Heaven sent: Mark Russ has a lesson from the drag show

‘The queens and kings create joyous spaces of inclusion and affirmation.’

by Mark Russ 16th January 2026

I love a drag show. I’ve had a drag queen shower me with glitter in a club, witnessed a bizarre strip tease involving frankfurters and brown sauce, and even splashed around at a drag-hosted pool party. At their best, drag shows give me a taste of heaven. The queens and kings create joyous spaces of inclusion and affirmation in a world hostile to queer life. When I’m in the light of a glitter-ball singing along to Shirley Bassey, I feel a wholeness I wish would last forever. I find it easier to imagine heaven as a gay bar than the usual clouds and harps.