Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Takenaka
Hi Veronica, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up as a gender creative kid in Utah, there was always a sense of feeling like I don’t belong. I came out at two years old as Gender Creative when I put on my cousins Tinkerbell dress at a family party. I had somehow even managed to throw my arms back behind me and pull up the zipper being ready to go. It was then that the world around me shifted. My mom was and is a very big advocate for my gender journey, and at that moment started to build me the pathway towards expressing myself. My fourth birthday party was Princess themed. I went as Ariel, my favorite of them all. At one point I remember I was opening gifts and my aunty had gotten me a pair of blue overalls with a narwhal on the front. She yelled, “He is a boy, so I bought him boy clothes.” That time was super difficult without having a lot of support from my family. Eventually, however, they came around, and now they are one of my biggest support systems ever. Ever since I was little I identified as Gender Creative, which for me meant I identified as a man, but dressed feminine. And that is what I had been told I identified as for my whole life. From family and friends, I made sure they knew I was a guy. I was always so uncomfortable when people would use she/her pronouns for me when I was younger, because to me it meant I wasn’t proving myself to be male. Especially after coming out as gay at 9 and being femme, I felt shame when people mistook me for a woman. I had these expectations of gender roles that I had to live up to, that I couldn’t stray away from. That was until I started watching Rupaul’s Drag Race when I was 15. I started watching during Season 13, and became obsessed with Gottmik. As a trans man who still bent the gender roles in drag, I had never seen someone who was so open with their identity and their queerness. That was really when I started to question my identity, and dig deeper into where this insecurity came from when I would be called a woman. I went through so many conversations with my fellow trans friends who I consider my siblings, and digging into the world of drag. I started to use she/her pronouns and was thinking of going by something that just felt right. It became so clear, after so long, why I was so scared to be called a woman- because I knew I was one. I had come out twice at that point in my life technically, but to come out again at 15 was so scary. I felt I had to be so sure of myself and know who I was, somehow convincing my brain that I couldn’t show vulnerability. That was until I was watching Season 14 of Rupauls Drag Race, and saw Jasmine Kennedie, one of the queens competing, come out as a trans woman during one of the episodes. To see her show such a vulnerable and raw and beautiful aspect of herself, and then everyone else’s support, gave me the strength to start coming out publicly. I started out by telling my closest friends, all of whom were very accepting of my position and were open to using my new name and pronouns. Then I turned to my family, all of whom were very supportive. Even with my Japanese side of the family, who all took some time to adhere to the changes, but still wanted to change them so they could show me support. And especially with my mom, who also helped me change everything legally as well. Everything takes time, and it didn’t happen overnight. Even in my school environment, when I told my teachers in my Sophomore year, all were so willing and accepting of embracing my new name, and I am forever grateful for everyone’s support. This even eventually led to me wanting to explore HRT, where after a lengthy process, I had my first hormone blocker shot for my 17th birthday. It was the greatest present I could’ve ever received. Even so, I had continuously been obsessed with drag at that point, and had started to dabble in it. A big part of my transition has been playing with makeup, and listening to all the pop icons and performing in my room to their songs. I have always wanted to perform in some way, ever since I was little and would put on my blanket and tie it around my hips like a skirt, and put on my princess tiara while singing to the Little Mermaid. So, in my Junior year of high school, in my club that I had joined from one of my closest friends’ recommendation, we started planning an Open Mic Night. The club, known as West Winds, is my past high schools literary arts club. We plan Open Mic Nights about twice every school year where students could perform written work, or display their physical art, or perform a song they enjoyed. This gave me the idea to ask if I could possibly perform in drag as a part of the lineup. Thanks to my amazing club coordinators, they were automatically on board and reached out to make sure I felt prepared to perform. Seeing as it was my first time, I had practiced every day in the coming weeks just to prepare for this moment. I had taken some sewing classes and had started to make my own costumes, using my techniques to build costumes to wear for the night. The day eventually came, and I had put on my makeup that my cousin had bought me for Christmas that I had been practicing alongside my choreography. I used many Youtube videos from famous queens to try and pull together a mug (face of makeup) that wasn’t terrifying. I didn’t have the will to try and put on a wig, so I just put up my natural hair into pigtails. I’ll never forget the smell of the dried paint as I walked through the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, and was led to a little section in the back where I could change. I invited my family and friends, and it was truly so nice with everyone’s support. This just made it so much better, and they all came and showed out and cheered as I anxiously walked on. I started off with “Gimme More” by Britney Spears. Then I went into “You Oughta Know” by Alanís Morisette, where I wore my gothic dress I had made for the Winter Formal of my Sophomore year, and closed off with “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston with the sparkly purple 80s inspired number I had made for my Homecoming dance of my Sophomore year. After my number was done and the applause from the audience died down, I moved on to give a little speech about the recent activity happening in Utah’s legislature. This was around the same time as the legislature was passing House Bill 11, and I wanted to speak about my experiences with it. I personally did not play any sports while I was in high school, but the legislature’s decision to pass HB 11 was a shockwave to the trans Utahn community. I wanted to inspire people to use their voice and go against this hateful legislation, which is where my work