Exploring Drag and LGBTQ+ Mental Health in Rural Eastern Oregon with Nathan Smith

In this episode of Queer Coded, our host, Mary Ellen Buxton, interviews Nathan Smith, an LGBTQ+ Mental Health Specialist, drag queen, and HIV/AIDS activist. Nathan shares details of his origins in the Indiana drag scene and tells of the social climate surrounding drag in rural Eastern Oregon. Nathan also discusses the need for LGBTQ+ mental health supports in Pendleton and Eastern Oregon while also recognizing that there are already a lot of supports in place in the region, though they may be hard to find. He goes on to describe his relationship with gender as well as the process of shaping his drag name, persona, and style.