High Heels, High Drama

Beauty pageants are sexist. Wait, wait — hear me out. Young ladies parading in evening gowns and demonstrating some sort of talent while a horn dog audience leers at their gams; it's not fair. Where's the male beauty pageant? How come the fellas can't vie for a sash and tiara? Oh, but they can: Miss Gay St. Louis America offers the glamorous male a chance to prove that the aesthetics of feminine beauty are not solely the domain of the ladies. Contestants are judged in four categories: offstage interview, evening gown, onstage question (perhaps about "the Iraq — and such") and talent. The winner is crowned Miss Gay St. Louis and advances to the Miss Gay Missouri America pageant. The losers — well, they'll still look fabulous, so how bad can life be? The Miss Gay St. Louis experience takes place at 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday (February 8 and 9) at the Grey Fox Pub (5303 South Spring Avenue; www.missgaystlouis.com). Friday is the revue show, featuring former Miss Gay St. Louis title-holders such as Jade Sinclair (who happens to be the current Miss Gay Missouri) and the reigning Miss Gay St. Louis, Madison Elise. That's a lot of royalty in one room — you may want to dress up so as not to be embarrassed. Saturday is the full-on competition for the new Miss Gay St. Louis America. Admission is $5 both nights.
Fri., Feb. 8; Sat., Feb. 9, 2008