Sep 15, 2026 - Things to Do

Des Moines drag king gets national spotlight

Linh Ta

Center: a man in a black, heavily embroidered suit and a wide hat with gold fringe, beard and hoop earrings. A joyful woman in glittery clothing stands to his left; purple curtain and golden wavy backdrop behind. — "Trade" on season two of "King of Drag." Photo: B Sharp/Courtesy of Revry

Des Moines drag king "Trade" is catching some limelight on the second season of "King of Drag" on Revry.

Why it matters: Dakota Chambers, a transgender man, is helping bring limelight to drag kings, who are often overlooked in queer media in comparison to drag queens.

Driving the news: "King of Drag," a drag king reality competition series, premieres Sept. 20 at 8pm.

How it started: Chambers' interest in drag started during COVID, when he binge-watched early seasons of "RuPaul's Drag Race" on Hulu.

His sister then took him to his first live drag show in Lincoln, Nebraska.
"I loved it. I thought it was so fun," he tells Axios.
He got his start a few years later after he taught himself choreography from YouTube videos and studied drag king fashion online. He moved to Des Moines in 2023 and joined The Blazing Saddle's cast to help grow his career.

What they're saying: "Though known for his athletic build and erotic performances, Trade is a racy embodiment of sex, silliness, and charisma, with a femme touch of masculinity," per the show's description of him.

What's next: He'll join the show's national tour starting Oct. 25 and travel across 21 states.

He's planning a stop at Ankeny Drag Brunch in September and is still a part of the Saddle's regular cast.

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Des Moines drag king gets national spotlight

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