Photo by Steven Underhill
Herro!
Welcome to KhmeraRouge.com! My name is Khmera, and I'm a Cambodian and Chinese American Drag Queen and performer living in San Francisco. As a performer, I focus on raising funds for local non-profit charity and community groups. I am the current Reigning Empress of San Francisco of the Imperial Council, the founding Mother Court of the International Court System.
I started drag officially in February 2012 and I was adopted by my drag mother, Kylie Minono (Grand Duchess 39 of the Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco, "GDCSF"). I performed for the first time with her at her show, Serving Fish, at Deco Lounge, which was located in the Tenderloin. I later went on to compete for and won the fundraising title of "Queen of Hearts" of the GDCSF in February 2013 and also competed for and won the title of "Miss GAPA" (Gay Asian Pacific Alliance) 2013 at the 25th annual GAPA Runway pageant in July 2013 with Mr. GAPA 2013, Sir Whitney Queers.
To date, I'm proud to say I have helped raised over $150,000 to help support many amazing non-profit organizations, and hope to continue raising more funds over the next year. For the past few years, I have been involved with the Imperial Council of San Francisco, helping raise money through helping host and participating in various fundraising and social events.
I am originally from Seattle, Washington and moved to the Bay Area in 2010. In my spare time, I enjoy the color red, cooking, traveling, dancing salsa, playing softball for the SF Knockers, San Francisco's only all Drag softball team with in the SF Gay Softball League and of course, raising money for many wonderful non-profit organizations. I am also one of the co-hostesses of ShangriLa, a premier Asian LGBT club night in San Francisco, held the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month at The EndUp. I'm out and about all over the City, so if you see me around, please come up and say "Herro!"
A bit more about Khmera & What's in a Name:
Some have asked why I chose the name "Khmera Rouge"? Isn't that something bad? Well yes, yes it was. My stage name is in direct reference to the "Khmer Rouge", a communist group, that in the 1970's, forever changed the history of Cambodia and my family. They imposed a radical regime and eradicated all forms of class, culture and education. They forced all civilians into an agrarian social experiment that as a result, killed or displaced over 2 million people. As a result, my family became refugees and were shipped off to camps first in Thailand and then the Philippines, before finally setting in Washington State. Such a heavy history behind a drag name, but I chose that name, not to glorify what they did or to cause anger, but rather as a way to remind people of what this group did and in doing so, making sure it is not forgotten. I found that many people did not know about what happened, and that in and of itself, is a tragedy. (Read more about why I chose the name in the Bay Area Reporter and SF Bay Times).
What's Next for Khmera?
Please join us for our upcoming Court meetings and fundraisers! For the latest up to date information about our Court, please connect with us on Facebook!
xoxo
Yours in service,
Her Imperial Majesty,
The Golden Jubilee Monarch of the International Court System,
The Golden Crouching Tigress, Hidden Draggerina Empress,
Absolute Empress 50,
Welcome to KhmeraRouge.com! My name is Khmera, and I'm a Cambodian and Chinese American Drag Queen and performer living in San Francisco. As a performer, I focus on raising funds for local non-profit charity and community groups. I am the current Reigning Empress of San Francisco of the Imperial Council, the founding Mother Court of the International Court System.
I started drag officially in February 2012 and I was adopted by my drag mother, Kylie Minono (Grand Duchess 39 of the Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco, "GDCSF"). I performed for the first time with her at her show, Serving Fish, at Deco Lounge, which was located in the Tenderloin. I later went on to compete for and won the fundraising title of "Queen of Hearts" of the GDCSF in February 2013 and also competed for and won the title of "Miss GAPA" (Gay Asian Pacific Alliance) 2013 at the 25th annual GAPA Runway pageant in July 2013 with Mr. GAPA 2013, Sir Whitney Queers.
To date, I'm proud to say I have helped raised over $150,000 to help support many amazing non-profit organizations, and hope to continue raising more funds over the next year. For the past few years, I have been involved with the Imperial Council of San Francisco, helping raise money through helping host and participating in various fundraising and social events.
I am originally from Seattle, Washington and moved to the Bay Area in 2010. In my spare time, I enjoy the color red, cooking, traveling, dancing salsa, playing softball for the SF Knockers, San Francisco's only all Drag softball team with in the SF Gay Softball League and of course, raising money for many wonderful non-profit organizations. I am also one of the co-hostesses of ShangriLa, a premier Asian LGBT club night in San Francisco, held the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month at The EndUp. I'm out and about all over the City, so if you see me around, please come up and say "Herro!"
A bit more about Khmera & What's in a Name:
Some have asked why I chose the name "Khmera Rouge"? Isn't that something bad? Well yes, yes it was. My stage name is in direct reference to the "Khmer Rouge", a communist group, that in the 1970's, forever changed the history of Cambodia and my family. They imposed a radical regime and eradicated all forms of class, culture and education. They forced all civilians into an agrarian social experiment that as a result, killed or displaced over 2 million people. As a result, my family became refugees and were shipped off to camps first in Thailand and then the Philippines, before finally setting in Washington State. Such a heavy history behind a drag name, but I chose that name, not to glorify what they did or to cause anger, but rather as a way to remind people of what this group did and in doing so, making sure it is not forgotten. I found that many people did not know about what happened, and that in and of itself, is a tragedy. (Read more about why I chose the name in the Bay Area Reporter and SF Bay Times).
What's Next for Khmera?
Please join us for our upcoming Court meetings and fundraisers! For the latest up to date information about our Court, please connect with us on Facebook!
xoxo
Yours in service,
Her Imperial Majesty,
The Golden Jubilee Monarch of the International Court System,
The Golden Crouching Tigress, Hidden Draggerina Empress,
Absolute Empress 50,
