Drag queens - the best of women and men?

I love the fact that I live in a world where drag queens exist.

They are completely unlinke any other group of people on the planet, that combines some of the most exaggerated elements of each side of the gender chasm - which they straddle, gracefully, in ridiculously high heels.

I have to say that I encounter them less frequently than I would like because, despite their generally extrovert nature, they remain a closetted part of society which only seems to uncloak itself at certain times and in certain places and rarely in my poor grey midlands town.

I also delight in challenging people's prejudices, which is why when my friend Sam and I hit the town in London one weekend, I almost shrieked with joy when the bouncer outside a hidden away bar/club said: "You do realise ladies that it's tranny night don't you?"

Sam is a funny (peculiar not ha ha) girl - she complains constantly if you let her and smiles even when she's miserable in perfect make-up - a perfect tranny fan in the making you would have thought, but no.

Which really is why I took so much pleasure, as I saw her nose wrinkle in disdain, in dragging her in.

And I'm glad I did because, after getting over the initial horror of sharing the toilets with men and mid-transsexuals, Sam loved it (even though later she would tell her mother in a sneering fashion "well it was an experience...").

I on the other hand chatted with all the girls - fascinated with their make-up tricks, accessories and custom-made shoes.

One of the more stunning ones, with a blonde bob and the most amazing breasts ever seen on a man, turned to me and gave me some advice I'll never forget.

"Why do you wear jeans honey? Because your legs are too big? Dear they'll never look any smaller in those horrendous jeans..."

Anywho as I chatted I started to wonder about the nature of drag queens, cross dressers and transsexuals. Are these colourful birds, with their exotoic plumage, the pinnacle of humanity?

With their (largely) fabulous dress sense, their entirely male lack of self-concious self deprication, and their female gentleness - are these members of a third sex the ideal mix of the best of everything?

I mean they carry themselves with no hang-ups, no need for explanation and have an eye for detail which makes them aesthetically perfect.They are perfection in every sense surely?

But then I wondered- if they have no hang-ups - why do we not see all these incandescent creatures in the day?

As I reapplied my lipstick in the toilets and grumbled at the effect in the mirror I realised that a tranny was doing the exact same thing right by me. There was also another drag queen crying in a toilet cubicle and another next to the dryer talking to her lesbian friend about how awful "Duchess" looked in her new plunge dress.

That was when the feeling of slight disappointment curled into my stomach.

Despite all appearances drag queens et al are only human - with the same frailties, viciousness and flaws - they just look better, gosh darnit.

Suze x