(Originally Published on QBlog and SMYRC on 12/5/2012)

The contestants for Season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race have been announced and our very own Jinkx Monsoon is one of them! Jinkx’s drag roots started at SMYRC, one of Q Center‘s LGBTQ Youth & Young Adult programs and drop-in center, and I had the chance to chat with her this week about her experience as a former SMYRC youth-turned-TV-star! Find our interview just below the videos…

Watch Jinkx Monsoon’s “Meet The Queens” video for RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 5 here:

Logan Lynn: Hey Jinkx! Thanks for taking the time to talk with me today! First off, Condragulations on your casting for Season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Was this the first time you had tried out for the show?

Jinkx Monsoon: This was the first time I tried out. I had been considering auditioning since season 2, but it just never felt right. When I watched Season 4 however, I became really inspired. Not only was I inspired by the intensely unique Sharon Needles, but also by Chad Michaels who competed the entire time with class and compassion. The season 4 cast contained so much variety and individuality, that I finally said to myself “why not go for it?” I woke up one morning and it just felt like it was what I had to do. From that moment on, I went full force with my audition material and I was determined to do my damnedest to get on that show.

LL: Ah, yes. Determination strikes again! In recent years you have made quite a name for yourself in the Seattle drag scene. Would you say that your drag career began at SMYRC’s drag night?

JM: My Drag career most definitely began at SMYRC. Ages ago, when I was a SMYRC youth, I liked to get involved with organizing some the community events. One year for our Queer Winter Formal, the theme was “Fairy Tale” or something of the like. I had put together a small drag show to happen in the middle of the dance and I decided that I would dress up as the Queen of Hearts (one of my first times in true drag) for the event. The response was quite positive and I felt empowered to see where this could go. I started doing drag more and more at SMYRC for open mic. nights and other events and soon I was a full fledged baby drag queen. I had to have a name, so I used my SMYRC nickname: Jinkx. And it just seemed to work. Soon I was performing at SMYRC, The Escape (The all ages gay night club) and at little events here and there. But SMYRC was my home. It gave me a place to experiment with drag in a loving, supportive, judgement free zone.

LL: That is such a special experience! What brought you to SMYRC initially?

JM: I came out at a very early age. I was about 14 in middle school when I came out and I had Read the rest of this entry »

The pre-order for the charity record I produced Comp 175 – A Benefit for Queer Programs & Services in the Pacific Northwest went live today via Bandcamp. 36 bands, 45 songs, 15 dollars. 100% of the proceeds go directly to Q Center, which runs the LGBTQ Community Center and the Sexual & Gender Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC) in Portland. Order your copy now and get the first 10 tracks instantly! The full record comes out wherever music is sold on Tuesday, November 27th.

Click HERE to get down with the pre-order!

“Comp 175 – A Benefit for Queer Programs & Services in the Pacific Northwest” Tracklist:

1. Deluxe – An Evening Alone
2. Matt Alber – Tightrope
3. Logan Lynn – Do You Want Me Or Not?
4. Scream Club, Peaches, Shunda K, and Nicky Click – Billionaire (Remix)
5. Atole – Tonya
6. God-Des & She – God, I Know You Love Me
7. Magic Mouth – Wash It Off
8. Christeene – Tropical Abortion
9. Kimono Kops – A Shotgun Cottage
10. Jeremy Gloff – Outsiders
11. Kerry Hallett – Easy Go
12. Bobby Jo Valentine – Home
13. Jana Fisher – If I Ever Break Your Heart
14. A Million Tiny Architects – Lost In Oscillations
15. Jeb Havens – Parachute
16. Mattachine Social – Star Box
17. Tom Goss – Seems Like Yesterday
18. Logan Lynn – Turn Me Out (Modern Remix)
19. Kelly Moe – Collide Into You (Bovine Remix)
20. L10 – Oh Yeah!
21. Brett Gleason – Polarity
22. The Sexbots – Solar Power
23. Magic Mouth – Hush
24. Houston Bernard – 14 14 LUV
25. Noah Daniel Wood – Joshua
26. Jonny – The Gay Canon
27. Microfilm – B.F.F.
28. Blue Redder – Seahorse
29. Jeb Havens – Wake Up Call
30. Logan Lynn – Alone Together (Boy In Static Remix)
31. Bobby Jo Valentine – Gunshot
32. Katrina Skalland – Kiss You
33. Towering Trees – Brandy Alexander
34. Barbi Crash – Talk Shit
35. Atole – Maximal Techno
36. Matthew Mercer – Swallowing Stars
37. Kerry Hallett – Hating Nothing
38. Marshall J. – Damn It All
39. Stephan Nance – Firecracker
40. Noah Daniel Wood – Eli Wants A High Five
41. Mattachine Social – Lovers
42. Brett Gleason – Unruddered (Dead Red Velvet Remix)
43. Houston Bernard – Love (Matt Moss Vocal Mix)
44. Logan Lynn – Tramp Stamps and Birthmarks
45. Alternate Destination – July