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Drag and burlesque have long been a staple of the LGBTQ+ community, with deep roots both nationally and locally.

Multimedia journalist Jaelynn Grisso tells us about a local drag queen working to keep queer performance safe and thriving.

-During a Friday night in May, with Pride Month on its heels, the Clock-Out Lounge is packed, standing room only.

Tonight's show was sold out, which has become the norm for local drag show Tush.

-Tush is a drag, burlesque, comedy, music queer variety show here that's been running eight years, almost.

-I caught up with Tush's founder Betty Wetter, before the show.

-I kind of love when people complain that they couldn't get tickets to the show, because it just means that things are going well and people are really latching on to the message.

-That growth has meant room for more opportunities, such as the Queer Sick Pay Fund.

Now, in its second year, she and a few friends created the fund to help queer performers stay afloat.

-When we came back from lockdown performers were constantly getting sick.

I lived in and still live in great fear of getting sick and perhaps not being able to perform again, or not be able to perform for a while.

And that would take away my livelihood.

Washington state has plans for employed people, but we are often independent contractors in this industry, so there's not really anything like this that exists.

-In the first year, they raised $100,000 for the fund and gave out half.

-I'm hoping to really create a sustainable future for the artists who come on to our stage.

I'd like to see these people thriving.

-Tomorrow, we'll look at the rise of trans refugees coming to Seattle and get an on the ground perspective from those impacted.

I'm Paris Jackson, thank you for watching The Newsfeed.