Imagine your alter ego; someone gutsier, stronger, more talented, more popular and more interesting than you. Now put on a few coats of paint, a wig and some sealy posturepedic and become that person. That's what the female impersonators -- aka drag queens -- of Town danceboutique do every Friday and Saturday night. Each weekend, the "ladies of Town" trade in their lives as Andrew, Larry, William and Dustin for Blair, Shi-Queeta, Jessica and Banaka and take the stage, wowing audiences and turning a tidy profit in the process. For two hours, these entertainers bind away their masculinity and -- with the help make-up, wigs and more than a little padding -- transform into the femme fatales you see on stage.
But what about the rest of the time, when the lights are off, the makeup is gone and the wigs are packed away? What is life like for a man who makes his living by dressing up as a woman?
Even as society grows more tolerant and accepting of "queer" lifestyles, a stigma continues to shroud drag culture -- probably because most people don't understand it. Is it about expressing your sexuality? Exploring your gender identity? Or just paying the bills?
Take a peek into the world of DC drag culture. Meet the men that make it famous, and learn about how they got to be where they are today.
Get to know Andrew, Larry, William and Dustin. See what their lives are like -- both on and off the stage.