2025 Update: In 2005, I documented Lucky Cheng’s in New York City’s Lower East Side and captured images of some performers. I visited the club over several months photographing performers along with celebrity visitors like Boy George. I went to Brooklyn to photograph two performers, Delta and Trixie, at Delta’s home. Many of the photos captured focus on Trixie, who I interviewed. Another performer, Bri, contributed to this interview as well.

Trixie is 22 and has been working at Lucky Cheng’s in New York City for a few months as a club host and performer.

On growing up

I am from Worcester, Mass, which is a city that thinks it’s a town. If it weren’t for my childhood there, I wouldn’t be who I am. Eventually it ran its course, and I had to move on.

When I was in junior high school I lived in small town. Once or twice a week my mother had to go to my school to speak to my principal. They basically said to my mother, “If your son doesn’t stop acting like a {slur} he can’t come here.” And we were forced to move to the city. Cities are much better about protecting kids. 

On fighting the system

I worked at a gas station with my ex-boyfriend. The [gas station] made me cut my hair so that my ears showed because that’s their rule. Boys had to have their ears showing which I think is sexist.  Girls can have their hair down. My boyfriend at the time was the manager. He didn’t make me do it, but the district manager said I had to. I remember my ex paid for my haircut. I had my hair down to my chin at the time and I said “just cut it around my ears, so I have my ears showing.” It was a horrible haircut, but it worked. 

On Trixie’s mom

She’s always respected me. She tells everyone, “My son’s a drag queen.” She puts pictures of me in drag up on the wall, like nice portraits on the wall of me in drag.

My mother and I are extremely close. Every time I go home to visit, she gives me outfits.

What the future holds

I’ve done drag on and off since I was 13. Since I was 18, I’ve been doing it all the time.

New York is a huge pond and I’m still a little fish in the huge pond.  I’m working on becoming a shark. A great white. Or better yet, a whale. Lucky Cheng’s is great because I get to dress how I want. 

Every hurdle I’ve ever gone through in my life has made me who I am today. I’m gonna go through more. I’m only 22. I understand that. There’s gonna be more down this road but it makes me who I am.

Bri, another Lucky Cheng’s performer, stopped by during Trixie’s interview in the Lucky’s Cheng’s locker room. Here’s what Bri wanted to share:

I grew up in Hawaii and I worked in Liberty House. Liberty House is like the Macy’s of Hawaii. And you took classes called “non-assumptions classes.” That’s one thing that you do in Hawaii because many people are androgenous looking. You don’t work at a store and go up and say, “Ma’am” or “Mr.” Because they’re androgenous. We took classes. You don’t identify them. You go up and say, “Do you like that sweater you’re touching?” But you never identify them, specifically, as Mr. And Mrs. I took classes on this. It was called “classes in finesse,” and it was at a bank. You had to learn lessons about approaching. You never identify people sexually or genderly. You don’t say “Ma’am or Mr.” because in Hawaii you could be wrong. My whole life I’ve never wanted to be a boy. I’ve never wanted to be a man. You know what I am? I’m an M. Not an M-R Mr., not an M-S miss, I’m an M “Mmmmm”. It’s the beginning. It’s the beginning of anything.