Everyone should go to a drag show.

They’re similar to fashion shows in a way, but instead of models strutting down a runway, men dress up like women, complete with hair, makeup and heels. They put on a show, pouring their hearts into lip syncing and dancing along to all kinds of music, from “Californication” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers to “Work Bitch” by Britney Spears.

These girls go all-out, too. It’s common for them to make their own outfits and many of the outfits are sparkly, revealing and dramatic with feathers and bright colors. Their makeup is colorful and crazy and better than anything most biological females could do themselves. The performances themselves, however, are my favorite aspect. The passion these queens possess comes alive on the stage and seriously everyone should experience it at least once in their lifetimes.

I went with a few friends to Showbiz Sunday at Spiral Video & Dance Bar in Lansing this weekend. This was only my second time going to a drag show.

I found out about this show as I was getting frozen yogurt in Tutti Frutti on Grand River Ave., when about five fully-dressed drag queens came in with flyers for their show. I figured, hey, a gay club would mean less groping and legitimately creepy dudes than a normal club, and I love drag shows, so why not?

I might be a teensy bit biased because I’ve seen and obsessed over every season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, but it’s honestly an amazing experience. The performers give it their all and seeing their passion come alive is exhilarating. There’s nothing quite like witnessing a drag queen dry-hump a drunken audience member in the middle of their set while taking singles from onlookers.

So, some of you might be thinking, why in the world would a guy do this? Do they have to be homosexual? Does this mean they want to be women?

Obviously, I personally can’t answer any of these questions for drag queens. Each performer has their own motivations, their own style, their own passions. It can be a hobby or a lifestyle choice. Some drag queens live their everyday lives as men and use their drag persona as an outlet for their brimming creativity. Having a second identity could be liberating or expressive to them, kind of like knitting but a lot more fabulous.

Doing drag shows also doesn’t necessarily mean that drag queens “want” to be women. I’d imagine that yes, perhaps some of them do, but that isn’t always the case. Like I said, it can just be a hobby. A completely straight guy could do drag if he wanted.

Now, I’m sure many of you are thinking, do we call drag queens “he” or “she?”

That depends on the performer themselves and how they’re dressed at the time. Yes, if they’re wearing a dress, heels and bigger hair than Beyonce’s, I think it would be rude to call them a he. But outside of their drag costumes, many of them dress as men and prefer to be called as such.

The queens themselves are the definition of sass and confidence. In my opinion, they’re beautiful and hilarious, and I wish I had the screw-you-all-I’m-gorgeous attitude that many of them exude.

The amount of work they put into their costumes, makeup and overall persona is admirable. A little over-the-top, perhaps, but that’s kind of the point anyway, right?

Two of the audience members, Logan Toth and Elle Tabor of East Lansing, are students at the Douglas J Aveda Institute and go to the shows not only for the entertainment, but to admire the queens’ hair styles.

Even though a performer usually wears a wig, it takes a lot of practice and talent to tame hair to be just right for whatever look they’re going for, whether it be their own personal look or an Amy Winehouse or Britney Spears imitation. Celebrity look-alike drag queens are extremely common.

I also found out Sunday night that drag goes both ways — pardon the pun. One of the performers was a kind of reverse drag queen, a biological female performing as a man. He irrefutably was the best performer on stage that night, and he created an electrified energy in Spiral every time he danced.

Now, I’m not pretending to be an expert on drag queens. I’m a pin-straight, fairly uninteresting white girl. But I believe that everyone should take the time to experience this culture.

Emily Jenks is State News reporter. Reach her at ejenks@statenews.com.