DON'T BE A DRAG

An anxious teen comes into her own through the art of drag.

Briar is leaving Texas to spend the summer in New York City with her brother, Beau, aka drag queen Bow Regard. At a show, she meets—and clashes with—Selene, Beau’s infuriatingly attractive but arrogant friend, who performs as drag king Spencer Read. Briar decides to try to beat Spencer in an upcoming competition, and so begins her own drag journey. Along the way, she’ll flirt with Spencer, befriend fellow drag king Achilles, bicker with her brother, and ultimately gain much-needed confidence both on and off the stage. Briar’s mental health journey is at the core of the story, which accurately and unflinchingly depicts her experiences with anxiety and depression. Neither drag nor her flirtation with Spencer is able to magically cure her, but the community she finds in New York leads her to agree to pursue therapy and medication, offering hope for her future. The endearing Briar is realistically drawn, and the supporting characters are all lovable in their own ways, from cosplaying Achilles and sassy but sincere Beau to Briar’s compassionate and down-to-earth mentor, Jacklynn Hyde. A host of queer identities are depicted; Briar is bisexual, and her found family includes a nonbinary person and a trans woman. Main characters present white.

A joyful celebration of identity and community.