Kings/queens and queens/kings get loud in Student Union

Their make-up is perfect, their outfits are hot, but the roles get a little fuzzy after that.

In this show, the people with the mustaches aren't male, and the titillating cleavage isn't 100 percent real. That's when spectators realize, if they haven't already, that it's the Seventh Annual Amateur Drag Show, whose organizers hope the gender-bending role-reversals Monday night helped twist the crowd's notions of what is considered normal sexuality.

Every year during Coming Out Week, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance holds a series of drag shows to commemorate the nationwide celebration and help make students who are not open about their sexuality feel more comfortable about doing so.

"Those who are already 'out' can also celebrate an anniversary of coming out," said Matthew Schwartz, senior communication major, president of LGBTA and performer. "Also, it's a way of saying we exist and we can be who we are."

Schwartz competed as "Miss Marked," in a top hat ensemble, without a wig. A confused panel of judges couldn't decide which category to put him under - drag king or queen, so they decided to have him compete in both.

"My favorite part of it is sort of screwing around with gender identity," he said. "I'm not drag king or drag queen, I'm both."

Schwartz performed with three amateur drag kings and two amateur drag queens.

Visiting from Main Street drag/dance bar Club Marcella was Miss Fanta-See Island. Fanta-See acted as hostess of the show, and also judged the event with last year's Miss UB, Jewel Nikita, along with a panel of judges including several professional performers from Club Marcella.

"I love Jewel, she should have won again," said Jenny Kubicki, freshman environmental design major.

The first amateur contestant, Jim Class, performed the Beck song "Debra," while wearing a mustache and dressed in a flame-covered button-down shirt and jeans. Following her was Taylor Nicole, also known as Matthew Hickey, sophomore business management major, who performed Christina Milian's "Dip it Low."

"I loved it. My favorite was Fy'a," said Abie Boukai, freshman political science major, referring to Fy'a Shad?(c), the "butter pecan Puerto Rican" professional drag queen, who's rendition of the Black Eyed Peas song " My Humps" had the entire theater cheering.

Lacey James, junior psychology major, then performed as Max Steel, a self-described "twenty year-old bachelor." Wearing a fake goatee and baseball hat, Steel performed "College Girls are Easy."

The final amateur act, Action Jackson, then performed with two of the Club Marcella professionals.

Throughout every performance, audience members brought dollar bills to the stage, to show performers appreciation.

"Tipping ain't a city in China. Well, maybe it is, but we ain't in China," said Miss Fanta-See Island.

Everyone then went onstage to announce the winners of the competition, Miss UB, Taylor Nicole, and Mister UB, Max Steel. The two went on to perform a memorable show along with the professional drag queens in the Student Union lobby on Tuesday to close out Coming Out Week.

Among the performers was Sabrina, an African-American drag queen and dwarf who performed the Jackson Five's "Rockin' Robin" in a poodle skirt, as well as MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This," in complete Hammer get-up.

"It's interesting that there are so many straight people interested in seeing the show," said Daniel Reynolds, a junior linguistics major. "Everyone seems so positive."

Schwartz said that the crowd reaction certainly helped, and especially eased the pains of performing as a female.

"I have to have three layers of duct tape put around my chest, for cleavage," he said.

Joshua Colson, junior English and philosophy major, said that the show did a good job of bringing attention to important issues.

"I think that it's good because it draws people's attention to the Student Union and then you have a lot of educational things going on at the same time," Colson said. "It's quite rare that you get so many people in one spot."

Schwartz said he was very pleased with the turnout. He thought that the timing for Coming Out Week also had significant meaning.

"It's interesting that it falls on the Jewish holy days, because it's not a sin to be gay," he said. "It's a sin to not be able to be free to be who we are."