It doesn't take much to turn a man into a woman: a glue stick, a few layers of make-up, five pairs of tights, a corsage, a dress, high heels and a wig - and the transformation is perfect, at least visually.
With every layer of paint, every nylon mesh and every loop that lends feminine curves to even the masculine body, a millennia-old concept begins to falter: what is a woman, what is a man and what does male and female even mean when you so quickly jump into another role can slip?
Whereby: Nothing happens quickly this morning in Frankfurt's Nordend.
The large dining table was misused.
There would never have been room in the bathroom for all the cosmetic bags, brushes, powder, lipsticks and make-up palettes that are now spread out on the table protected by towels.
Two geniuses rule this chaos.
Highly concentrated, they mix eyeliner, spread small drops of glue on tiny rhinestones and carefully place them on their faces with tweezers.
Only after about four hours can Hendrik Gies and Devin Swanson be seen.
Up to three pairs of eyelashes are now stuck to her eyelids, surrounded by eyeliner and lots of glitter.
Her lips look fuller and her facial features have changed thanks to contouring, eyebrows that have been glued away and painted higher.
Putting on the wig ends a ritual for both of them, at the end of which they have transformed - to Giselle Hipps and Robin D'Show.
More than just primetime entertainment
Drag has arrived in the mainstream thanks to formats like "RuPaul's Drag Race" or the German counterpart "Queen of Drags".
Although those who compete there couldn't be more different, the shows focus on depicting what viewers expect: a colorful world of divas, glitter, high heels and plenty of drama.
However, drag is much more than just prime-time entertainment – and off the spotlight, it is not uncommon for violence, hatred and incomprehension to be encountered.
Like no other art form, drag demonstrates the principles according to which gender and social norms function.
For the philosopher Judith Butler it was clear more than 30 years ago that drag exposes the practice of repeating idealized gender norms.
Every day, people try to stage their gender according to the ideas that society has for male or female.
Drag makes this achievement visible and inevitably raises a question: What does male and female still mean when gender is always staged by everyone?
"I'm doing my thing now"
Robin D'Show also gets the feeling again and again that many cannot accept that there is more than just male or only female: "Especially men quickly block the subject.
They then think I'd rather be a woman.” It's arguably the biggest cliché drag queens face.
Toxic masculinity also plays a major role here: It summarizes certain role models and ideals that not only harm society, but above all men themselves.
The fact that they are not allowed to show themselves vulnerable or weak serves solely to preserve gender boundaries.
The belief that they have to comply with this makes it particularly difficult for men to break out of this traditional image of masculinity.
Robin D'Show knows this behavior.
Devin was also previously affected by toxic masculinity.
"I didn't want anyone to see that I was gay," he says.
He behaved accordingly at the time.
He hid his feminine side for a long time, trying to fit in, although other children saw homosexuals in him as early as fifth grade.
"It wasn't until I started dragging three years ago that I finally knew: I don't have to fit in anywhere, I'm doing my thing now."