstage in between their sets.
Todd Moore stands in front of the mirror as he puts on his body suit to become Trixie. He fills it with foam to shape a female body, before his drag performance on Tuesday, September, 25, 2018, at Southbend Tavern in Columbus, Ohio.
Todd Moore performs as Trixie at Southbend Tavern in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, October, 2, 2018. Trixie is Todd in drag. Todd identifies as a homosexual man but when he is in drag he becomes Trixie, an outgoing, well-known female performer and character. “When I’m Todd i’m more nervous and reserved. Trixie is outgoing she talks a lot I’ll just go up to random people I don’t know and say hello. I’m not scared of anything when I’m Trixie.I’m the same person but as Trixie I feel important. As Todd growing up I always got bullied. I wasn’t important. I didn’t have many friends but as Trixie I have a lot of friends and a new family. As Trixie I feel like I’m actually something” said Todd.
Sunshine Bouvier, Trixie’s drag mom greets her backstage and comforts her with a hug. The Southbend regulars refer to themselves as family. Comparable to the dynamic between sorority and fraternity brothers and sisters, tight nit drag communities form strong bonds and take on family roles. Sunshine Bouiver is Trixie’s drag mom. The role of a drag mom is to offer support and help newbies get started in drag. Trixie also has a drag husband and says the Southbend family is closer than most of their families at home. “We are all very close and protective of one another because of the cruelty and discrimination we’ve all faced at some point or another just for being ourselves” said Todd.
Todd and his mom Lori Mckenzie eat dinner together at the kitchen table. Todd’s stepdad eats dinner in his recliner in the living room on Friday, November 30, 2018.
Todd and his mom Lori laugh together after Todd takes a picture of her flipping off the camera to send to one of his ex-boyfriends on Snapchat.“I knew Todd was gay right around the time he started to walk. I never gave it a second thought after that” Lori Mckenzie, Todd’s mom said. For LGBTQ people aged 10–24, suicide is one of the leading causes of death. Family support plays an important role in affecting the likelihood of suicide. Someone who faced rejection after coming out to their families were more than 8 times more likely to have attempted suicide than someone who was accepted by their family after revealing their sexual orientation.
Todd Moore shops at Joann Fabrics in Newark, Ohio, for costume supplies for his next drag performance on Friday, November, 30, 2018. Todd makes a lot of the drag outfits for Trixie.
Trixie stands on stage at Southbend Tavern in Columbus, Ohio, as the bar cheers after her performance on Tuesday, October, 2, 2018.
A drawing a fan made of Trixie, is the only decoration that hangs on Todd’s bedroom wall.
Trixie applies glue to the make-shift painters tape cap on her head so her wig doesn’t fall of. Trixie also uses the tape to create a sharp line on her face when applying blush to resemble more feminine bone structure.
Trixie laughs with friends at Southbend Tavern while Stephenie Denise performs on stage, on Tuesday, October, 23, 2018.
The crowd watches as Trixie performs at Southbend Tavern in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, September, 15, 2018. “You just never know what’s going to happen these days. We are more at risk. Anytime I’m just out at a bar or club dancing or performing and just having fun anyone can just open that door and start shooting at anytime. That’s a chance I’m willing to take to be able to perform and be happy, so if that day ever comes, I would die being me and being happy” said Todd.