Shawn Stokes, who has participated in hundreds of fundraisers as Akasha Royale, gets his wig brushed by Tassandra Hamby, performing as Tassandra Crush, before a show March 12, 2023, at Rehab Bar And Grill in the Grove. 

Maxi Glamour puts on makeup before performing in Faeded, a reoccurring show Glamour produces, on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, at the Crack Fox in downtown St. Louis.

Activists listen as Shawn Stokes, dressed as drag queen Akasha Royale, speaks during a protest for transgender rights Wednesday, March 29, 2023, outside the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.

Performer Maxi Glamour gives a speech during an event entitled "Black Queer Resistance: Maxi Glamour on Art, Drag, and Community Activism" on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at St. Louis Public Library's Carpenter Library.

Essence Hale, performing as Essence Mazzaratie, lip syncs to a song on stage on Friday, March 10, 2023, at Prism in the Grove neighborhood in St. Louis. Hale has been performing in drag for 17 years.

Maxi Glamour performs in Faeded, a recurring show Glamour produces, on Feb. 4, 2023, at the Crack Fox in downtown St. Louis. The show included several other drag and band performances.

Brantz Bulard, performing as Robyn Hearts, changes outfits between sets during a show Saturday, March 12, 2023, at Rehab Bar And Grill in the Grove neighborhood in St. Louis.

Taylor Edwards, performing as Ming Lee, left, dances on stage with bride-to-be Ashley Gagen, right, on Friday, March 10, 2023, at Prism in the Grove neighborhood in St. Louis. Gagen is getting married in June and attended the show as a part of her bachelorette party.

Larry Spencer, dressed as drag queen Amber Lance Valentino, chants during a solidarity march Saturday, March 25, 2023, along Manchester Avenue in the Grove neighborhood in St. Louis. Activists, organized by group “It's all drag!”, marched in response to nationwide legislation, including drag bans and legislation against transgender people.