as a Youth Advocate really began. I have always been a protestor at heart, even ever since I was little. I remember creating a little peaceful protest in elementary school when they reduced our recess time from 20 minutes to 15 minutes. I made fliers to hand out to my fellow students to meet in front of the school and talk about how a longer recess would be better for us as students. Luckily, my mom was a teacher at the time at my school, so the principal was very familiar with me. He was actually very willing to change the time for all students, and we achieved receiving back our 20 minute recesses. Especially when my mom was in the teaching field, me and my younger brother would always go to protests to support her in going against the unfair wages teachers have been dealing with. Going off of my own past experience, I started to plan protests against HB 11 for school wide walkout to have anyone who could, show their support for our trans students. There was luckily a very nice turnout, with new and familiar faces crowding the front steps of my school. I volunteered to speak during this walkout, and had prepared a few words showing my disapproval for the legislations actions. Having spoken and helped prepare this was a very helpful tool, and helped me prepare for the years to come. As more and more anti trans legislation passed, the more and more I worked to fighting it. After HB 257 and SB 16, which would prevent trans civilians from using the bathroom of their own gender identity and prevent trans youth from starting HRT respectively, I started my work on going against those things. Especially when SB 16 was being passed was around the same time I had started my HRT journey. Luckily, because I had been diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria prior to SB 16 going into effect, I could continue my treatment, and I am so forever grateful I am able to be where I am in my journey with HRT. However, that didn’t stop the legislation from going into effect. I worked tirelessly to plan and execute and speak at countless protests that went against the actions of our legislators and anti trans issues around the country. From the murder of Nex Benedict, to countless other issues, I wanted to provide for the fellow students at my school. Which was also eventually led to me becoming the President of the Queer History Club, the President of Women’s Alliance Club, and Head Manager of West Winds all in my senior year. I am lucky to have worked with some amazing staff and peers to help create community all across my school. Now, as I head up to the University of Utah, I hope to continue my work as a local drag artist, a trans youth advocate, and an activist for issues that I believe need to be solved. I am so lucky to have my support system that I do now, with my family, friends, and community all behind my back. And for all of that I am so so grateful.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
A lot of the struggles came with the Utah environment disapproving of my journey as a trans youth and a youth drag artist. Since the drag scene is so heavily influenced by nightlife, to be a youth drag artist means there aren’t as many opportunities for me to perform and spread my message. I have luckily come across many all age shows where I have been lucky enough to perform. Having so many people and legislation go against you is really disheartening, and has definitely been a serious pushback in me being able to fully grow and find my community fully. But I still am so grateful to be able to have found so many people like me, and despite the Utah atmosphere that exists, find the sweetspots of communities and people like me.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a youth drag artist, I work towards creating an atmosphere for my fellow queer youth to be accepted and praised for their existence. I work towards representing myself as a Fourth Generation Japanese transgender youth drag queen and giving everyone the space to express themselves authentically. In all of my performances, I want to create a sense of power and undeniable confidence that I can exude to anyone who watches, and make them feel the same way I do when I perform. I also sew many of the costumes that I perform in, and build community for my fellow queer family in Utah. Some of my crowning achievements in drag have been being a cohost of Utah Youth Pride in 2023, as well as being featured on Teen Vogue in an article for my accomplishments as an activist and artist. I have had the privilege and honor to perform for countless audiences all across the state, whether for trans students at BYU with Cougar Camp and Couture, to local brunches and youth-friendly drag shows based in Salt Lake City. As well as introducing drag to my high school, and having two beautiful drag kids that I am proud to call my family. To be 18 and to have had a career already started makes me feel so proud and privileged and so grateful to be here. I am so so grateful and loving to have been able to perform for so many incredible audiences.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was always a very outgoing kid. I had to build a thick skin very early on because of the ridicule and disapproval from many of my peers, however I also had many fellow students who were comfortable around me and enjoyed my presence. I was definitely more of a goody two shoes, especially with my mom being a teacher. I always had dreams of performing somehow, whether that was from little performances in my bedroom dancing by myself, or with my cousins at family parties. I would always go up to other kids and say “Hi, I’m Veronica, what’s your name?” and was very social. I have always been obsessed with fashion and music, having watched Project Runway ever since I was about 5 years old. I have always tried to build community whether that be with my friends, or with new kids at my school, or whoever I was with. My parents always talk about how even when I was a baby and couldn’t speak yet, I would just blabber and tell stories to them and laugh at the things I would “say.” I’ve always been artistically inclined, with my first paintings being in Kindergarten where I drew my rendition of the Ugly Duckling with a dramatic twist. I have always been a storyteller, and have always wanted to be something more.
Pricing:
- I own a shop on Etsy called Ronniegami.Boutique where I sell origami earrings, handmade by me.
- I am available on Instagram. For drag related things and to book me, you can find and contact me @aiko.thee.empress
- My personal Instagram account is @tak.eyy.na.ka
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tak.eyy.na.ka?igsh=MWFremFscHFxOXVpaw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://ronniegamiboutique.etsy.com/
